D.J. Scott has survived a collision with a
semi-truck, so it’s a good bet he’ll be tough enough to handle the
rigors of major college football in Greenville next fall.
Scott is the
first member of East Carolina
coach Skip Holtz’s recruiting Class of 2006, having given the Pirates a
verbal commitment during the summer. A 6-foot-6, 291-pound offensive
lineman from Clay High School in Green Cove Springs, FL, Scott would
have probably been a highly recruited prospect this season if not for
serious car accident that wiped out the second half of his junior
season.
Five games into the 2004 campaign,
Scott’s car was T-boned by a semi-truck and he suffered a lacerated
spleen.
“He’s lucky to be alive,’’ Clay High
coach Jim Reape said. “While the injury didn’t require surgery besides
just stitching him up, it did require time to let the spleen heal.
Consequently, he missed the second half of the season. It was
disappointing, but better than the alternative.
“We made it to the playoffs, and he and
his dad were scheming to get him back into uniform. His mom put an end
to that, but that shows you how tough the kid is. He was ready to get
back on the field again.’’
Instead of playing, Scott wound up
focusing his energy on the weight room.
“He really dedicated himself to the
weight room, and consequently he’s a stronger, quicker player this
year,’’ Reape said. ‘He weighed about 265 last year and he started
preseason camp at 291. He’s every bit of 6-foot-6 and 291 pounds, but
he’s still very lean. There’s plenty of room for growth.’’
Schools from Florida to Bowling Green
were in contact with Scott throughout the summer. But it was East
Carolina that showed the quickest and most sincere interest, Reape said.
“D.J. went to all the camps, but from
the time he met the East Carolina coaching staff they treated him most
sincerely and were most up front with him,’’ Reape said. “They saw his
film, shook his hand, watched practice and offered a scholarship.
“His best football is ahead of him.
East Carolina got themselves quite a sleeper.’’
Scott has played just two seasons of
varsity football, according to Reape, and is expected to play offensive
tackle at East Carolina.
Improving the talent on the offensive
line is expected to be one of several priorities for the Pirates in
recruiting the Class of 2006.
Here’s a glance at six players who
already have scholarship offers from East Carolina, as well as one under
consideration for an offer:
••• BRETT
AINSLEY, C-G (6-3, 285) Western Branch HS, Chesapeake, VA — Ainsley
impressed the ECU staff at summer camp with his intelligence, quick feet
and his ability to execute the shotgun snap from center. They Pirates
quickly extended an offer. James Madison is his only other offer at this
point.
••• KYLE FOX,
G (6-3, 285) Madison County HS, Greenville, FL — Fox is a tough,
physical blocker who delivered 38 “pin’’ blocks as a junior to earn
second-team all-state 2-A honors. His team has reached the state finals
three times in the last four years. ECU, North Carolina and Southern
Miss have offered scholarships.
••• CANNON
GASKIN, G (6-4, 265) The Bolles School, Jacksonville, FL — Gaskin has
the speed (4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash) to play defensive line, but
his potential to pack pounds on his lean frame makes him an ideal guard
or tackle candidate at the next level. ECU has offered along with
Kentucky and Temple.
••• DOUG
POLOCHAK, G (6-4, 268) Nease HS, Jacksonville, FL — Polochak is another
tall, lean blocking prospect who’ll need to pack on some weight once he
reaches the DI level. Central Florida and Toledo have offered him along
with ECU, and Navy has recruited him for football, too.
••• KEVIN
MCCASKILL, C (6-0, 287) Godby HS, Tallahassee, FL — McCaskill has been a
varsity starter since his freshman season and earned second-team
all-state 3-A from the Florida Sports Media as a junior. He’s gotten
plenty of interest and counts offers from Illinois, Iowa State,
Louisville, Marshall and Mississippi as well as ECU.
••• TRAVIS
MELVIN, T (6-6, 250) Cape Fear HS, Fayetteville — Melvin is one of those
natural talents who can do just about anything he wants, when he puts
his mind to it. That’s why ECU got in early with an offer, but Duke,
North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia and Virginia Tech are watching his
progress closely.
••• BILLY
CUFFEE, T (6-5, 330) Deep Creek HS, Chesapeake, VA — The Pirates haven’t
offered, but they’re watching Cuffee closely to see how he responds
after missing the second half of his junior year with a hip injury. If
he’s healthy, Cuffee’s a major prospect. Florida, Maryland, North
Carolina, Nebraska, N.C. State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech are
just some of the others staying in contact.
We’ll take a look at other positions
and possible recruits at those spots in the next two weeks.
