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Recruiting Wars: Wide Receivers
By
Sammy Batten
©2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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(NOTE: This is the third
in a position-by-position series where we take our first look at high
school or junior college prospects East Carolina has offered
scholarships to already in the recruiting Class of 2016.)
Few Football Bowl Subdivision
coaching staffs have done a better job identifying and developing wide
receiver talent than East Carolina during the five seasons under Ruffin
McNeill's guidance.
We all know the story of Justin
Hardy's rise from walk-on to the career receptions leader in FBS
history. But the successes for McNeill's staff at receiver don't end
there.
They also plucked Lance Lewis out of
the junior college ranks for a late addition to their first recruiting
class. Lewis went on to produce 149 catches for 1,716 yards and 22
touchdowns in two season at ECU. Then there's the development of walk-on
Cam Worthy into an NFL prospect, plus the signing of stars-in-waiting
like Trevon Brown and Isaiah Jones, the latter of whom has caught 143
passes for 1,434 yards 10 scores in his first two college seasons.
It should also be noted that although
McNeill's staff didn't recruit the great Dwayne Harris, he did enjoy his
best season for the Pirates under the current coaches in 2010 with 101
receptions for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Hardy and Worthy are the only two
players from last year's receiving corps to have completed their
eligibility. But with six receivers scheduled to exit the program over
the next two years, the Pirates will be in the market for three to four
prospects at those positions as they pursue the Class of 2016.
Here's a closer look at the 12
receiver/tight end prospects who have already reported scholarship
offers from ECU, and early projections on how serious these players are
about playing for Pirates. The players are listed in alphabetical order.
IAN BOYD (6-3, 203) Apex HS,
Apex, NC
NOTABLES: Boyd is a two-sport
star who also excels on the basketball court. In football, he played
varsity as a freshman, but really asserted himself during a sophomore
year in which he caught 29 passes for 412 yards and two touchdowns,
while also rushing 73 times for 452 yards and two more scores. Boyd
followed with 36 catches for 580 yards and five touchdowns, plus 48
rushes for 340 yards and a score last season to earn first-team
All-Southwest Wake 4-A Conference honors in 2014. He's twice been
selected to the All-Southwest Wake 4-A team in basketball after
averaging 14 points as a sophomore and 21.5 points as a junior.
COLLEGE OFFERS: East
Carolina, Old Dominion, Virginia Tech.
THE ECU ANGLE: Boyd wants to
play basketball and football in college, which could work to ECU's
advantage. Currently, only Radford has offered him for basketball. The
Pirates, who extended a football scholarship offer to Boyd last May,
consider him a HIGH INTEREST prospect. But it's going to be a dogfight
to the finish as more programs offer Boyd after he makes the rounds at
the summer camp/combine circuit.
DIVINE DEABLO (6-3, 195)
Mount Tabor HS, Winston-Salem, NC
NOTABLES: Deablo is a
receiver in the mold of current Pirate, Trevon Brown. He's tall, plays
physical and has speed (4.45-seconds in 40-yard dash) to beat defenders
deep. Deablo started his prep career as a JV quarterback before moving
to receiver on the Mount Tabor varsity where he emerged as an
All-Central Piedmont 4-A Conference pick last season.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Clemson,
Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, N.C. State, North
Carolina, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia
Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: Deablo listed
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech as his top
four schools in early April. This is one prospect, however, I think will
eventually become more serious about ECU as the process unfolds. So
despite limited contact with the Pirates so far, I consider Deablo a
MEDIUM INTEREST recruit for ECU.
MYLES DORN (6-2, 195) Vance
HS, Charlotte, NC
NOTABLES: The son of former
UNC and NFL player, Torin Dorn, Myles is a major college prospect at
wide receiver and safety. He's been a Vance varsity player since his
freshman year when he was the team's backup quarterback and safety. Dorn
claimed a starting safety job as a sophomore, making 77 tackles and
intercepting six passes. But as a junior he established himself as an
offensive star, too, making 74 catches for 1,274 yards and 18
touchdowns. Dorn continued his strong play on defense as well with 75
tackles and five picks. The performance earned Dorn a spot on the
Charlotte Observer's All-Area team.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston College,
Charlotte, East Carolina, Duke, Elon, Miami, N.C. State, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Wake Forest, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: North Carolina
is clearly the frontrunner for Dorn, but he hasn't stated any favorites
because he's yet to visit many of the other schools that have offered.
Still, his ties to UNC are strong, which probably makes him a LOW
INTEREST prospect for ECU and everyone else.
MIKE HARDY (6-3, 195)
LaGrange HS, LaGrange, GA
NOTABLES: Hardy is another
dynamic dual-sport athlete who also excels in basketball. On the
football field, he's a tall, explosive receiver capable of making big
plays. For example, in the regular-season finale for LaGrange last
season, Hardy showed his athleticism and big-play abilities in the
opening quarter. On the team's first possession, he out-jumped a
defender to make a 52-yard catch that set up a touchdown. On LaGrange's
next possession, he hauled in a 49-yard scoring pass.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Central
Florida, Cincinnati, East Carolina.
THE ECU ANGLE: Hardy is one
of those sleeper'' prospects that the Pirates have had great success
developing into solid college players. He hasn't talked much about the
recruiting process, but I'd still rate him a MEDIUM-TO-HIGH INTEREST
prospect for the Pirates.
GRANT HOLLOWAY (6-2, 190)
Grassfield HS, Chesapeake, VA
NOTABLES: Holloway is one of
Virginia's top track and field athletes. He recently set the state
indoor record for the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.19 seconds and
has recorded a high jump of 6-foot-11 and 1/2 inches in competition. On
the football field, Holloway used his 4.26-second speed in the 40-yard
dash to earn all-league honors as a junior. In early April, he dazzled
scouts at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Richmond, VA, earning wide
receiver MVP honors and was rated the camp's second-best overall
performer.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Clemson, East
Carolina, Mississippi, N.C. State, Old Dominion, Penn State, Tennessee,
Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: N.C. State,
Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech have been the schools
Holloway has mentioned the most through early stages of recruiting. But
the Pirates do have a strong record of football and track success to
sway Holloway. However, at this stage we believe he's a LOW INTEREST
prospect for the Pirates.
EMMANUEL JONES (6-3, 180)
Asheboro HS, Asheboro, NC
NOTABLES: Jones is the kind
of receiver who can turn a swing pass or handoff into a big play, or he
can use his speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and size to beat
people deep. He emerged on the Asheboro varsity as a sophomore when he
averaged more than 26 yards a catch on 23 receptions and scored nine
touchdowns. Those statistics remained steady during the 2014 season when
he caught 40 passes for 693 yards and eight scores. Because he's so
versatile, some schools are recruiting Jones as an athlete, who could
play wide receiver or in the secondary.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Charlotte,
East Carolina, N.C. State, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: The Pirates
were the third school to offer Jones in December behind N.C. State and
West Virginia. Those schools, as well as North Carolina, were Jones
favorites in early April. He's definitely a HIGH INTEREST prospect for
ECU at receiver and defensive back.
DIONDRE OVERTON (6-5, 195)
Page HS, Greensboro, NC
NOTABLE: In fraternity terms,
Overton is what's known as an ECU athletic legacy. His father, Darrell,
played basketball for the Pirates from 1988-91 and his older brother
Montese will be a senior linebacker for the purple and gold next fall.
Diondre originally had his eyes focused on following in his father's
footsteps and becoming a college basketball player, which is why he
didn't play football as a freshman or sophomore at Page. He began
displaying his potential on the court playing at Southeast Guilford High
as a freshman before transferring to Page where he averaged 8.2 points
and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore. Overton had stopped playing football in
middle school after suffering a leg injury, but decided to give it
another try as a junior last season. The experiment paid off in a big
way as he caught 62 passes for 1,187 yards and eight touchdowns on the
football field. He then headed straight to the basketball team where he
averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston
College, Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Kentucky, Louisville, N.C. State,
North Carolina, Old Dominion, South Carolina, Wake Forest, West
Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: Obviously,
there's the family connection at ECU, and the strong possibility to make
an impact in basketball and football quicker than many other places.
Despite those factors, Clemson has established itself as the early
frontrunner for Overton with N.C. State and Tennessee ranking next. But
the Pirates are still very much in the mix, making Overton a HIGH
INTEREST prospect for the Class of 2016.
PHILLIP PATTERSON (6-1, 175)
Bayside HS, Virginia Beach, VA
NOTABLES: Patterson is such
an effective two-way player in high school that he earned second-team
All-Coastal Conference honors on both sides of the ball as a junior. He
compiled 403 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver last year, while
also contributing 43 tackles and six interceptions at defensive back.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Duke, East
Carolina, Illinois, Massachusetts, Navy, San Diego State, Virginia Tech,
Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: Patterson
picked up his offer in late January from ECU, which has a strong
presence in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Duke and Virginia Tech have
emerged as his early preferences, but I still expect the Pirates to be a
player for Patterson through the summer months during which he'll be a
HIGH INTEREST recruit.
KALEN RILES (6-1, 174)
Rickards HS, Tallahassee, FL
NOTABLES: Riles is a clutch
receiver who is capable of playing inside at a slot position or as an
outside receiver. He became a prominent varsity contributor as a
sophomore when he made 33 catches for 452 yards and eight touchdowns. As
a junior, he worked at receiver, quarterback and in the secondary, but
it was at wide out where he excelled, making 32 catches for 372 yards
and seven scores. A bright student who carries a 3.5 grade point
average.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Akron,
Buffalo, East Carolina, LSU, South Florida, Southern Miss
THE ECU ANGLE: Riles was
previously committed to South Florida, but backed off that pledge in
late March. That could be an opening for ECU, which offered Riles back
in May 2014. The Bulls are still the favorite, so for now he's a MEDIUM
INTEREST prospect for the Pirates. But that could change quickly over
the summer.
DONAVEN TENNYSON (5-11, 170)
Benedictine School, Richmond, VA
NOTABLE: A speed merchant who
has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Tennyson produced big
plays receiving and returning kicks as a junior. He caught 41 passes for
841 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for
scores to help lead Benedictine to its first state title. Tennyson
earned first-team all-state honors at wide receiver.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston
College, East Carolina, Illinois, Marshall, Michigan State, North
Carolina, Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Temple, Tennessee, Vanderbilt,
Virginia, Wake Forest, West Virginia.
THE ECU ANGLE: The Pirates
got involved with an offer in December, so in some ways they're still
playing catchup with Tennyson. He hasn't had a chance to make the rounds
and visit many schools to date, so he has no list of favorites at this
statge. When that time comes, however, watch for ECU to be a factor with
Tennyson, who we think will be a HIGH INTEREST prospect.
ANDREW TRAINER (6-7, 235)
St. Stephens & St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
NOTABLES: Trainer is a
three-sport athlete who plays tight end and defensive end in football.
He hauled in 17 catches for 226 yards and two scores on offense as a
junior. He's also a first-baseman/pitcher for the baseball squad and
averaged 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in basketball as a junior.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Buffalo,
Connecticut, Cornell, East Carolina, Harvard, Illinois, James Madison,
N.C. State, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Virginia, Yale.
THE ECU ANGLE: Trainer is
another guy who make take a crack at playing basketball and football at
the next level. He's forged a strong connection with the ECU football
coaching staff since receiving a scholarship offer back in January, and
has consequently visited Greenville unofficially already. The Pirates
are a player for this HIGH INTEREST prospect.
BENJAMIN VICTOR (6-4, 173)
Coconut Creek HS, Coconut Creek, FL
NOTABLES: Victor is a matchup
nightmare for high school defensive backs because of his size and
length. He played his sophomore season at Northeast High before
transferring to Coconut Creek last season. At Coconut Creek, he hauled
in 44 catches for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Alabama,
Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida
International, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville,
Massachusetts, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi, Mississippi State,
Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers, South Carolina, South
Florida, Syracuse, TCU, Temple, Tennessee, UCF, Wake Forest, West
Virginia, Wisconsin.
THE ECU ANGLE: Beyond an
offer from the Pirates, there hasn't been a noticeable connection with
Victor. At present, he seems clearly focused on Power Five conference
schools, especially the one at Florida. Maybe ECU can make some headway
with Victor by upsetting the Gators in their matchup next fall. Until
then, he's a LOW INTEREST recruit.
GARRETT WALSTON (6-4, 225)
New Hanover HS, Wilmington, NC
NOTABLES: Heads and shoulders
the top tight end prospect in the North Carolina high school ranks this
season, Walston has been a varsity starter at New Hanover since the
fifth game of his sophomore season. He's a true pass catcher at tight
end as evidenced by the 44 catches for 847 yards and 10 touchdowns he
compiled as a junior. Walston is also a pitcher and an outfielder for
the school's baseball team.
COLLEGE OFFERS: Boston
College, Charlotte, East Carolina, Maryland, N.C. State, North Carolina,
Northwestern Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
THE ECU ANGLE: Walston's
college decision is expected shortly, and from all indications it'll
come down to North Carolina and N.C. State. Georgia has entered the
picture recently, too. The heavy interest in those schools makes him a
LOW INTEREST prospect for the ECU.
Five other receiver/tight ends
offered by East Carolina have already made verbal commitments to other
schools. They include:
MARK BIRMINGHAM (6-3, 230)
Briar Woods HS, Ashburn, VA (Duke)
MARQUEZ MCNAIR (6-1, 180) Hinds Community College/Magee HS, Magee, MS
(Southern Miss)
CORNELL POWELL (6-1, 190) Rose HS, Greenville, NC (Clemson)
MARCUS SIMMS (6-2, 180) Sherwood HS, Sandy Springs, MD (West Virginia)
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06/09/2015 01:28 AM |
