I wonder the same. Local player here in my town, about the same size, 3 yr experience, absolute gym rat, mult sport. Just wonder if that size is just so common, dime a dozen. Upside is these kids can be captains and leaders and impact players at their next stop. I can only imagine D1 can be a phenominal experience. Playing lower level if you love the game can be tremendously rewarding too. Same life lessons taught in the game at almost all levels.
IMO the eye test costs these schools way more great players than it delivers them. On the flip side of this topic……. I’m amazed at some of these kids who get so much attention. Just looking at hudl film high lites kids put out that are filled with absolute cream puff competition and they’re being pursued by multiple schools. they may have had 4 to 5 very tough teams on their schedule yet not a single clip appears from that level of competition just adds to the curiosity. As another poster said “if you look like Tarzan and play like Jane” can these schools really turn these kids around and teach them heart? Chances are they can’t. Which is a shame for the kids with the heart and mental toughness that don’t fit the mold.
The amazing thing to me is the "offers" kids get from simply going to camps. No discernable film or proof of actually being a player, but pass the eye test with flying colors. With the rise in camps and the use of the internet, coaches get to cast such a wide net, using only measurements and times, that they can't help but come up with guys that can play. Unless it is at the highest levels of the sport, there aren't too many coaches looking at actual game tape.
Maybe the most silly response I've seen in some time...everyone watches tape and everyone (at least the coaches I've known for over 30 years) don't use camps only when it comes to an offer (most are not allowed at many of those camps unless it's a college satellite deal or an on college campus camp). Especially under the current recruiting climate.....there is just a very limited amount of $$$$ available especially for this class and the next 2-3 more. Thanks COVID and the transfer portal
I don’t know Edgy, yes Coaches do watch tape but I have known players get offers from their performances at Camps. Maybe that performance propelled coaches to watch the film, but I do know kids that got offers from their camp/showcase performances. Maybe not Power 5 offers, but offers all the same.
For the record, this isn't a slam on camps. They have opened up the opportunity for more kids to be exposed to more coaches, which in turn gives kids more opportunities. That's all good. It's more of an observation on how things have changed. Many of the kids we think of as "players" wouldn't have gotten any more looks in the past, it just seems different for some reason.
Saw he committed to Northern Michigan this morning via his Twitter. Good for him! Northern Michigan seems to do a pretty good job recruiting Illinois
I’ll take JJ for a thousand Alex. Yes I know I’m pointing out the anomaly, but all things considered it happens every now and then.
I totally agree w/ you mc2023. Some of these hudl films don't justify the potential talent when you are playing subpar competition. Some may have had 1 tough team.. I want to see those highlights when the game is on the line ie... playoffs. Alot of teams don't make it, but this is where you'll see the heart & who wants it more..
LOL. It's the new wave. I'm old school and I want to see what you are working with once you strap up them pads and put on that helmet. You can be an all american camp guy w/o the pads, but some may not be ready once it gets equipment time. I've seen it first hand on many occasions.
I remember Jca's Colby Fleener getting an offer out of a camp. There was no film because he hadn't caught a pass on varsity yet lol.
I know you've seen plenty of camp all americans not get an offer.
When I was a GA at a D1, staff spent the spring out meeting prospects, talking w their coach and watching their film. If they thought they had a chance, they wanted to see them live at their summer camps. If they liked what they saw at camp, the HC would meet w the kid right after camp in his office and offer at that point.
Great input. Let me add this... I have seen where these kids come to camp & know going in that they have that subpar 40 or shuttle etc.. & will duck away from partipating in that particular test for that very reason. Do they get "marked down" or "penalized" for it?? And these are kids that are being looked at.... Thoughts?
Terrific player but you also realize how many QB money offers are available? Most of those have been secured for months if not a year or two.....
My son just finished this process and tested well during COVIC fall (but as a ‘22 he lost his summer camps before junior year and was nursing knee issues before senior year-his only camp summer was before soph year) and I helped kids through this since 1 day camps started back in the day. If a kid goes on campus as a recruit and doesn’t run the tests there is a good chance it will affect them (unless the coaches agree ahead of time it doesn’t matter). If you go to a mega camp and don’t run it coaches may not care but they also are looking for measurables there. Let’s be honest, if you are running from poor combine scores you are also the kid that is going to come up short anyways. Reality is at the big time college level, everyone is a freak athlete. That is why they have standards. There is always “that kid” that proves all of it wrong. But I have learned over my career that if all the coaches don’t recruit someone than there is probably a reason. BUT if that kid walks on somewhere or blows it up at the FCS level then they prove people wrong.
I definitely get that, I think he is a better recruit on the other side of the ball. Class of ‘22 in Illinois is a tough spot to get recruited as a qb if you weren’t playing as sophomore, even two year starters only hit the field earlier this year. Not to mention COVID extra eligibility has most spots filled already
So it happens...
Size. He’ll be a good D2 back. Transferring hurt his stats. At PC he’s getting 80% of the touches. At BR with Lausch and Co, he’s touches went way down
Don't forget Trevor Keagan from CLS at Michigan. I know he's not a CLCC kid, but he is from Illinois.
