Combine about exposure
Many wore their school letter jackets. Others wore light, hooded sweatshirts, taking advantage of the unusually warm late winter day.
But no matter their looks or their attire, the 108 high school juniors all came Wednesday to the indoor practice field of the Browns' training facility with one goal in mind: To get noticed at the annual Cleveland stop of the National High School All-Star Combine.
For some players, getting noticed was probably an easier job than it was for others. On one end of the spectrum were the boys from the big, high-profile - and highly successful - high school programs, such as the 13 players from Cleveland Glenville and the 22 from Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward. Both schools have sent countless players to colleges over the years. One such player is former Glenville star Donte Whitner, an Ohio State junior cornerback who has made himself eligible for the NFL Draft. He spoke to the athletes before the combine began, telling them to relax and have fun. Players such as Whitner, in addition to his now OSU and former Glenville teammates Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr., have paved the way for all players from the inner-city public school. They are on the radar screen of colleges.
Along those same lines, there was Jordan Mabin, a junior running back from another Greater Cleveland area accomplished high school program, Macedonia Nordonia. Mabin didn't need to work out at the combine, having already proved his worth. He is projected to be one of the top senior prospects in the state next season, and was named the MVP recently of the combine held in conjunction with the U.S. Army High School All-Star Game in San Antonio, Texas.
But Mabin was still at the Browns' facility to show support for three of his Nordonia teammates at the combine in Brandon Thomas, maybe the biggest player participating, Kevin Kowalski and Zach Boedicker. Because of Mabin and players such as ex-Knight Rob Sims, a senior left tackle at Ohio State and the son of former Browns defensive tackle Mickey Sims, all Nordonia players are now getting noticed.
"You've got to have confidence in yourself to be successful at these combines," Mabin said. "If you're confident, then you're fine. Your confidence can help you overcome being nervous or intimidated."
But at the other end of the spectrum were the players from the smaller schools, especially the ones that have struggled to win consistently over the years. Falling into the latter category were quarterback Brandon Reese, linebacker Nick Krehel and offensive tackle Eric Laphon, all from Fairview High in Fairview Park, a Division IV school (third-smallest classification in Ohio based on enrollment) that's just a short ride from the Browns' facility. Because they aren't on most college recruiters' lists yet, they wanted to get their names and faces out there into the mix. And this combine provided that opportunity.
Reese has started since the beginning of his sophomore season and is near the top of his class academically with a 4.0 grade-point average.
"Brandon is a smart kid who has a lot of playing experience," said Ed Spagnola, who will be beginning his fourth season as Fairview coach next fall.
Krehel, who started all last season, "has a real work ethic," according to Spagnola.
A two-year starter and an All-West Shore Conference selection in 2005, the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Laphon also has great size going for him.
"It was good for these three guys to come here and see the caliber of the athletes at these other schools," Spagnola said. "They can go back home realizing the type of work they need to do in the offseason to improve their status."
But it's not an impossible task for them or anyone else from a small school to move on to college football.
"Not at all," Spagnola said. "College scouting is so thorough now that even if you're from a Division VI school (the smallest classification in Ohio), they'll find you if you've got talent and can play. And if you can do a good job here at this combine, you help those scouts start to find you."
Source: ClevelandBrowns.com
