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Scholarships on the line
BY TAYLOR BELL
The most accurate barometer of measuring a high school football player's talent level is the number of scholarship offers he receives going into his senior year. Most importantly, who is making the offers?
For example, if a prospect has a dozen offers from Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC schools, you can be assured that he is a blue-chipper. Those schools don't waste scholarships on marginal performers.
However, if a prospect receives only one or two offers or if he only has offers from Mid-America, Gateway and Mid-Continent schools, it is assumed he isn't good enough to play at a higher level.
''College scouts won't offer unless the player is capable of playing at their level,'' CSTV recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. ''But there are levels of offers. Great players are offered by everybody, regardless of need. At the next level, schools offer based on need.''
That's what the May evaluation period is all about.
''The key is to have plenty of film and transcripts ready for them,'' St. Rita coach Todd Kuska said. ''It's a no-contact period, but they like to get a look at the kid walking through the hall. On film, they like to see what happens when he is away from the ball. Does he let up or pursue on a play? Little things matter at the next level.''
Because coaches can't talk to prospects, they talk to teachers and guidance counselors to get insight into a player's personality and character. What kind of a worker is he? Does he love to spend time in the weight room? Is he popular among his classmates? Is he a good communicator?
Film doesn't lie. According to Lemming and dozens of college coaches who have evaluated motion pictures with the critical eyes of Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, the top five prospects in the Chicago area in the class of 2008 are St. Rita's Darius Fleming, Mount Carmel's Steve Filer, Marian Central's Sean Cwynar, Montini's Garrett Goebel and Lemont's Brett Nagel.
Fleming ranks No. 1 because he received 17 scholarship offers before committing to Notre Dame last week. The 6-2, 234-pound defensive end/outside linebacker chose the Irish over Michigan, USC, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
''He is a big playmaker,'' Lemming said. ''He could be a contributor as a true freshman. He is relentless, hard-working and aggressive. He reminds of [Bears linebacker] Lance Briggs. He always is around the ball. At the San Antonio combine in January, he went up against everybody who was anybody and handled everyone. That's when I realized he was a special player.''
Fleming made five visits to the Notre Dame campus before committing but said he was ''sold'' after his second trip. He was awed by the tradition on the campus.
''Every building looks like a church,'' he said.
He has formed a bond with the Chicago-area recruits -- sophomore quarterback Demetrius Jones (Morgan Park), 2007 signees Robert Hughes (Hubbard) and Aaron Nagel (Lemont) and Cwynar, who committed a few weeks earlier. He also hangs out with freshman quarterback whiz Jimmy Clausen of California.
''A lot of schools are good in football, but not too many can give you a worthwhile degree and an opportunity to play football,'' Fleming said. ''I've met a lot of people I want to be around. I don't feel there are any other schools that can give me what Notre Dame can give me.''
He is aware that some schools will continue to recruit him, hoping that he will change his mind before the February signing date. But he said he is comfortable with his decision and likes that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis recruited him as an outside linebacker, not a defensive end.
''Playing outside linebacker will showcase my skills more,'' he said. ''It will show my athleticism more. I will be able to rush the quarterback as a defensive end and drop back into coverage.
''Making my decision early takes a big load off my mind. I feel real good about my decision. Now I can focus on my grades and helping my team to get to the state playoff again. Winning one more state championship would be a great way to go out as a senior.''
Filer, who impresses scouts with his great frame, enormous potential, running ability and good instincts, appears to be leaning to Michigan over Notre Dame, Ohio State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Iowa and Minnesota.
According to Scout.com, Filer ranks as the No. 4 prospect in the Midwest -- behind Ohio State-bound tackle Mike Adams of Dublin, Ohio; Michigan-bound cornerback Boubacar Cissoko of Detroit; and Notre Dame-bound tight end Kyle Rudolph of Cincinnati.
Cwynar might have topped the list, Lemming said, if he hadn't closed his recruiting March 5. At the time, he had more than a dozen offers and could have expected many more.
''Production -- that's what separates him from others,'' Lemming said. ''He outperformed all defensive linemen in Illinois last year.''
Goebel isn't as explosive as Cwynar, according to Lemming, but the state's heavyweight wrestling champion takes up a lot of space, is very active on his feet and can apply pressure on the quarterback.
How good is the class of 2008? After the top 10, Lemming said, there is a bit of a dropoff. But some players will rise during the May evaluation period. It is an average class but not below average like the last two years. The linebacking corps, in particular, is very promising.
CHICAGO AREA'S TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2008 | According to Tom Lemming No. Player
School Pos. Ht. Wt.
1 Darius Fleming St. Rita DE 6-2 234
2 Steve Filer Mount Carmel LB 6-3 220
3 Sean Cwynar Marian Central DL 6-4 284
4 Garrett Goebel Montini DL 6-5 264
5 Brett Nagel Lemont LB 6-4 225
6 Brandon Green Robeson WR 6-0 167
7 Graham Pocic Lemont OL 6-7 310
8 Kenny Williams Elgin RB 6-1 210
9 Nick Adamle Wheaton North OL 6-5 298
10 Tommie Thomas Richards S 6-2 175
No. Player School Pos. Ht. Wt.
11 Jack Ramsey Simeon S 5-11 182
12 Russell Ellington Homewood-Flossmoor WR 6-3 208
13 Supo Sanni Homewood-Flossmoor WR 6-4 195
14 Sean Progar Glenbrook South DE 6-3 239
15 Nick Clancy Joliet Catholic LB 6-3 217
16 Nate Palmer Simeon LB 6-3 228
17 Brian Mulroe Loyola OL 6-6 263
18 Jeff Radek Neuqua Valley OL 6-6 275
19 Neil Deiters York OL 6-9 342
20 Joe Semple Mundelein C 6-4 302
No. Player School Pos. Ht. Wt.
21 Quintus Johnson Crete-Monee RB 5-10 189
22 Danny Farr Evanston DL 6-5 280
23 Jake Wieclaw Lincoln-Way Central K 6-2 180
24 Pat Walker Glenbard East LB 6-2 220
25 Kevin Galeher St. Rita OL 6-4 310
26 Chuck Procelli Montini OL 6-8 285
27 Pete Badovinac Loyola QB 6-3 203
28 Manny Juarez Marmion CB 6-0 180
29 Jason Kafka St. Rita QB 6-3 185
30 Marc Damisch Buffalo Grove OL 6-6 280
BY TAYLOR BELL
The most accurate barometer of measuring a high school football player's talent level is the number of scholarship offers he receives going into his senior year. Most importantly, who is making the offers?
For example, if a prospect has a dozen offers from Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC schools, you can be assured that he is a blue-chipper. Those schools don't waste scholarships on marginal performers.
However, if a prospect receives only one or two offers or if he only has offers from Mid-America, Gateway and Mid-Continent schools, it is assumed he isn't good enough to play at a higher level.
''College scouts won't offer unless the player is capable of playing at their level,'' CSTV recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. ''But there are levels of offers. Great players are offered by everybody, regardless of need. At the next level, schools offer based on need.''
That's what the May evaluation period is all about.
''The key is to have plenty of film and transcripts ready for them,'' St. Rita coach Todd Kuska said. ''It's a no-contact period, but they like to get a look at the kid walking through the hall. On film, they like to see what happens when he is away from the ball. Does he let up or pursue on a play? Little things matter at the next level.''
Because coaches can't talk to prospects, they talk to teachers and guidance counselors to get insight into a player's personality and character. What kind of a worker is he? Does he love to spend time in the weight room? Is he popular among his classmates? Is he a good communicator?
Film doesn't lie. According to Lemming and dozens of college coaches who have evaluated motion pictures with the critical eyes of Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, the top five prospects in the Chicago area in the class of 2008 are St. Rita's Darius Fleming, Mount Carmel's Steve Filer, Marian Central's Sean Cwynar, Montini's Garrett Goebel and Lemont's Brett Nagel.
Fleming ranks No. 1 because he received 17 scholarship offers before committing to Notre Dame last week. The 6-2, 234-pound defensive end/outside linebacker chose the Irish over Michigan, USC, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
''He is a big playmaker,'' Lemming said. ''He could be a contributor as a true freshman. He is relentless, hard-working and aggressive. He reminds of [Bears linebacker] Lance Briggs. He always is around the ball. At the San Antonio combine in January, he went up against everybody who was anybody and handled everyone. That's when I realized he was a special player.''
Fleming made five visits to the Notre Dame campus before committing but said he was ''sold'' after his second trip. He was awed by the tradition on the campus.
''Every building looks like a church,'' he said.
He has formed a bond with the Chicago-area recruits -- sophomore quarterback Demetrius Jones (Morgan Park), 2007 signees Robert Hughes (Hubbard) and Aaron Nagel (Lemont) and Cwynar, who committed a few weeks earlier. He also hangs out with freshman quarterback whiz Jimmy Clausen of California.
''A lot of schools are good in football, but not too many can give you a worthwhile degree and an opportunity to play football,'' Fleming said. ''I've met a lot of people I want to be around. I don't feel there are any other schools that can give me what Notre Dame can give me.''
He is aware that some schools will continue to recruit him, hoping that he will change his mind before the February signing date. But he said he is comfortable with his decision and likes that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis recruited him as an outside linebacker, not a defensive end.
''Playing outside linebacker will showcase my skills more,'' he said. ''It will show my athleticism more. I will be able to rush the quarterback as a defensive end and drop back into coverage.
''Making my decision early takes a big load off my mind. I feel real good about my decision. Now I can focus on my grades and helping my team to get to the state playoff again. Winning one more state championship would be a great way to go out as a senior.''
Filer, who impresses scouts with his great frame, enormous potential, running ability and good instincts, appears to be leaning to Michigan over Notre Dame, Ohio State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Iowa and Minnesota.
According to Scout.com, Filer ranks as the No. 4 prospect in the Midwest -- behind Ohio State-bound tackle Mike Adams of Dublin, Ohio; Michigan-bound cornerback Boubacar Cissoko of Detroit; and Notre Dame-bound tight end Kyle Rudolph of Cincinnati.
Cwynar might have topped the list, Lemming said, if he hadn't closed his recruiting March 5. At the time, he had more than a dozen offers and could have expected many more.
''Production -- that's what separates him from others,'' Lemming said. ''He outperformed all defensive linemen in Illinois last year.''
Goebel isn't as explosive as Cwynar, according to Lemming, but the state's heavyweight wrestling champion takes up a lot of space, is very active on his feet and can apply pressure on the quarterback.
How good is the class of 2008? After the top 10, Lemming said, there is a bit of a dropoff. But some players will rise during the May evaluation period. It is an average class but not below average like the last two years. The linebacking corps, in particular, is very promising.
CHICAGO AREA'S TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2008 | According to Tom Lemming No. Player
School Pos. Ht. Wt.
1 Darius Fleming St. Rita DE 6-2 234
2 Steve Filer Mount Carmel LB 6-3 220
3 Sean Cwynar Marian Central DL 6-4 284
4 Garrett Goebel Montini DL 6-5 264
5 Brett Nagel Lemont LB 6-4 225
6 Brandon Green Robeson WR 6-0 167
7 Graham Pocic Lemont OL 6-7 310
8 Kenny Williams Elgin RB 6-1 210
9 Nick Adamle Wheaton North OL 6-5 298
10 Tommie Thomas Richards S 6-2 175
No. Player School Pos. Ht. Wt.
11 Jack Ramsey Simeon S 5-11 182
12 Russell Ellington Homewood-Flossmoor WR 6-3 208
13 Supo Sanni Homewood-Flossmoor WR 6-4 195
14 Sean Progar Glenbrook South DE 6-3 239
15 Nick Clancy Joliet Catholic LB 6-3 217
16 Nate Palmer Simeon LB 6-3 228
17 Brian Mulroe Loyola OL 6-6 263
18 Jeff Radek Neuqua Valley OL 6-6 275
19 Neil Deiters York OL 6-9 342
20 Joe Semple Mundelein C 6-4 302
No. Player School Pos. Ht. Wt.
21 Quintus Johnson Crete-Monee RB 5-10 189
22 Danny Farr Evanston DL 6-5 280
23 Jake Wieclaw Lincoln-Way Central K 6-2 180
24 Pat Walker Glenbard East LB 6-2 220
25 Kevin Galeher St. Rita OL 6-4 310
26 Chuck Procelli Montini OL 6-8 285
27 Pete Badovinac Loyola QB 6-3 203
28 Manny Juarez Marmion CB 6-0 180
29 Jason Kafka St. Rita QB 6-3 185
30 Marc Damisch Buffalo Grove OL 6-6 280