Updates on a N.J. WR and 4 D-linemen
— -- Spoke with Zach Luckett's (Holy Spirit High, N.J.) father today, and he has narrowed his choices down to Virginia Tech and Boston College. He is being recruited as a receiver first. Penn State wanted him as a DB, but he wants to play wide receiver.
Michigan and Ohio State have come on lately, but Virginia Tech and BC are still his top two. If he were to head to the midwest, it would most likely be Michigan. Both Zach and his parents were very impressed with the scene at Michigan when they visited Ann Arbor a few summers back. Zach looks to make his announcement sometime in December. He took and official visit to VT on 9-16 and plans on going to BC on 11-12.
• Caught up with the athletic and highly sought after defensive lineman Jared Odrick out of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Odrick has narrowed down his list of schools to a top 5, all of which are recruiting him for defensive line. Penn State and Virginia are recruiting him as a defensive end, which he is playing right now for his high school. Virginia Tech, Georgia, and Florida are recruiting him as a defensive tackle. Odrick, who has over 50 tackles and 6 sacks so far this season from his defensive end position, shared with us his best pass rush move.
When he needs a sack, he can turn to his best move -- a punch to the inside shoulder of the blocker followed by a counter club and rip move to the outside. Odrick has been on 2 unofficials so far to Penn State and Virginia and 2 officials to Florida on 9/17 and Virginia Tech on 9/24. He has his final 3 officials are set up -- he will visit Penn State on 9/29, Georgia on 11/12 and Virginia on 11/19 when they take on the Hokies. He said his unofficial trip to Penn State when they took on Ohio State was amazing. He also was impressed by the fan support on his trips to Virginia and Virginia Tech. He also added how it really meant something that the fans in Blacksburg were coming up to him and telling him how much they wanted and needed him there.
Odrick, who is looking into studying Sports Management in college, is thinking of announcing his decision at the US Army all-star game on 1/7.
• Spoke with another big-time defensive line prospect, ESPN 150 DT Kenrick Ellis out of Lake Worth Florida. Ellis is having a fine season, even if it is not showing up in the stats column. He is drawing a lot of double teams and forcing teams to run away from him. The attention he is drawing is improving the stats of his teammates around him. He mentioned teammate Markus White was having a particularly good season.
Ellis, who was born in Jamaica and moved to the states when he was 11, has not been on or set any official visits so far, but he did take an unofficial to Florida when they took on Tennessee. He is trying to take an unofficial to Miami this weekend but may not be able with the impending Hurricane headed toward South Florida. Ellis, who has been receiving much attention, has three schools right now that are considered favorites. They are in no order Florida, Miami and Tennessee. We will keep you posted on his progress.
• Keeping with the theme of warriors in the trenches, we spoke with ESPN 150 defensive end Adam Patterson out of Richland Northeast High in South Carolina. Patterson, who has helped his team to an 8-0 start this year, has not been on or set any official visits yet. He has taken unofficial visits to Penn State, Georgia, NC State, South Carolina and Tennessee. He is also considering an unofficial to Auburn on 10/29.
Patterson is taking his time and has yet to narrow down his offers. The talented lineman could play either end or tackle in college, but many scouts are feeling his speed could be better served outside. The pass rush move Patterson uses to make offensive tackles lives miserable is an up-field charge with a rip move, using some of his speed to his advantage. We will keep you posted as he begins to narrow down his choices and set visits.
• The more defensive linemen, the better. So we touched base with another, Sione Fua out of Encino, California. Fua, who is being recruited on both sides of the ball, has not been on or set any official visits at this time and will wait till his season is over to start. He has narrowed down his list to a top 5 that in no order is Cal, UCLA, Stanford, BYU, and Notre Dame.
He took an unofficial to the Cal campus back in the spring. He said the coaches recruiting him are letting him decide which side of the ball he plays on in college, and he is leaning towards defensive tackle. He is coming back from an ankle injury suffered earlier in the season and this week will return to duty as both a defensive tackle and offensive tackle after returning last week only on offense. We asked what he would be looking for when he heads out on his visits and he mentioned a few things.
"I guess I will feel it when I am there, but I am looking for a good atmosphere, good coaches, and someone who will allow me to go on my mission," said Fua.
Fua is a Mormon and will go on his two year mission when he turns 19. He said all the schools he is looking at are comfortable with him leaving to go on his mission. We will keep you updated on Sione has he begins to schedule visits.
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