It’s a pretty cool thing when you can call up some of the best talent in the country let alone the state, let alone Tampa Bay and ask them if they feel like coming and chilling out for an hour tossing the pigskin around. Sunday afternoon out at the Larry Sanders Sports Complex there were QB’s, CB’s, Safeties, and LB’s going at it like the hundreds of offers the young men have between them actually don’t exist. What happened on the same field that the Ignite Combine took place at less than a month ago was stuff that earns basketball players the title of gym rat. If it’s an unbridled passion along with constant guided practice and instruction of talent regardless of the amount of stars or offers, then I found the Shangri-la.
The list of QB’s in attendance read like who’s-who in the signal-calling prep world. DiNovo, Litton, Tracy Johnson, along with some up-and-coming ballers like McGough and Hawkins. The WR’s/TE’s were the usual suspects highlighted by Alvin Bailey, Sean Culkin and the physical specimen that is Marques Valdez from Lakewood along with the all-world East Lake WR Artavis Scott.
Not to be outdone, the DB’s and Safeties certainly brought the star power as well. Names like Hargreaves, McQuay III and Benjamin (although a WR as well) were out doing the one thing that that separates the good from the best; competing against whoever, whenever and by any means necessary is failure not the option.
“This is really cool. It was an awesome opportunity to get out here and go at it with the best in this entire area,” said Culkin who is getting ready to finish up the academic calendar and head to Columbia, Missouri and the SEC. “I haven’t been able to get up with these guys in a while, so when I got the call to come on out, I was like, absolutely! “
Every single one of the participants got rep after rep working on footwork, hip positioning, route-running and so much more. One of the main things that were stressed by the coaching staff and reinforced by Tampa Bay Tech WR/DB Richard Benjamin following the conclusion of the event; Benjamin, who just picked up an offer from Louisville (his 30th thus far) this weekend had this to say:
“There’s always room for improvement and I know that. I really like playing DB, and I want to play it at the next level, but to get out here and be able to work on these skills against this kind of talent is what’s best about this event.”
The final chat afterwards came from the Armwood duo of Alvin Bailey and Leon McQuay III who were both speaking about their overall impression about their past season, the upcoming spring, today’s event and most importantly how their school-life was going with the burden of being two of the most sought-after players nationally in the Class of 2013.
“It’s tough,” said Bailey. “We football players are just trying to keep our heads down and stay focused. The other students are letting us know that we won a ring, but we’re just trying to keep up with school, our track and field season, and all of the attention that we’re getting from these college coaches that want to see us all the time.”
Bailey and McQuay were both adamant that it’s been a positive though that they have not succumbed to the early commit instead opting to keep all available offers in front of them and not buy into some of the hype that comes along with the process that can sometimes catch a HS recruit off-guard in the spotlight.
“They’ll say we want you up there right now, that we can do this and that, but it’s just the right thing to do to just sit and wait to see what school becomes the best fit,” the charismatic Bailey says with a smile. McQuay busts out into laughter as well since he’s in complete agreement with his Armwood teammate. Something that was a bit of a reoccurring theme though and Culkin mentioned as well.
“I just felt at home when I went out there to Columbia. The coaches, the players, the whole campus made me feel like it was the best possible decision I could have made even if it’s a bit of a change from Florida to the Midwest.”
Missouri plays in the state of Florida twice (Florida and UCF) this season and with the Tigers joining the SEC it also became that much easier of a decision for the young man from Indian Rocks Christian.