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it. Now onto the scoop...
Scouting Michael Brewer
pinged Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Barry Every earlier this week and
got his thoughts on Austin (Texas) Lake Travis quarterback
Michael Brewer after watching
film from the Texas Tech commit's junior season.
Assets:
Looks to have a live arm, with excellent mobility in the pocket. His mobility
will allow him to buy more time in the pocket or make those unscripted rushing
yards that defensive coordinators cannot defend. It also does not hurt his
development playing in an offense that will be similar to that at Lake Travis.
Brewer also is getting plenty of reps throwing the ball.
Improvements: He is a tad on the small size, and must add needed muscle
mass and strength which should help his durability and increase his arm
strength. He really needs to make sure he squares his shoulders up and sets his
feet while throwing on the run, and get his elbow up closer to shoulder level.
Right now he has a low release which causes the ball to sail high.
Every
also noted that Brewer reminded him of a right-handed version of former UCLA
quarterback Cade McNown.
Raiders After Nealy
In what has very nearly become a common refrain among 2011 prospects that Texas
Tech is targeting, Monticello (Fla.) Jefferson County running back
DeVondrick Nealy told RRS earlier this week that the Red Raiders are recruiting
him harder than any other program.
"They're on me really hard right now,"
he said. "To be honest with you, when they mentioned a starting position to me I
really didn't even know if cared about hearing from anybody else. That would be
big time to be able to come and start at a school where the weather conditions
are pretty good, it wouldn't be too far away. Not as far as some in the north
that have offered me. So they're looking pretty good right now."
The
5-foot-10, 170-pound prospect has called and spoken with running backs coach
Chad Scott "probably two or three times for over 30 minutes each time;" he has
also talked to offensive coordinator Neal Brown.
"Coach Scott was
basically telling me that I had a good chance of coming in there and being a
starter if I worked hard and proved to them that I could play the position the
way they want me to play it," Nealy said. "They told me I could possibly come in
and play really early and that was big for me.
"All of my life, I've
just dreamed of going to a big D-1 and playing big-time football and maybe going
to the NFL. When I told Coach Scott that I wanted to go to the NFL, he said,
'That's wonderful, I wouldn't want to coach you if you didn't want to get to the
NFL.' That really got my attention early, made me think that may be the place I
need to be."
In the relative short time that ealy has been in contact with Texas Tech, Scott has apparently made a big
impression.
"I told him my philosophy in regards to playing football,
things I'd like to accomplish, things I'd like to do," Nealy said. "He (Scott)
said, 'I'll tell you right now, you're going to be a good asset to our team.' So
you know, I've never seen him before in my life, but I've got a great feeling
about him. I feel like he's a great guy, just from the conversations we've had
on the phone."
Nealy told RRS that distance wouldn't play much
of a factor in his decision, but academics definitely will.
"Education is
the first thing," he said. "My mom pushes it all the time. What's going to
happen if you're playing football and break your leg, or something like that,
what are you going to fall back on? God knows I love football with my whole
heart and hopefully nothing bad like that would happen, but sometimes when you
don't listen to mom and dad, bad things happen just to prove to you that you
should have. I want to make sure I have a good opportunity in school so that if
I need to, I've got something to fall back on after football."
With his
schedule full due to obligations to Jefferson County's track and baseball teams,
Nealy has not attended any junior days or taken any unofficial visits. He hopes
to visit Texas Tech in the fall.
Very Early Junior Day List
Texas Tech's junior day on March 27 will likely be the program's biggest
recruiting event of the spring and a number of the program's top targets
expected to be in attendance. We have listed below some of the prospects have
told RRS or others in the Rivals network that they plan to attend but,
since March 27 is still two weeks out, this should only be regarded as a very
early, tentative list that will almost certainly change.
Jake Brendel, OL - Holds offers from Texas Tech, Arizona, Arkansas and Baylor.
The Red Raiders are looking at him as an option on the defensive line as well.
Michael Brewer, QB - Committed to Texas Tech. Did not specifically tell
RRS that he planned to attend junior day but did say that he planned to
attend a couple of the Red Raiders' spring practices during the latter part of
his spring break -- the week of March 21-27.
Derek Edwards, WR - Holds offers from Texas Tech, Arizona, Baylor, Houston,
Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU and Utah. Has told RRS that the Red Raiders
are recruiting him the hardest and listed the program in his top three in a
recent AMP piece.
Devon Hocutt, LB - Committed to Texas Tech. This will be Hocutt's first time
to see the program in person, but he's already told RRS that he plans
to do as much recruiting for the Red Raiders as he can and he will have plenty
of opportunities to do so on March 27.
Christian Jones, WR - Holds offers from Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State,
Kentucky, Northwestern and Rice. Recently listed the Red Raiders as his favorite
in a
recent AMP piece.
Colton Lyon, LB - No offers yet. Being recruited by inside receivers coach
Sonny Cumbie.
Bradley Marquez, RB - Holds offers from Texas Tech, Arizona, Baylor,
Minnesota, Oklahoma, Stanford, Texas A&M and Tulsa. Attending the Red Raiders'
March 27 junior day would not conflict with his baseball schedule.
Darrell Kelly-Thomas, DL - Holds offers from Baylor and Kansas State. Earned
second-team honors at the U.S. Army Combine in January.
Kenny Williams, RB - Holds an offer from SMU. Has been pretty open with his
high level of interest in the Red Raiders.
DeAndre Washington, ATH - Holds offers from Baylor and Tulsa. Confirmed to
someone within the Rivals network earlier this week that he plans to visit
Baylor on March 20 and Texas Tech the week after.
Quick Hits
* Texas Tech has offered 2012 Oxford (Ala) teammates
Kwon Alexander (linebacker) and
Trae Elston (safety). They join Oklahoma City (Okla.) Heritage Hall running
back
Barry Sanders, Jr. as the only 2012 prospects to hold an offer from the Red
Raiders.
* Spring (Texas) Klein Oak defensive lineman
Jon Lewis added an offer from Michigan yesterday.
* Brenham (Texas) wide receiver
Derek Edwards told RRS on Tuesday that he has barely spoken with
Oklahoma State's coaches.
"I always try to call Oklahoma State, but it's
always after I get done with my homework and I guess it's a little too late,
they never answer the phone," he said. "I'll try to get in touch with them
probably tomorrow again, if they don't answer the phone it's just unfortunate."
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This post was edited on 3/15 11:27 AM by A. Dickens
This post was edited on 3/19 11:09 PM by A. Dickens
