Top Unofficial DB 40 Yard Dash Times at NFL Combine 2012

Here are the top unofficial times for the first group of defensive backs at the NFL Combine.

J. Robinson (UCF) 4.29
R. Brooks (LSU) 4.35
D. Bentley (ULL) 4.37
C. Sensabaugh (CLEM) 4.37
J. Hosley (VT) 4.38

J. McMilian (ME) 4.42
Dre Kirkpatrick (ALA) 4.43
J. Fleming (Okla) 4.43
S. Gilmore (Scar) 4.44

J. Hosley (VT) 4.44
J. Jenkins (UNA) 4.44
R. Brooks (LSU) 4.45
M. Claiborne (LSU) 4.47
M. Pellerin (HAMP) 4.47
S. Richardson (VAN) 4.47
C. Thompson (SCar) 4.47
C. White (SAMF) 4.47

C. Brown (UNC) 4.50
T. Fredrick (TX A&M) 4.50
B. Taylor (LSU) 4.50
A. Jackson (CP) 4.50
A. Dennard (NEB) 4.51
T. Wade (ARI) 4.53
J. Thomas (OkSt.) 4.56

Other Notables:

Harrison Smith (ND) 4.56
Phillip Thomas (SYR) 4.59
Cliff Harris (Ore) 4.59

Unofficial 40 yard dash times based on hand timing of Charlie Casserly (NFL Network Contributor).

Rumors and Wires: Week of February 19, 2012

Chad Wilson

Friday February 24, 2012

Nature Coast Tech (Florida) 2013 running back and Gridironstuds.com member Matthew Breida was offered by Akron, Toledo and U.Mass.

Ohio St. has offered 2013 Vista Murrieta (California) linebacker Su’a Cravens.

Thursday February 23, 2012

University of Louisville has offered Champagnat Lions (Hialeah, FL) Class of 2013 standouts Charlie Williams ATH and Isaac McDonald OLB

West Virginia has offered Gridironstuds.com member Nick Internicola – 2013 – DE/LB from University School (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).

Monday February 2o, 2012

Gridironstuds.com members Stacy Thomas – DL (Gulliver Prep, Florida) and Aubrey Duty Tyson – LB/ DE (University School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) visit University of Florida Junior Day.

Ole Miss is the latest school to offer University School (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) linebacker and Gridironstuds.com member Skai Moore.

2013 WR Jordan Cunningham (University School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) , 2014 DB Quincy Wilson (University School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) and 2014 WR Corey Holmes (St. Thomas Aquinas, FL) were among many high school prospects taking in the Hurricanes basketball game during Miami’s Junior Day.

2013 Champagnat Lions prospects Isaac McDonald and Charles Williams attended Miami’s Junior Day on Wednesday February 15th.

Gridironstuds.com member, Glades Day, Florida running back and son of former NFL’er Fred Taylor has committed to the University of Florida. One of seven commits picked up by the Gators during their junior day.

When It Comes to Recruiting: Like the Rock Says “Know Your Role”

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Follow us on Twitter: @Gridironstuds

One of the most important things that recruits can do for themselves in the recruiting process is understand what level they are on. This is one of the hardest things for a recruit to do. It involves being honest with yourself. It also involves parents being honest about their child’s talent level. I am not going to bore you with the mathematics of available scholarships vs. those wanting them but I will make this general statement, there are well over 10 times the amount of prospects wanting to go division I vs. those who will actually achieve that.

Recruits dream of playing on television or in a New Year’s Day Bowl game. I am not one to crush a youth’s dream but the reality is that at some point you have to get real and if you wait till after you senior season to come to that point, you put yourself in a tough position. One of the biggest mistakes made by potential recruits is shunning interest from smaller schools or failing to use resources that will connect them with smaller schools because they feel like “they are going D-I”. There are few seniors each season that can say that they are a slam dunk in terms of going division-I. I recently attended a last chance senior combine in which I watched a prospect that was all over the recruiting websites as a sophomore and junior. In the end, he was like many others out there. He was just looking for a place, any place, to continue playing football.

Unless you are a four or five star who is receiving hand written notes and phone calls from BCS and other division-I schools you better explore your insurance policy. That insurance policy is connecting with smaller Division-I, division I-AA and division II schools. What is also important is that the potential recruit make an honest assessment of themselves and/or have one done for them. Find out how it is that you are viewed by college scouts. For some, it may be obvious. If you are a 5’9″ – 5’11” quarterback, getting a division-I offer is going to be an uphill battle. While you are fighting that uphill battle do not pass on connecting with the smaller schools BEFORE your senior season.

College football recruiting is very much a game of numbers. Schools recruit height, weight and speed. If you don’t fit into the stereo-typical numbers that are signed to a scholarship by the big schools, protect yourself by getting interest from the smaller schools before the mad rush at the end of your senior season. Other prospects may be close to those measurables but may be lacking something. Find out what you may be missing before you are left holding the bag at the end scrambling desperately for a scholarship from a school in the corner of the country that you never ever heard of.

Don’t be misled by a letter or two from the big schools. When they begin recruiting a class, they cast a wide net. They are certainly not going to make offers to all of the players they send letters to. They are just covering the bases by getting a letter out to anyone who could possibly be a prospect. As the year progresses, they will turn up the heat on the players they are more interested in recruiting. By turning up the heat I mean they will send hand written letters and make phone calls. Just because those two things are happening, it does not mean that the school will eventually extend an offer. The school may indeed make a scholarship offer at some point but even then, that is not etched in stone. Some schools will make what has been termed a “non-commitable” offer. This means that they are offering you a scholarship but it depends on what happens with another recruit they are pursuing. So, as you can see, there are a number of stages. If you have been in the “receiving letters” stages for quite some time or not even in that stage, protect yourself and turn your attention to some schools that will return the attention to you. If your skills, or your value as a recruit improves and the bigger schools take more interest, there would have been no harm in having reached out to smaller schools. Always have a plan b.

Football Highlight Videos Are Not Routine

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson
Follow us on Twitter: @Gridironstuds

It’s that time of year where 100’s and 1,000’s of high school football players will make or have made, highlight videos of their 2011 season exploits. Many of the highlight videos will be made in a fashion that will adequately market the player’s talents to college coaches but many more videos will fail to hit the mark.

Making highlight videos is a time consuming task that require some knowledge of what coaches want to see for them to be done right. The majority of the highlight videos I watch are done wrong or at the very least, have room for improvement. Two of the most common mistakes I see made with highlight video production are the inordinate amount of routine plays added to a highlight video and putting the most exciting plays to the middle or end of the video.

Prep football players are under the impression that their highlight video is the only one that will be watched by the coach they are sending it to. Or at least, that is the impression that their video is giving off. A basic block being executed by an offensive guard, a tackle that anyone can make playing linebacker, a five yard hitch route caught by a receiver are routine plays that would not fall under the definition of “highlight”. Stacking your highlight video with these type plays not only bores the coach watching it but gives off the impression that there is nothing really special about you. With 100’s of videos to watch, a collage of routine plays on your highlight video is a surefire way to get that tape stopped and tossed to the side. If your best, most remarkable plays for the season amount to 1:30 versus a video comprised of every block you made making up 6:22, opt for the 1:30 every time. What you want is that coach watching your best plays over and over again rather than him watching your 6:00 video waiting for it to end and never turning it on again.

National Underclassman Combine Schedule for 2012

Chad Wilson

Check out the remaining combine dates for NUC Spring 2012

City – State	Dates	Location	Register
Florida – Fort Lauderdale	2/17/12 – 2/19/12	Chaminade-Madonna Prep, Hollywood, FL	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – Houston	2/17/12 – 2/19/12	Fort Bend Baptist Academy, Sugar Land, TX	Get Registered for 2012
Arizona – Phoenix	2/17/12 – 2/19/12	Apache Junction HS, Apache Junction, AZ	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – Dallas (South)	2/24/12 – 2/26/12	Duncanville HS, Duncanville, TX	Get Registered for 2012
North Carolina – Greenville/Jacksonville	2/24/12 – 2/26/12	Arendell Parrott Academy, Kinston, NC	Get Registered for 2012
Louisana – Baton Rouge	2/24/12 – 2/26/12	Zachary HS, Zachary, LA	Get Registered for 2012
Georgia – Atlanta (I)	3/2/12 – 3/4/12	Tri-Cities HS, East Point, GA	Get Registered for 2012
Hawaii – Honolulu	3/2/12 – 3/4/12	McKinley HS, Honolulu, HI	Get Registered for 2012
Georgia – Savannah	3/9/12 – 3/10/12	Richmond Hill HS, Richmond Hill, GA	Get Registered for 2012
Mississippi – Jackson	3/9/12 – 3/10/12	Pearl HS, Pearl, MS	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Jacksonville	3/9/12 – 3/11/12	Raines HS, Jacksonville, FL	Get Registered for 2012
Oklahoma – Tulsa	3/9/12 – 3/11/12	Memorial HS, Tulsa, OK	Get Registered for 2012
Arkansas – Little Rock	3/16/12 – 3/18/12	Searcy HS, Searcy, AR	Get Registered for 2012
Virginia – Richmond	3/16/12 – 3/18/12	Highland Springs HS, Highland Springs, VA	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Tampa/St. Petersburg	3/16/12 – 3/18/12	Northside Christian School, St. Petersburg, FL	Get Registered for 2012
Tennessee – Knoxville	3/16/12 – 3/18/12	Johnny Long’s Training Academy, Knoxville, TN	Get Registered for 2012
Georgia – Albany	3/23/12 – 3/24/12	Sherwood Christian Academy, Albany, GA	Get Registered for 2012
South Carolina – Columbia	3/23/12 – 3/25/12	Dutch Fork HS, Irmo, SC	Get Registered for 2012
California – Los Angeles	3/23/12 – 3/25/12	Cathedral HS, Los Angeles, CA	Get Registered for 2012
Nevada – Las Vegas	3/23/12 – 3/25/12	Henderson International School, Henderson, NV	Get Registered for 2012
Illinois – Northern Chicago	3/23/12 – 3/25/12	Lake Barrinton Field House, Lake Barrington, IL	Get Registered for 2012
Virginia – Hampton Roads	3/30/12 – 4/1/12	Bethel HS, Hampton, VA	Get Registered for 2012
Kentucky – Louisville	3/30/12 – 4/1/12	Doss HS, Louisville, KY	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Tallahassee	3/30/12 – 4/1/12	Florida HS, Tallahassee, FL	Get Registered for 2012
Tennessee – Nashville	3/30/12 – 4/1/12	Whites Creek HS, Nashville, TN	Get Registered for 2012
Idaho – Boise	4/6/12 – 4/7/12	Emmett HS, Emmett, ID	Get Registered for 2012
New Mexico – Albuquerque	4/6/12 – 4/7/12	Rio Rancho HS, Rio Rancho, NM	Get Registered for 2012
West Virginia – Western VA Border	4/6/12 – 4/7/12	Robert E. Lee High School, Stanton, VA	Get Registered for 2012
Alabama – Mobile/Gulf Shores	4/6/12 – 4/7/12	Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium @ Gulf Shores Sportsplex, Gulf Shores, AL	Get Registered for 2012
New York – New York City/Staten Island	4/6/12 – 4/7/12	Victory Performance Center, Staten Island, NY	Get Registered for 2012
California – Los Angeles (II)/Pasadena	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	Pasadena HS, Pasadena, CA	Get Registered for 2012
New Jersey – Central/Shore Area	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	Matawan HS, Matawan, NJ	Get Registered for 2012
Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	Ringgold HS, Monongahela, PA	Get Registered for 2012
North Carolina – Charlotte	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	Robert Patton HS, Morganton, NC	Get Registered for 2012
Alabama – Birmingham	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	Bessemer Academy, Bessemer, AL	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – Austin	4/13/12 – 4/15/12	St. Dominic Savio Catholic HS, Austin, TX	Get Registered for 2012
Alabama – Huntsville	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	TBA	Get Registered for 2012
California – San Diego/Inland Empire	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	Paloma Valley HS, Menifee, CA	Get Registered for 2012
Kansas – Wichita	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	Wichita HS West, Wichita, KS	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Orlando (I)	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	Jones HS, Orlando, FL	Get Registered for 2012
Arizona – Scottsdale	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, AZ	Get Registered for 2012
Michigan – Ann Arbor	4/20/12 – 4/22/12	Whitmore Lake HS, Whitmore Lake, MI	Get Registered for 2012
New York – Upstate NY/Westchester/Orange County	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Middletown HS, Middletown, NY	Get Registered for 2012
California – Fresno	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Dinuba HS, Dinuba, CA	Get Registered for 2012
Indiana – Indianapolis	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Warren Central HS, Indianapolis, IN	Get Registered for 2012
North Carolina – Raleigh/Durham/Greensboro	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Ben L Smith HS, Greensboro, NC	Get Registered for 2012
Massachusetts – Boston	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Tabor Academy, Marion, MA	Get Registered for 2012
Maryland – Baltimore	4/27/12 – 4/29/12	Mergenthaler Voc Tech HS, Baltimore, MD	Get Registered for 2012
Missouri – Kansas City	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	North Kansas City HS, Kansas City, MO	Get Registered for 2012
Pennsylvania – Reading	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	Exeter HS, Reading, PA	Get Registered for 2012
Illinois – South Side Chicago/Joliet	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	The MAX – McCook Athletic & Exposition, McCook, IL	Get Registered for 2012
Michigan – Detroit	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	Chandler Park Academy, Harper Woods, MI	Get Registered for 2012
New York – Rochester	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	Bishop Kearny HS, Rochester, NY	Get Registered for 2012
Ohio – Columbus	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	Licking Heights HS, Columbus, OH	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – San Antonio	5/4/12 – 5/6/12	Somerset HS, Somerset, TX	Get Registered for 2012
Ohio – Cleveland	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Massillon HS, Massillon, OH	Get Registered for 2012
Washington DC – Northern Virginia	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Warren County HS, Front Royal, VA	Get Registered for 2012
Maine – Portland	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Scarborough HS, Scarborough, ME	Get Registered for 2012
California – Oakland	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Chabot College, Hayward, CA	Get Registered for 2012
Canada – Toronto	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Assumption Catholic School, Burlington, ON, Canada	Get Registered for 2012
Delaware – Wilmington	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	TBA	Get Registered for 2012
New Jersey – North Jersey	5/11/12 – 5/13/11	Palisades Park Sportsplex – County Park, Palisades Park, NJ	Get Registered for 2012
California – Sacramento	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Rio Linda HS, Rio Linda, CA	Get Registered for 2012
Kentucky – Lexington	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Bryan Station HS, Lexington, KY	Get Registered for 2012
Tennessee – Memphis	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Christian Brothers HS, Memphis, TN	Get Registered for 2012
Wisconsin – Milwaukee	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Whitewater HS, Whitewater, WI	Get Registered for 2012
Minnesota – Minneapolis/St. Paul	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Burnsville HS, Burnsville, MN	Get Registered for 2012
Pennsylvania – Johnstown	5/18/12 – 5/20/12	Richland HS, Johnstown, PA	Get Registered for 2012
Utah – Salt Lake City	5/25/12 – 5/26/12	Kearns HS, Salt Lake City, UT	Get Registered for 2012
Nebraska – Lincoln/Omaha	5/25/12 – 5/27/12	TBA	Get Registered for 2012
Ohio – Cincinnati	5/25/12 – 5/27/12	Colerain HS, Cincinnati, OH	Get Registered for 2012
Oklahoma – Oklahoma City	5/25/12 – 5/27/12	Yukon HS, Yukon, OK	Get Registered for 2012
Oregon – Portland	5/25/12 – 5/27/12	West Salem HS, Salem, OR	Get Registered for 2012
Pennsylvania – Philadelphia/South Jersey	5/25/12 – 5/27/12	Penns Grove HS, Carneys Point, NJ	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Orlando (II)	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	TBA	Get Registered for 2012
Iowa – Des Moines	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	Clear Creek Amana, Tiffin, IA	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – Dallas (North)	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	John Paul II, Plano, TX	Get Registered for 2012
Colorado – Denver	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	Prairie View HS, Henderson, CO	Get Registered for 2012
Louisana – Lafayette	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	St. Thomas More HS, Lafayette, LA	Get Registered for 2012
Missouri – St. Louis	6/1/12 – 6/3/12	Belleville East HS, Belleville, IL	Get Registered for 2012
New York – Long Island	6/8/12 – 6/9/12	Long Island Sports Complex, Freeport, NY	Get Registered for 2012
Connecticut – Hartford	6/9/12 – 6/10/12	Loomis Chaffee HS, Windsor, CT	Get Registered for 2012
Washington – Seattle	6/8/12 – 6/10/12	Franklin HS, Seattle, WA	Get Registered for 2012
Georgia – Atlanta (II)	6/8/12 – 6/10/12	Riverwood HS, Atlanta, GA	Get Registered for 2012
Texas – Houston (II)	6/8/12 – 6/10/12	TBA	Get Registered for 2012
Florida – Miami	6/8/12 – 6/10/12	Coral Reef Senior High, Miami, FL	Get Registered for 2012

Canes and Gator Fans Make Closing Arguments to Tracy Howard’s Mother

Chad Wilson

I don’t care what she says, some 18 years ago, Shaiy Howard could not have known that this moment would be like this. All parents dream of and pray for big things for their child upon their entrance into this World. However, All-American cornerback Tracy’s Howard’s mother could not have envisioned this scenery nearly two decades ago.

On the eve of what will be her son’s biggest decision, Shaiy Howard is trending on one of the largest websites on the Internet, Twitter.com. Howard has posed as the de facto social media bouncer for her highly sought after son. In this day in age, it’s probably a necessary evil as the on rush from fans, media and coaches through a Twitter account can drop a G.P.A. like Michael Spinks versus Mike Tyson. So there she is, with her shield like a soldier in “300” taking on everything coming his way. Ms. Howard is doing a great job but also appears to be enjoying it.

“You wild! RT @MrLove305: Tracy Howard to……… THE MIAMI DOLPHINS!!! LMAO”

That was her response to a fan who jokingly suggested Tracy skip the whole National Signing Day thing and head straight to the Dolphins. Several 2011 Dolphin season ticket holders may be taking a more serious approach to that suggestion.

“Nothing, it is funny how everyone knows more than us about us…..tomorrow is almost here and he can select one school:-).”

Howard’s response to an apparent friend as she poked fun at the insanity of fans who want so hard to have the scoop that they will pretend to know everything about a recruit down to name of his favorite aunty.

It can be both comical and scary if you think about it. After all, Tracy Howard is a teenager and he has an entire legion of football fans hanging on his utterance at 9:50 Wednesday morning. In what other situation would something like this happen? Fans will be dug in before their computers tomorrow like a pair of the new Jordans are going to pop out. However, before that, many are taking to Shaiy Howard’s twitter account to toss in those final few words that will sway their decision towards their school. In some fantasy world they feel that the words of Joe Fan will supersede those of mother, father and son, uncle and aunt, grandma and grandpa. It’s as if they are envisioning a scene in which Shaiy and Tracy will say right after their announcement that it was the words of “SuperMaxLovaShotCalla” on Twitter that did it for us and we chose school X. No doubt, Ms. Howard is sitting atop a unicorn while she says this.

Stacks850 T r e n d s e t t a
@ shaiyhoward I hope to see Tracy put on da UF hat n you doin da gator chomp!!! While he signs da LOI

TheG8TROB Rob Dunkel

@shaiyhoward Just remember the Gatornation is everywhere. Muschamp is the best coach to develop a defensive back.

chesspoof Al Gonzalez

@shaiyhoward good luck to your son on whatever school he chooses but sure #ItsGreattobeaFloridaGator for him.

Tweets such as this will no doubt continue to pour in as the night continues. Legions of Canes and Gator fans try to do what the coaching staffs at each school wish they could and that is have the last word. In some 14 hours it will be all over and things will revert to normal in Shaiy Howard’s twitter account. The fans who hung on her every tweet hoping to catch a nugget of foreshadowing will disappear like a good attitude in a DMV line, though Howard may keep some male followers past signing date as she is an attractive woman. Perhaps there is a husband present that can post a twit pic of a 9mm for males who want to obey their thirst.

Shaiy Howard’s decision to take on the Twitter World in place of her highly sought after son may not be the first such move by a mom in the recruiting game but it is the most publicized to date. Perhaps she has set a trend that we will see in increasing numbers in coming years as public access to private lives continues to blend together with ascending ease.

If you find yourself with nothing to do tonight ahead of the National Signing Day madness, logon to @ShaiyHoward via Twitter and consume yourself in entertainment. When you are done, immediately begin the search for a Life.

Gridiron Studs Blog: High School and College Football Recruiting Talk

Latest news, articles and information on college football recruiting

Top Unofficial DB 40 Yard Dash Times at NFL Combine 2012

Rumors and Wires: Week of February 19, 2012

When It Comes to Recruiting: Like the Rock Says “Know Your Role”

Football Highlight Videos Are Not Routine

National Underclassman Combine Schedule for 2012

Canes and Gator Fans Make Closing Arguments to Tracy Howard’s Mother