The state’s top high school football talent has made a habit of committing early in the recruiting process this summer. The most obvious reason for this is that players like Arvada West lineman Paul Thurston and Windsor lineman Joey O’Connor want to be able to focus all of their attention on their final season of high school football.
The other reason may be due to numbers. College coaches sometimes squeeze athletes into making a decision earlier than they want to by offering other kids at their same position.
If there is one scholarship available at running back and a school has offered three players, they are likely going to accept the first athlete who commits. This is even more nerve-racking for athletes who have that as their lone scholarship offer.
Recently, the in-state kids deciding had multiple scholarship offers from schools across the country. Coaches know that, typically, pressuring that type of athlete doesn’t end well because they want to make a decision on their own time table.
Valor’s Michael Mann close to a decision.
Valor Christian defensive end Michael Mann is yet another Eagle who boasts Division I scholarship offers.
Arizona State was the first to offer and that school appears to be the favorite to land him. He told ASUDevils.com that a final decision is likely to be made before the season.
“I’m pretty convinced on ASU but I’d like to get my family down there and have them see the school and area because they are really important to me in the decision making process,” Mann said. “I would definitely say a commitment is possible in July or early August before the season starts. I’m still weighing everything and want to get some things sorted — but yes, a commitment is very possible soon.”
QuickHitters.
• Chaparral defensive lineman/linebacker Shane Keith has been working hard to sort through his recruiting attention, which has come from a wide range of programs. “I’ve been talking a lot to coaches in Montana, New Mexico, CSU-Pueblo, Chadron State, and Southwest Minnesota State,” Keith said.
• Castle View linemen Nate Shepherd and Parker Kitching headed to the Northern Colorado camp together a few weeks back and both left with offers from the Bears. “They told me they were really impressed with us at the camp and that they wanted to offer,” Shepherd said.
• Mullen running back Addie Brown will be one of the most interest prospects within state borders to watch this fall. He takes over for Adonis Ameen-Moore and will likely see his carries increase a great deal as a senior. “The most interest overall right now is from Baylor, Air Force, Connecticut, and San Diego State,” Brown said.
Christian James is the publisher of . His recruiting column appears regularly on . Reach him via email at christian@copreps.com.
