LARAMIE, Wyo.—Eddie Yarbrough has the look of a big-time Division I defensive end.
He has the pedigree. His father, Eddie, played at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and his cousin, Raymond Jackson, competed for Colorado State.
He has the recruiting numbers too. He was ranked by Rivals.com coming out of high school as the No. 6 overall recruit in Colorado and No. 31 nationally of all outside linebackers.
And just as importantly, Yarbrough appears to have the “it” factor.
“He’s a big, physical kid; a physical, physical guy,” Wyoming defensive line coach Danilo Robinson said. “He’s so athletic in rushing the passer. He has the tools to be both a great pass rusher and a great run stopper.”
Since Yarbrough stands 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 265 pounds, the UW coaching staff felt it had a potential star in the making when Yarbrough signed back in February. He chose the Cowboys over Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Indiana and Kansas State.
And Yarbrough hasn’t disappointed this summer.
Through three scrimmages, he has 14 tackles, three for a loss, and three sacks.
By the third scrimmage he had moved up to the No. 2 defense, increasing his chances of playing this season despite solid depth on the defensive line.
“My thoughts have been just to give it 110 percent and whatever happens from there is out of my hands,” Yarbrough said. “The program is going to newer heights and I love it.”
Yarbrough started fall camp listed No. 4 at left defensive end. But injuries on the line and at other positions have given him and other younger players a chance during practice and the scrimmages.
“We’ve been encouraged with the young kids,” Robinson said. “They’ve come back from summer bigger and stronger.
“The way (Yarbrough is) working, possibly he’ll play this season.”
But Robinson said the decision about Yarbrough’s playing time will be up to coach Dave Christensen and others.
“The way he has picked up our scheme and the way he gets better every day, it’s a good problem having guys who can play,” Robinson said.
Meantime, there’s some good news on the injury front at UW.
When redshirt freshman offensive tackle Daniel Fleischman snapped his Achilles tendon just before spring practice, he thought he had lost his entire season.
“The doctors after surgery were all saying nine months at best,” Fleischman said Thursday on a possible return date.
That was about four months too long.
Fleischman is back in pads, competing for left tackle spot.
UW is slowly working the Issaquah, Wash., native back into the offensive line rotation. And with no setbacks, it appears Fleischman should be available for the season opener on Sept. 3.
“It’s really a testament to his work ethic,” offensive line coach Jim Harding said. “He’s done a tremendous job. Each day we keep adding more and more to what he can do, and we plan to have him ready before Sept. 3.”
Fleischman said he went through about a week of depression following the injury.
“But the surgery went great,” he said. “I had already progressed past another guy who had the same surgery in about a month. That’s when I started thinking, ‘I can do this.'”
Fleischman’s return will add depth to an already deep offensive line.
“He’s incredible,” Christensen said. “That’s normally a season-long injury.
“With any injury, it’s the mindset of the guy going through rehab. His mindset the day after surgery was he was going to play this year.”
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Information from: Laramie Daily Boomerang – Laramie,
