It is a really strange feeling looking at the AZ top 100 freshmen players and thinking about how many of those kids I’ve personally coached or play with or have played with my kid over the years be it on these elite 7on7 teams or Youth Football or even now at the High School level. They are just freshmen, so this is only the beginning of discovering who has the skills and the dedication to make it to the next level. That being said, I don’t see my kid on the list although they’ve covered 50 of the 100 to be named. I don’t know how to feel about it either.
Though he only played in 5 games due to injury, he recorded 400+ receiving yards, 4 TDs, and two interceptions including a pick 6. Those numbers are comparable to many named in the top 50 already. It does leave me to wonder how the list is chosen, but it also makes me question my kid, his dedication, and where he will wind up this season. The boy lacks confidence. He claims to be confident, but this is really him echoing the good things that are said about him. He is a phenomenal athlete, but like any boy just coming into his 15th year, he’s a bit of a kid. He wants to hang out with his friends. He decides to sleep in on days he shouldn’t. Each one of these behaviors are things he needs to train out of himself in the next critical year if he wants to make it to the NFL. He does. He doesn’t know which position (the glory of WR is better to him right now than the doldrums of playing corner and nobody wanting to try him–that is what I call rich people problems). He still lifts every day. He still is focused on getting bigger, faster, and stronger. He still studies film and studies the game. He just isn’t ? quite yet. In fact, if I could suggest anything it would be to lock in over the summer and make this dream into a reality. He’s due a growth spurt, and at 6’2 already, he’s primed to be maybe 6’4 and up to 180 this summer if he puts in the work. Clearly that size singles him out as a safety (passes the eye test) so we have to wait and see where he lands on the Varsity roster.
Some Thoughts:
- NCAA 25 is bought and paid for. I did the deal with the Madden purchase, though it is clear that Madden is going to be trash. NCAA may not be trash, but it also may not be all we want. We can’t expect everything. Still, getting anything is dope. Yeah, I wish my kid who plays FCS could be in the game, but maybe next season 🙂