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Top 16 DAC Recruits of the 247 Composite Star Era


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4 hours ago, DACNUT said:

 

Their 1991 team was better, they were upset by East Chicago Central, which also had a great team that year. Central was upset by Crown Point the following week on a crappy field. Both teams were full of All-State Players that year. The 5A All-State team was littered with DAC players. 

Great off-season topic.

ECC beat every opponent by multiple scores before bowing out to Crown Point. Sloppy fields play a factor unfortunately. 

One could argue that there were multiple teams better than Merrillville that year? ECC, Penn, Ben Davis?

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29 minutes ago, temptation said:

Or is it?  Sometimes guys just peak later or get into a perfect fit at the next level.

 

Absolutely true, and fit is important for just about every prospect. He was certainly helped by Willingham's departure.

But this evaluation--if it's not way off--is a miss in my book. If he's an Indy product he's easily a 4 Star. He was probably already 6'3'' or 6'4'' in high school, had good not great wheels, but he made up for it by being pretty shifty, especially for his height. He played every down. He wasn't James Banks, but he was an extremely talented high school player in this state back then.

He was also hilarious on the field, but I know that's not taken into account.

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2 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

Absolutely true, and fit is important for just about every prospect. He was certainly helped by Willingham's departure.

But this evaluation--if it's not way off--is a miss in my book. If he's an Indy product he's easily a 4 Star. He was probably already 6'3'' or 6'4'' in high school, had good not great wheels, but he made up for it by being pretty shifty, especially for his height. He played every down. He wasn't James Banks, but he was an extremely talented high school player in this state back then.

He was also hilarious on the field, but I know that's not taken into account.

Maybe it was his zero catches in his final game of his career against a 5'7" defensive back that derailed his score :).

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9 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

Absolutely true, and fit is important for just about every prospect. He was certainly helped by Willingham's departure.

But this evaluation--if it's not way off--is a miss in my book. If he's an Indy product he's easily a 4 Star. He was probably already 6'3'' or 6'4'' in high school, had good not great wheels, but he made up for it by being pretty shifty, especially for his height. He played every down. He wasn't James Banks, but he was an extremely talented high school player in this state back then.

He was also hilarious on the field, but I know that's not taken into account.

Gimme a break on the “Indy product” nonsense.  That is such a tiring and false narrative.

Hell, the top prospect in the state of Indiana in 2022 is from CHARLESTOWN…

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2 minutes ago, temptation said:

Gimme a break on the “Indy product” nonsense.  That is such a tiring and false narrative.

Hell, the top prospect in the state of Indiana in 2022 is from CHARLESTOWN…

To be fair, there's a world of difference between high school scouting in 2002 and 2022. Also, I'm not speaking with the conspiratorial, anti-Indy bias that most northerners seem to adopt. Not that it really matters, but I think it would have made a difference where he played.

12 minutes ago, BTF said:

Maybe it was his zero catches in his final game of his career against a 5'7" defensive back that derailed his score :).

I think we held him to three catches across two games his senior year. Now, we basically doubled him in many scenarios and completely took away the quicks that they liked to get him on so he could work in space. Must have been a lot of pressure on the QB to get away with going 1 on 1.

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4 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

To be fair, there's a world of difference between high school scouting in 2002 and 2022. Also, I'm not speaking with the conspiratorial, anti-Indy bias that most northerners seem to adopt. Not that it really matters, but I think it would have made a difference where he played.

I think we held him to three catches across two games his senior year. Now, we basically doubled him in many scenarios and completely took away the quicks that they liked to get him on so he could work in space. Must have been a lot of pressure on the QB to get away with going 1 on 1.

2003 - the top 5 recruits according to 247 sports were from outside of Indy

2005 - three of the top 5 (including #1) from outside of Indy

2006 - top 3 recruits from outside of Indy

I could keep going but has scouting really come “that far” since 2002?

Did scouts use to not visit non-metropolitan areas?

Just stop it.

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3 hours ago, temptation said:

Or is it?  Sometimes guys just peak later or get into a perfect fit at the next level.

 

Best HS football player I have ever seen in person and that speaks volumes of just how dominant James Banks was. 

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2 hours ago, PDB26 said:

Absolutely true, and fit is important for just about every prospect. He was certainly helped by Willingham's departure.

But this evaluation--if it's not way off--is a miss in my book. If he's an Indy product he's easily a 4 Star. He was probably already 6'3'' or 6'4'' in high school, had good not great wheels, but he made up for it by being pretty shifty, especially for his height. He played every down. He wasn't James Banks, but he was an extremely talented high school player in this state back then.

He was also hilarious on the field, but I know that's not taken into account.

Never saw him caught from behind. He was SMOOTH!

2 hours ago, temptation said:

Gimme a break on the “Indy product” nonsense.  That is such a tiring and false narrative.

Hell, the top prospect in the state of Indiana in 2022 is from CHARLESTOWN…

You ever see that dude?  Holy moly. He runs like a TE. 

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2 hours ago, PDB26 said:

To be fair, there's a world of difference between high school scouting in 2002 and 2022. Also, I'm not speaking with the conspiratorial, anti-Indy bias that most northerners seem to adopt. Not that it really matters, but I think it would have made a difference where he played.

I think we held him to three catches across two games his senior year. Now, we basically doubled him in many scenarios and completely took away the quicks that they liked to get him on so he could work in space. Must have been a lot of pressure on the QB to get away with going 1 on 1.

Oh. There was. Renn and his blockers had a TOUGH game against BD. 

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17 hours ago, Bobref said:

Was that the ECC team that featured Donta Smith? I believe he had committed to Tennessee, but somehow ended up at Ball State. Heck of an athlete and an outstanding linebacker.

Royce Love at LB/FB and Martell France who was one of the top RB's that year. Underclassmen included Royce Roberson and Eric Glenn. Someone already mentioned Tom Lewandowski who was also First Team 5A that year. 

The 91 Merrillville team was more talented than the 92 team and no, they would not have beat Ben Davis that year. 

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On 1/5/2022 at 10:00 PM, DE said:

RB was Jamel Williams. Went onto Nebraska and was an important member of their Blackshirt Defense. He played SS/FS. 

I believe won a National Title with those Tommy Frazier lead Husker teams. 
 

Williams is likely most remembered for being in the first XFL “coin flip”. Actually was a fumble recovery drill. 

I remember Williams sacking the Florida QB (Weurfel??) for a Safety in that Nebraska blowout of Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Don't forget, Lake Central's own Jared Tomich was also a starteron that Blackshirt Defense. He was a monster on the DL. That '92 Merrillville team had a toughness about them that carried over to the basketball court with an Eiite 8 loss to Carmel in the West Lafayette Semi-State Championship. Guys like Williams, Zac Wells, Josoforsky (sp?), were bad dudes that played football and basketball. Looking at their Tournament History, Snider ended up beating Ben Davis 24-21 for State after they beat Merrillville 14-7. Who was Snider's RB that year? I believe he played college ball at...IU???

 

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On 1/5/2022 at 9:57 PM, DE said:

Thank you. I remember watching Merrillville play at Demeree Stadium in the early 90’s. I know I saw them play the Royce Roberson (went into Wisconsin as a RB IMSC) lead East Chicago Central. 
 

Did Snider ever visit Merrillville in the early 90’s for SS?  Maybe I just have the year wrong. 

Snider went to Porage in '94. Could be thinking of that. Other than Hobart, that was the largest crowd I've ever seen a visitor bring into The Warpath. 

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43 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

I remember Williams sacking the Florida QB (Weurfel??) for a Safety in that Nebraska blowout of Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Don't forget, Lake Central's own Jared Tomich was also a starteron that Blackshirt Defense. He was a monster on the DL. That '92 Merrillville team had a toughness about them that carried over to the basketball court with an Eiite 8 loss to Carmel in the West Lafayette Semi-State Championship. Guys like Williams, Zac Wells, Josoforsky (sp?), were bad dudes that played football and basketball. Looking at their Tournament History, Snider ended up beating Ben Davis 24-21 for State after they beat Merrillville 14-7. Who was Snider's RB that year? I believe he played college ball at...IU???

 

Correct.  Joseforsky was the QB.  Went to Navy I believe.  Wells also played baseball.

 

43 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

Snider went to Porage in '94. Could be thinking of that. Other than Hobart, that was the largest crowd I've ever seen a visitor bring into The Warpath. 

Nope.  Not that game.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/10/2022 at 10:10 AM, Boilernation said:

Snider went to Porage in '94. Could be thinking of that. Other than Hobart, that was the largest crowd I've ever seen a visitor bring into The Warpath. 

I went to the Snider & Portage game, that loss was a tough one to stomach. 

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  • 2 months later...
On 1/5/2022 at 2:33 PM, HHF said:

20-21 Merrillville was the most loaded team in DAC history according to these rankings.  Also played out thet way on the field.  Back to back to back semi state appearances, which seems to be a hard ceiling for any DAC school.

Merrillville technically went back to back to back semistates.

all 6A 

carmel

westfield

westfield

 

and have been to 5 in last 7 years

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13 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

Is he good? Lateral, up or down transfer?

Going into last season Buck was named as one of the top Division II running backs in the nation.  He was was limited with the number of carries on 2021 due to the running back by committee style of offense that Grand Valley State runs. 

He will have to transfer to another D2 or D3 program because if he goes to a D1 program he will have to sit out another year.

He would really like to transfer the University of Georgia.  Aryuan Cain-Veasey and Bulldogs CB Kelee Ringo are cousins.

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4 hours ago, Tommy said:

Going into last season Buck was named as one of the top Division II running backs in the nation.  He was was limited with the number of carries on 2021 due to the running back by committee style of offense that Grand Valley State runs. 

He will have to transfer to another D2 or D3 program because if he goes to a D1 program he will have to sit out another year.

He would really like to transfer the University of Georgia.  Aryuan Cain-Veasey and Bulldogs CB Kelee Ringo are cousins.

 

Can he go as a graduate transfer and not sit out?

 

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8 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

Can he go as a graduate transfer and not sit out?

 

He has not graduated yet.  He was supposed to graduate in December.

The way style between the style of offense Grand Valley runs, the weakness of the schedule and the overall weakness of the conference that Grand Valley plays in he just does not get enough carries to showcase his talents.  Most of of his games are halftime blowouts leaving him standing in the sidelines in the 2nd half watching the sophomores and redshirt freshmen play.

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On 1/10/2022 at 10:06 AM, Boilernation said:

I remember Williams sacking the Florida QB (Weurfel??) for a Safety in that Nebraska blowout of Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Don't forget, Lake Central's own Jared Tomich was also a starteron that Blackshirt Defense. He was a monster on the DL. That '92 Merrillville team had a toughness about them that carried over to the basketball court with an Eiite 8 loss to Carmel in the West Lafayette Semi-State Championship. Guys like Williams, Zac Wells, Josoforsky (sp?), were bad dudes that played football and basketball. Looking at their Tournament History, Snider ended up beating Ben Davis 24-21 for State after they beat Merrillville 14-7. Who was Snider's RB that year? I believe he played college ball at...IU???

 

Only Snider back that I believe went to IU was Vaughn Dunbar. think he was there in 1990 & 1991? He would have graduated Snider in 1988??

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