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Recruits showcase talent at camps
By Hays Carlyon, The Times-Union
Jul 18, 2008
The world of college football recruiting used to run on a fairly simple formula. A prospect would put together a strong senior season, visit schools in December and January, then sign a letter-of-intent with his college of choice on the first Wednesday in February.
Now, the importance of a strong senior season has been devalued a bit.
Players are evaluated earlier these days, and summer camps have sprouted up as one of the most important tools for prospects aiming for elite college football schools.
Tonight, the University of Florida will conduct its summer camp, called Friday Night Lights, and coach Urban Meyer will welcome dozens of players to see what they can offer his team. Each of Meyer's three previous years, the camp has jump-started the Gators' recruiting efforts, which have been among the nation's best.
The next day, Florida State will hold its camp, called Seminole Showcase.
For seniors who don't already hold an impressive scholarship offer list, the camps present a chance for them to show they can compete against the country's best high school players. Juniors also can receive an opportunity to get their names out early with a solid showing.
"These summer camps have become showcase events, and UF really invented this when Urban Meyer came in from Utah," said Mike Farrell, the national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "This has really become a big event.
"I still feel like film is film, and that's still the most important thing in evaluating a prospect. What you do in full pads in full contact should matter the most, but there's no question that a strong performance at one of these camps can open up the floodgates to a bunch of offers for a player."
The cost of attending a camp is around $30, but the chance to earn a scholarship offer makes the investment worth it.
"Florida probably is holding back five or six offers in their pocket for guys who are productive in their camp," Fletcher High School coach Joe Reynolds said. "If a kid can go through the drills and catch their eye, it could be worth an $80,000 scholarship. These camps are a lot more important than they were a few years ago."
Some players, like Fletcher senior wide receiver Lamar Scruggs, really don't need the camps. Scruggs, who holds offers from UF and FSU, said he might attend Friday Night Lights, but he won't work out.
"I think it can hurt more than it can help," Scruggs said. "I learned my lesson at a Nike camp when I went and worked out with a hamstring pull. I wasn't full strength, but then rumors got started about me.
"It's a good opportunity for a player who can get some exposure, but there's no real need for me to compete. If I go, it will be to visit the campus and get to know the coaches and the environment better."
One area player who will be in Gainesville today is Fleming Island offensive tackle Ian Silberman, a junior who figures to be one of the state's most coveted targets in 2009. He already has offers from UF, Miami and Michigan and will work out tonight to help further build his reputation.
"I'm excited," Silberman said. "It's not like the excitement you get to play a game, but I think players need to be there so the coaches can see where you're at. Plus, you get to go up against strong competition, and that's really helpful."
Another area junior, Raines defensive tackle Louis Nix, will compete at the Seminole Showcase.
"These camps work well for both parties," Raines coach Cedric Thornton said. "Obviously, it's great for the players, but the coaches get a big benefit as well. They get to work with the kids hands-on and poke and probe. They get to test drive the car.
"In the NFL, coaches can just watch a player work out at combines. Here, the coaches are really instructing the players. Plus, it turns into an unofficial visit. College football is such a business, it's crazy."
hays.carlyon@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4377
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