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Missouri LB Eric Beisel Commits To Mizzou Over Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska

2012-07-27T00:30:59Z

2013 Fenton (MO) Rockwood Summit linebacker Eric Beisel committed to Missouri in an announcement at his high school prior to their annual alumni game on Thursday. The former Team USA member chose the Tigers over finalists Arkansas, Illinois and Nebraska.

A 6-4, 235-pounder known as a hard hitter and weight room warrior, Beisel is rated by the services as a consensus three-star prospect. Prior to his commitment, he held offers from five other schools that did not make his top four.

SB Nation Recruiting spoke with Beisel back in early July when he was in Austin with Team USA for the IFAF U-19 World Championship, when he helped the American side take home a silver medal with his solid play.

Missouri and Arkansas were standing out for him at the time and he indicated that he was looking for the third team to get into the mix heavily. Unsurprisingly, those first two were the schools that Beisel visited after turning down an invitation to attend The Opening out at the Nike Facility in Oregon and prior to making his decision.

About his trip to Arkansas, Beisel told an Arkansas radio station several days ago that he knew his trip was going to be a "special visit" when he saw the smiles on the faces of all the members of the coaching staff as he arrived and interrupted a meeting.

The Razorback staff dangled the potential for early playing time before letting Beisel take in a weight-lifting session that prompted him to later describe the intensity during the session as "crazy." With the visit still fresh in his mind, he indicated that Arkansas might be the leader, saying he was "pretty sure" about them being in the top position.

Back in early July, Beisel had mentioned Arizona State, Illinois and Ohio State, but not Nebraska, a team that made Beisel's final top four.

The big linebacker with surprising range for his size may have grown up in Missouri, but he wasn't a Tiger fan, instead watching the host of talented linebackers that went through the Buckeye program during his developing years. He cited current St. Louis Ram James Laurinaitis as a favorite. Attending games in Columbia, not Columbus, was also a part of his experience growing up, so he did get some exposure to the Missouri program, even if his allegiances where elsewhere.

With other Missouri commits like Chase Abbington and Trent Hosick both in Austin with Beisel playing in the IFAF U-19 World Championship for Team USA, Beisel admitted that he was hearing Gary Pinkel's program talked up by those two, but said he would "make the best decision for myself."

Even before the July visit to Fayetteville, Beisel was impressed by the weight room at Arkansas, as well as having a strong affinity for his potential future position coach.

"They have top-notch facilities -- their weight room," he said. "I have a good connection with coach Johnson. He's the one of the reasons I'm looking there. He was the first guy I meet when I got there and he spent the most time with me. He's recruiting me the hardest out of all the coaches."

Unlike former commit Austin Bennett and former target Christian Morgan, Beisel said he wasn't too worried about the interim status of head coach John L. Smith, but did have one request of Arkansas.

"Individually, it doesn't impact me, but I need some assurances that coach Johnson will still be there and be my position coach since my connection with him was one of the main reasons why I'm looking at Arkansas," he revealed. "It would just be nice to know if he's going to be there next season."

Many recruits talk about wanting to feel the love from a coaching staff and though he didn't speak of his interactions with the Fighting Illini staff quite in those terms, Beisel made it clear that the approach taken by head coach Tim Beckham and his staff was effective.

"The entire coaching staff there has been on me since day one," he said. "I probably get a letter from every one of them each week. I like the relationship and the family atmosphere and since they're recruiting me so hard, I know they want me and I'm the number one guy on their board -- that's nice to have."

While in Austin, Beisel spoke about the most important factor in his recruitment.

"I just want to find a school I feel comfortable with since I'm going to be living there for the next four years, whether it be the atmosphere or the coaching staff or the players I'm going to be around, I have to feel comfortable," he said. "I also need to find a school that will develop me and take me to the next level. I'm a guy that likes to be pushed to my limits to find where I can go and I need to find a university that will make me the best that I can be."

As he told ESPN's Damon Sayles, Beisel felt that comfort level at Missouri ($):

I definitely feel the most comfortable with the coaching staff as a whole. They know how to get kids to the NFL. Missouri was one of the first schools to offer, and that played into it, too.

Oh yeah, and about Beisel becoming the best that he can be? He's already pretty good. Arguably the top linebacker for Team USA, Beisel brought heady, steady play to the table for his country, encapsulated by one play in the opener against American Samoa. Most of the US defense had been fooled on a misdirection end around, but Beisel still had contain when his opponent came around the corner and was able to chase the player to reduce what would have otherwise been a field-flipping play for the visiting team.

Based on his play there, it looks like Mizzou is getting a good one.

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"Biggest" Linebacker in Missouri - Eric Beisel Junior Highlights (via RSummitAthletics)

For more on Hogs football, visit Arkansas blog Arkansas Expats, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

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Texas A&M Commit Kyrion Parker: Proximity A Major Factor For Chase Abbington

2012-07-22T00:49:10Z

Back during the IFAF U-19 World Championship in Austin during the early part of July, the recently-committed Texas A&M pledge Tavares Garner indicated to SB Nation Recruiting that he and fellow Aggie pledge Reggie Chevis were working on Missouri commit Chase Abbington, who was also on the American team.

Garner and Chevis weren't the only ones, either. Another future Aggie and current teammate of Garner, Alvin (TX) Manvel wide receiver Kyrion Parker, who was once an LSU commitment, was also hard at work trying to convince Abbington to switch his allegiance and wear maroon and white in college.

Days later, Abbington received an offer from coach Sumlin and the Aggies during his time in Austin, but declined to comment on it at the time. He said in a conversation with Gigem247 ($):

I don't want to start anything, so I'm not going to comment on the Texas A&M offer or any other offer. I'm just not trying to think about that right now. The schools are going to keep coming, and at some point I'll figure it all out.

A bit of a coy response, to be sure, but part of the impetus behind all of this actually being a story is that Parker and Abbington, who is from Missouri, have been best friends for some time, since Pee Wee football, actually.

Asked on Friday about the status of his friend's recruitment, Parker smiled and said that he's still working on Abbington, but revealed a crucial element about how things will play out for his friend; Abbington wants to stay close to home so his mother can watch him play in football.

The desire to stay in state may be the final deciding factor for Abbington, and it doesn't bode well for the Aggies in their efforts to flip his commitment.

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For more on Mizzou football, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills, SB Nation Kansas City and SB Nation St. Louis.

Texas A&M Commit Kyrion Parker: Proximity A Major Factor For Chase Abbington

2012-07-22T00:44:22Z

Back during the IFAF U-19 World Championship in Austin during the early part of July, recent (at the time) Texas A&M pledge Tavares Garner indicated to SB Nation Recruiting that he and fellow Aggie pledge Reggie Chevis were working on Missouri commit Chase Abbington, who was also on the team.

Garner and Chevis weren't the only ones -- another future Aggie and a current teammate of Garner, Alvin (TX) Manvel wide receiver Kyrion Parker, a one-time LSU commitment, was also hard at work trying to convince Abbington to switch his allegiance and wear maroon and white in college.

Days later, Abbington received an offer from coach Sumlin and the Aggies during his time in Austin, but declined to comment on it at the time in a conversation with Gigem247 ($):

I don't want to start anything, so I'm not going to comment on the Texas A&M offer or any other offer. I'm just not trying to think about that right now. The schools are going to keep coming, and at some point I'll figure it all out.

Asked on Friday about the status of his friend's recruitment, Parker smiled and said that he's still working on Abbington, but revealed a crucial element about how things will play out for his friend -- he wants to stay close to home so his mother can watch him play in football in college.

The desire to stay in state may be the final deciding factor for Abbington, and it doesn't bode well for the Aggies in their efforts to flip his commitment.

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For more on Mizzou football, visit Missouri blog Rock M Nation, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills, SB Nation Kansas City and SB Nation St. Louis.

Dajaun Drennon Talks Burgeoning Texas Recruitment

2012-07-05T14:52:43Z

Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek defensive end Dajaun Drennon is with Team USA in Austin just doing what he does -- pressuring the quarterback. It's earned him a s pot on the Texas recruiting radar.

After an effort against American Samoa that saw him spend a lot of face time with the Samoa quarterback, Drennon once again terrorized a Team USA opponent, putting a hurting on the Austria signal caller on two consecutive plays in the second quarter.

On the first, the quarterback escaped the pocket and managed to avoid Drennon's initial effort, but as he set up to throw a pass downfield, Drennon closed and delivered a monster hit. The Austria quarterback was slow to get up.

On the next, Drennon and a teammate met at the quarterback, a high-velocity sandwich that detached the Austria quarterback from the football. Westlake's own Lance Duran recovered the fumble and returned it inside the Austrian 10 yardline as the American team began to separate on its way to a 70-3 victory that included 63 straight points after Austria tied the game late in the first quarter.

After the game, Drennon discussed the burgeoning interest from Texas.

"I like it," said the 6-3, 230-pounder. "I'm glad that I had a chance to come out to Austin with Team USA and it just shows me that even though this wasn't a Texas camp or anything like that, they're always watching, so I always have to perform to my highest ability."

Drennon had reached out to the coaching staff after his coach made initial contact and revealed that his parents have some big plans tomorrow.

"I talked to the receivers coach, coach Wyatt. Tomorrow my parents will actually be taking a tour of the campus, the academic side.

"He said that he had gotten to the game because his son is the receiver [Desmond Wyatt]. He liked my intensity and the way that I got to the quarterback, so he wants to show me what Texas has to offer."

An unofficial visit is indeed in the works down the line.

"I can't do it right now because of NCAA regulations, but after the tournament is over, I definitely want to take a visit."

As he did in his initial conversation with me on Sunday, he maintained that he's open in the process.

"I have a top five right now, but I'm definitely willing to look into other schools -- that's nothing new," he made clear. "Even though I have the top five, if a new school comes in, I'll definitely give them my interest to see what they're all about."

Parents can often be important factors in a recruitment. Drennon said the impression was positive on the eve of their campus visit.

"Oh, they love it. My mom, she's a big shopper, so the outlets, that's right up her alley."

Drennon was critical of his game against American Samoa, as much as he impressed all those in attendance. Similarly critical on Wednesday evening, he did also acknowledge his success.

"I think I came out a little flat, but I started getting to the quarterback, got a couple hits on him, forced the fumble," he said.

The quarterback was clearly hurting after those hits. I posited that he might not have cared for them much. Drennon smiled before responding.

"I mean, the quarterback never likes it. We had words in between plays, but at the end of the game, shook hands and shook it off, gave him a hug and everything, so it's good."

Good for the defensive end. Not so much for the quarterback.

Dajaun, the quarterback is going to be feeling those hits tomorrow, right?

"Yeah, most likely."

Those kind of hits get noticed -- the type of hits that quarterbacks have to live with for days.

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For more on Horns football, visit Texas blogs Burnt Orange Nation and Barking Carnival, plus SB Nation Dallas.

Team USA Obliterates Austria, 70-7, Advances To Gold Medal Game

2012-07-05T06:16:31Z

AUSTIN, TX -- After the first quarter, Austria was hanging with the United States, tied 7-7, outgaining the Americans in total yardage at Burger Stadium in the second round of the IFAF U-19 World Championship. But Team USA ran off 63 straight points over the following three quarters to prevail 70-7 and advance to the gold medal game on Saturday against Canada, victors over Japan in the early game.

Two short stretches opened up the game for Team USA, as the Americans dropped four touchdowns on the Austrians in the second quarter, including three in just over three minutes of gametime, aided by multiple turnovers.

The third quarter featured the same -- a touchdown early and four total trips into the endzone. After halftime, the final three scores, needed only drained two minutes from the clock, highlighted by a stretch that included an interception returned 18 yards by linebacker Khari Harding for a touchdown and a 47-yard touchdown run by Lorenzo Woodley when Team USA got the ball back.

One picture of Austria in the second quarter foreshadowed the future -- the majority of the team huddled under a tent on the sideline, in direct line of the cooling mist from a large fan, while the United States stalked the opposing sideline, unphased by a relatively mild evening for central Texas in the summer with temperatures just over 90 degrees at kickoff.

Futile Austrian attempts on offense and defense resulted in prone players with minor injuries and/or shame after nearly every play during the crucial stretch, including the Austria quarterback on two consecutive strikes from defensive end Dajaun Drennon that staggered the opposing signal caller, the second of which forcing a fumble returned inside the Austrian 10 yardline.

After the game, Drennon acknowledged that the quarterback would "most likely" feel those hits on Sunday. Quite the understatement.

At one point just into the fourth quarter, Austria had thrown eight passes that were caught. Four of them caught by American players, four caught by Austrians. When the clock finally, mercifully struck zero, Team USA had outgained Austria 434 to 135, forced six turnovers, and avoided any giveaways offensively.

In a minor victory for the visitors, the final two completions went to teammates.

So it went as the competitive first quarter devolved into a rout on America's Independence Day while fireworks exploded in downtown Austin, visible from the press box over the northern Burger Stadium bleachers.

It was America's day, playing America's game, and Austria felt the full force of it all, a still penalty-prone freight train with downhill momentum, aided by pure gravity. It didn't look pleasant, and probably wasn't.

Team USA To Battle Austria For Gold Medal Game Birth

2012-07-04T23:45:01Z

It's Independence Day, so perhaps it's fitting that Team USA will take the field at Burger Stadium on Wednesday to go against Austria for a chance to play the winner of Canada-Japan in the gold medal game of the IFAF U-19 World Championship on Saturday.

The Americans defeated American Samoa on Saturday night to stay in the winners bracket and hope for a repeat performance this evening. The game will be available streaming live at 8 pm CST.

Let's go, 'Merica. It's your day, football is your sport, and this is your national team.

DE Dajaun Drennon Has Top 5, Plans To Take Official Visits

2012-07-03T02:45:11Z

One of the top performers for Team USA against American Samoa on Saturday night in the opening round of the IFAF U-19 World Championship was Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek defensive end Dajaun Drennon, a 6'3", 235-pounder with long arms and an explosive burst off the ball who spent much of the evening harassing the Samoan quarterback.

The strong showing capped off a good week of practice for Drennon, who has a top five of Kentucky, Notre Dame, North Carolina, USC and West Virginia. Notable schools that didn't make the cut? Alabama and Florida State, which both offered. SB Nation caught up with the athletic edge rusher on Sunday. Here's what he said about his favorites.

On Kentucky:

"Everything about Kentucky is good. When I went there, I met good people. I feel like going to Kentucky would be a different school, a different feel from the big-time football schools. For it to not be that big of a football school, I really liked it. The fact it's in the SEC, I would always be playing against good competition."

On Notre Dame:

"I had visited the school and liked it because there are only 8,000 students in the whole school, so I think it will be better for me to focus on my studies. They didn't promise me a starting position, but there will only be two players at my position there, so that shows me that I'll have a high chance of playing early -- I would be playing outside linebacker/defensive end. DeMarcus Ware plays the same position and I base my game off of him, so to have a chance to play the exact same position that he does, the position that I've been studying. It really opens up doors."

On North Carolina:

"I like them because I had visited there two or three weeks ago and I don't know, there's just something about North Carolina and the fact that it's in the South, so the weather is always good. I talked to the academic advisers and the way that they talk about their tutoring and everything, there's no way that you're going to fail at North Carolina."

On USC:

"Not having been to USC, it's a school that I've always wanted to consider going to because it's in California. I would like to get to know more about it. I talk to coach Tee Martin a lot. He tells me that the intensity there is crazy, so I just want to get out there and have a chance to see it."

On West Virginia:

"I went to a camp there and I had already liked West Virginia, but the fact that they would have me playing wide receiver and defensive end has moved them up my list. I would like to play both sides of the ball -- wherever I can get on the field at first. Now that West Virginia has seen my full talents, I think that puts them higher."

Drennon said that each of the schools is equal in his mind at this point and that he plans on taking all five of his official visits.

There could be a new team entering the race for Drennon, however. A source close to the situation said that the Texas Longhorns have expressed some interest in the Timber Creek defensive end, who has been in Austin now for over a week with the national team.

Drennon would not be able to take an unofficial visit until after the end of the World Championships, but his parents did recently join him in Austin, so the whole family is getting a look at the city as Drennon stays on the University of Texas campus.

The Longhorns have a need at the weakside defensive end position after the recent decommitment of Lancaster (TX)'s Daeshon Hall, who was the only commit in the 2013 class guaranteed to play defensive end throughout college. It leaves a significant hole in the class, especially as there has not been much positive momentum surrounding the Texas recruitment of Houston (TX) Alief Taylor's Torrodney Prevot, who measured in at only 200 pounds at the recent Rivals Five-Star Challenge.

SB Nation also spoke with Drennon's head coach, Rob Hinson, about what his star player brings to the table.

Even though Drennon was heavily focused on basketball coming into high school and spent the offseasons following his freshman and sophomore campaigns involved in AAU hoops, Hinson saw flashes from Drennon as a sophomore that made him believe he had something special.

"When he came into high school he was big into basketball year-round, that kind of thing," said the Timber Creek head coach. "But his sophomore year he showed a real knack for getting to the quarterback -- he was really, really explosive. So at that point I figured he had a shot."

How athletic is Drennon? The leading receiver for Timber Creek last season, Drennon tore up a recent 7-on-7 event, according to his head coach, scoring 15 or more touchdowns and essentially proving himself incapable of being defended.

He's also humble. Drennon said that he's working on honing his technique to go along with his first-step quickness and was critical of his performance against American Samoa, giving himself a C+/B- for an effort that impressed nearly all in attendance.

Even though the defensive end believes he has room for improvement, his head coach said that the strides have already been significant since he started focusing more on football.

"It's night and day. It was kind of like he was going through the motions a little bit, still playing basketball, but then he had some success as a sophomore and the college coaches started looking at his body and letting him know, 'With your body, football is the ticket,'" Hinson said.

"He started listening and, with all the related things that the coaches would say, it solidified the point to him that he really needed to be a football guy."

The focus on football -- Drennon didn't play AAU basketball this summer for the first time -- has already paid major dividends. After playing at around 212 pounds last season, Drennon is now up to 235 since March and his coach believes he could eventually play at 260 or more pounds in college.

It's a similar trajectory to the one taken by Drennon's cousin, Jamaal Green, who played at Miami before seeing action with several NFL teams. Hinson said that Green was 205 or so pounds in high school, with a similar focus on basketball, before eventually reaching around 275 pounds in the league.

But an athletic pedigree isn't all that the defensive end brings to the table. Hinson said that he's taken on a larger leadership role this spring, coordinating workouts, making sure that his younger teammates attend, and in general becoming a more vocal player.

Put it all together and it makes for one impressive package. Impressive enough, in fact, that Hinson considers him one of the top prospects he's ever coached.

"He's up there among the best," Hinson opined. "I've got guys all over at different schools, but in terms of natural, raw ability he's probably one of the top, if not the top, because of his length and his drive and his explosiveness. I've had big, strong guys and fast guys, but when you have a kid like him, as big and as long as he is, can play receiver, tight end, whatever, he's right up there at top in terms of potential for college and maybe even the next level."

The talent is there. The frame is there. The humility is there. All Drennon needs is a little more seasoning. Of course, based on his destruction of the American Samoan line, he's already pretty darn good.

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Florida State Commit Jesus Wilson: Childhood Favorite Miami 'Waited Too Long'

2012-07-01T22:00:23Z

Miami (FL) Columbus wide receiver Jesus Wilson is electric with the ball in his hands. Those in attendance at Burger Stadium in Austin on Saturday evening got a glimpse of that early in the opening round of the IFAF U-19 World Championship.

On the opening kickoff (viewable at the 34:00 mark of the linked video), the Florida State commit fielded a bouncing kick at the US 23 yardline, headed towards the middle of the field to allow his blockers to do their work, then exploded through an opening, breaking an arm tackle and outrunning the kicker to the endzone to give Team USA a 6-0 lead only 13 seconds into the game.

Only minutes later, Wilson took a jet sweep, exploded to the outside, then cut back against the grain for a spectacular 12-yard gain, again showing off the vision of a running back.

When you're that good with ball in your hands, why give it up? It's hard to blame Wilson for not wanting to make the move to cornerback given his ability on offense and special teams.

Recruited to Florida State as a wide receiver, several schools opted to look at Wilson as a cornerback -- Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and his childhood favorite, Miami, which is evaluating him at both positions. It was a death knell for his recruitment by the former two schools.

As for the lifelong favorite, those hometown 'Canes?

They may be close to making an offer to Wilson, but it wouldn't change anything. "I think they waited too long," said Wilson in an interview with SB Nation last Wednesday.

In the end, it came down to a final three of Oklahoma State, Florida State, and West Virginia. For the two other finalists, early offers and the high-powered spread offenses run in Stillwater and Morgantown were a major appeal. In fact, the pro-style attack used by head coach Jimbo Fisher kept Wilson on the market longer than he would have been otherwise.

"Yes, the offense made me hesitant a lot -- that's what made me wait so late," Wilson revealed. "I had been thinking about committing to Florida State when I went to the camp last year, but Oklahoma State and West Virginia had offered me already."

In the end, however, the proximity of Florida State and his relationship with the coaching staff played a larger role than the offense.

"I wanted to stay close to home," he said. "I wanted to have my family be able to come see me play football. I had a great relationship with coach Cody and coach Jimbo Fisher and I felt like I was at home, like it was the right place to go."

The lack of pressure put on him by the staff and a family member who will be making the move to Tallahassee with the dynamic wide receiver also played roles.

"The coaches told me to make the best decision for me. I'm really close to the coaches; I just felt the connection there. Also, my sister is supposed to be going to Florida State when I go. My aunt lives there, so I have family there."

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