Ken Wilkins an "unbelievable physical talent"
A nice article on Wilkins from Pittsburgh's Valley News Dispatch. He is described as a physical beast by his coach: "He's an unbelievable physical talent," Trinity coach Ed Dalton said. "He's very muscular, and he has a 28-inch waist. He looks like an NFL player today. He's not going to take a year in college to get that physical look. He already has it. He's blessed physically."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_6404…
Kid runs a 4.6 40. Only question is where he'll play. Looks like solid DE candidate, but he can also play some inside linebacker as well.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:54 AM ^
I practically never believe anything high school coaches say about their best players. Not that they're purposely lying or stretching the truth, it's just that the vast majority of them have this one player that stands way head and shoulders above all the other players they've ever had, so they don't have a good frame of reference and are very prone to hyperbole. A college recruit is almost always, except at the most elite high school programs, freakish in comparison to the rest of the team.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
but the article did state that Trinity has been a bevy of D1 defensive talent, so at least there is some reference point. also, a lot of times a coach with give "extra kudos" to a kid who isn't committed in an effort to attract more offers.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:00 AM ^
"Trinity alumni playing defense at Division I schools are Ohio State sophomore linebacker Andrew Sweat, Ohio University sophomore linebacker Brandon Weaver, Penn State freshman linebacker Mike Yancich and New Hampshire freshman defensive tackle Jack Jamerson. Mark Faldowski, a defensive tackle, recently graduated from Army"
August 28th, 2009 at 10:04 AM ^
True, but I would much rather hear that the kid is an unbelievable physical talent than a "fat and lazy sob that just dominates his division because he weighs more than everyone else."
August 28th, 2009 at 10:39 AM ^
I agree that I'd rather that the coach rave over the kid than be ambivalent about him.
But, I agree with above posters that a high school coach will always talk up a kid in the media. That may at least partially be because he doesn't have a good reference for what "great" is but I think a lot of that reason is because the coach feels that it's his duty to give the kid the greatest possible chance of getting recruited by a good college, and thus the coach will sell the kid as hard as he can. Which isn't a bad thing, I think it just shows how much a lot of these coaches are about the kids that they want them to succeed as much as possible once they've left high school.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:30 AM ^
but I'd talk up any of my kids like crazy to get them into a scholarship situation. I don't think I would blatantly lie, but I'm with you on not trusting a kid's high school coach verbatim.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:24 AM ^
I disagree that the coaches don't know any better. Coaches speak a WHOLE lot differently behind closed doors than they do to the media and to college coaches. We're currently having one of our juniors recruited by a decent FBS team (Maizeandbluewahoo's fave), and certainly we're going to talk him up . . . but amongst each other, we're surprised that this kid is getting a look.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:31 AM ^
"Kid runs a 4.6 40. Only question is where he'll play. Looks like solid DE candidate, but he can also play some inside linebacker as well."
Where will he play?
DEATHBACKER!! (of course)
August 28th, 2009 at 1:27 PM ^
The reports from GBMW (take it for what it's worth) have Wilkins playing Brandon Graham's rush end spot with Antonio Kinard projecting more to Deathbacker.
Given that Roh and Lalota also both played a lot of deathbacker this fall, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to bring in two more freshman for the same spot.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:01 PM ^
Lalota is a DE.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
the Brandon Graham kind, or the RVB kind?
August 29th, 2009 at 10:49 AM ^
It doesn't really matter right now. Lalota probably won't play this year, and next year they'll have to rearrange things since Graham is leaving.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:03 PM ^
I think LaLota will be a RVB type end, Wilkins will be a BG type end, Paskorz will deathback and Kinard will play MIKE. None of those positions need more than one guy from this class since there are young guys there. We do, however, need a guy thrown in at MIKE.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:06 PM ^
when he first committed that he was in great shape, I'm just looking forward to see what coach Barwis is going to turn him into
August 29th, 2009 at 1:54 PM ^
I'm holding judgment on his ability until I hear Fred Jackson weigh in.