FORT WORTH, Texas (September 16, 2004) --- As a result of being one of the top high school football players in the nation, Brandon Tatum of Fort Worth, Texas has been named a 2005 U.S. Army All-American. Tatum will join a stand-out list of athletes playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, January 15, 2005 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This classic east vs. west match-up will be televised live on NBC at 12:00 p.m. (CST) and will feature the best 78 high school football student-athletes in the country.
“It is a great pleasure to have this fine young man selected to represent his school and community as a U.S. Army All-American,” said Colonel Thomas Nickerson, Director of Strategic Outreach for the U.S. Army Accessions Command. “He has proven himself to be a superior athlete and I know he will add an exciting dimension to January’s game.
Our slogan, ‘An Army of One,’ recognizes the value of individual talents toward achieving team goals, and his talents make him a strong addition to this All-American team, Nickerson added. This game will highlight his skills for a national audience, and the Army is pleased to provide this opportunity to him and all the U.S. Army All-Americans.”
Tatum is a standout defensive back at Dunbar High School and was one of 400 players nominated nationally and one of 78 selected to participate by Tom Lemming, a well-respected evaluator of prep football talent and contributor to ESPN Sports and USA Today.
“As far as potential is concerned Brandon may have as much as any other FS prospect in the state. I was impressed with his instincts, speed to the ball, strength, vision and leaping ability. He can out jump most receivers and also has the strength to excel as a run stopper. Rarely gets caught out of position but when he does he shows excellent catch-up speed,” Lemming said.
Video: Brandon Tatum
As U.S. Army All-Americans, Tatum has the potential to be named finalists for the Ball Park National High School Player of the Year Award honoring the nation’s best prep football player at the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner on January 14, 2005 in San Antonio. The Ken “The Sugarland Express” Hall Trophy, is the equivalent of the high school Heisman Trophy and is named after record setting running back Ken Hall of Sugarland, Texas.
“We’re excited about our sponsorship of such a worthwhile award,” said Deborah Sabo, director of marketing for Ball Park. “This honor rewards the core principles within high school football that we have here at Ball Park – excellence and quality.”
Also given out at the U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner will be the Myoplex Speed and Strength Athlete of the Year Award. This first-year award will be bestowed upon the nation’s fastest, strongest and most dedicated high school football player. The Trophy presented to the winner will be set in the likeness of NFL great, Walter Payton.
“Speed and strength are the keys to success on the field,” said Heather Fitzgerald, marketing director for Myoplex. “And the keys to developing speed and strength are hard work in the gym and proper nutrition. We’ve helped elite NFL players improve their nutrition for more than a decade. With this award, we hope to show the nation’s top high school football players the role proper nutrition plays in reaching their goals.”
The winning team of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl will receive the Herman Boone Trophy named after the legendary Virginia high school football coach who was immortalized in the Disney feature film, Remember the Titans. Also, the game MVP will receive the Pete Dawkins MVP Trophy named after the 1958 Heisman Trophy winner
Current Official Selections For Army All-American All-Star Game
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