Any coach worth his salt will tell you that you won't go far in this game without a solid defense, and many coaches will try to build around good LBs. The Knights of Centennial High are building theirs around a defensive end and many college recruiters are taking notice.
So just who is this relatively unknown playmaker from Roswell and what's all the fuss about?
Write this name down and remember it: Euclid Cummings. It's a name that many offenses will have on their scouting reports--not to mention their minds--leading up to and during the '08 season.
So what does Mr. Cummings himself think about all of the attention?
"So far I'm soaking it in...I'm liking the attention."
Spring is typically a high-traffic time for recruiters and one of the best ways to tell if you have a big-time recruit is to watch the fence-line at practice and Centennial's was just as busy as any other team's.
"Indiana, LA Tech, South Carolina, Duke, East Carolina and UCF all visited."
A self-proclaimed high-motor guy, Cummings plays to the whistle and has a simple, yet very effective philosophy.
"No matter what happens on the play I will keep running. I will never take a play off."
Cummings has a good understanding of what it takes to get (and stay) on the field when it comes to defensive football, but he admits that there are things he needs to improve upon.
"My pass rushing needs work. I need to establish a go-to move in the pass rush and I really need to work on my overall technique," he said, "But I would say that I am still pretty good versus the run.
Many times very good high school players are ambushed when they get to the next level because they have been able to get away with poor technique and merely rely on athletic ability alone, but Cummings possesses a level of self-awareness rarely seen in players his age.
"I can usually run around an average OL but I need to work on having good technique against better players."
As mature as that might seem, he still faces the typical challenges of a high-school prospect.
"I have no idea what I want in a college...I'm still trying to figure things out. Things are still wide open."
About the only thing Cummings does know is that he is being recruited as a DE only.
So, just who is taking this defensive stalwart the most seriously?
"I have been offered by Maryland, UCF, Indiana and MTSU so far."
A good start no doubt, but Cummings knows that things have only just begun and is ready for a busy summer.
"I am going to MTSU for a one-day camp next week and I will attend South Carolina's and Auburn's after that."
He (like most players) has goals for his team, which include making the state playoffs, but Cummings has a couple of personal goals as well.
"I want to gain weight and get quicker because I know that's what I will need to compete at the next level."
And compete at the next level, he will.
Burke Hayes is the Southeastern Regional Manager for Football Recruiting at Scout.