Lancaster (Pa.) Manheim Township linebacker/fullback Nick Sizemore 6-foot-2 and 230-pounds has shown that he has the ability to play college football at a high level. He routinely attended camps and combines throughout the Spring and Summer and was always one of the top football players.
He may not run a (4.5) or jump 40-inches, but he can play football. Sizemore has instincts and he is a tough kid. He has the measureables that you can measure by testing, but you can clearly see it in his film. Buffalo head coach Turner Gill must have felt the same way when he offered the senior standout a scholarship earlier in the year.
On Sunday evening, Sizemore returned the favor to the one program that decided to take a chance on him. According to his father Duane Sizemore he repaid the loyalty that Coach Gill showed him.
“We just wanted to let you know that Nick Committed to Buffalo,” Duane Sizemore said via text message.
Coalinga (Cal.) West Hills Community College cornerback Daryl Robinson has excelled at his new home. The Temple transfer has tallied close to 50 tackles, seven interceptions and two sacks and recently picked up a Big Ten offer.
“Minnesota offered me last week,” Robinson said. “Oklahoma, West Virginia, Akron, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Miami and San Jose State have all been showing a lot of interest as well.
While he has acclimated well to the football in California, the weather has been the hardest part of the transition for Robinson to deal with.
“Back in Philadelphia it’s probably 40 degrees right now,” Robinson said. “Out here it is just hot all the time. I’m having fun though. I’m becoming a better player and I have done a lot of growing up out here.”
Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic junior wide receiver Shakim Phillips recently picked up his third scholarship offer according to the DePaul coaching staff.
“Shakim Phillips just received his third official scholarship offer from Duke,” Coach Murray said. “Syracuse and Connecticut officially offered him on September 1.”
Phillips is also being recruited by Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Boston College, North Carolina and Maryland among others.
New London (Conn.) tight end Anthony Schiavone had been committed to Temple since June. Then the Big Ten came calling in the form of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Schiavone took an official visit last week and it did not take long to change his mind.
“When I went out there last week I liked it a lot.” Schiavone informed HawkeyeNation.com “The coaches were real nice, and the city and the state just felt like a right fit. I also felt that I fit in well with the players that Iowa has.”
Schiavone, 6-foot-6 and 225-pounds is ranked as the No. 88 tight end prospect in the nation according to Scout.com
Michigan and Michigan State squared off in a big rivalry game in Ann Arbor on Saturday and of course, many top recruits from the Midwest were on hand to witness it. There were a bevy of top juniors including instate products Devin Gardner (Inkster), Austin White (Livonia Stevenson), Dionte Savage (Flint Southwestern) and Michigan commitment Jeremy Jackson (Ann Arbor Huron). Ohio was also well represented as Akron St. Vincent St. Mary's had sophomore standout CB Doran Grant in town.
Over at Purdue, the Boilermakers hosted one of the top remaining uncommitted prospects in Illinois as Homewood-Flossmoor defensive end Michael Buchanan took his official visit to West Lafayette. The 6-foot-6, 220-lb Buchanan has upcoming officials also scheduled to Vanderbilt (11/7) and Illinois (11/14). All three are still in the running for his services along with California and Nebraska.
Central Michigan scored yet another commitment this week as Barrington (Ill.) linebacker Alex Smith verbally committed to the Chippewas. Smith says he will play Weakside Linebacker at CMU and that there are schools contiuning to recruit him actively, but he is firmly committed to the Chips.
Illinois fans have reason to breathe easy. Chicago (Ill.) Leo offensive lineman Leon Hill, a longtime commitment to the Illini, says he is ready to shut recruiting down and not take any visits. His teammate and fellow Illinois commitment Lendell Buckner says he will likely take his official visits, with Michigan State, Arizona and Wisconsin as current possible destinations.
Scout.com traveled to Delaware to watch four-star wide receiver Justin Brown in action against Thomas McKean High School, a gritty team with a fast-paced, attacking defense. Brown looked like a man amongst boys both physically and athletically on the field and is all of his claimed 6-foot-3.5, 215-pound frame. He had 4 catches for 72 yards and a score on the night and also added nine tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Right now Brown is the No. 19 rated wide receiver in the nation.
Stanford picked up their first commitment for 2010 last week when Wheaton (Md.) Our Lady of Good Counsel cornerback Louis Young chose to give the Cardinal his verbal commitment. Young should be one of the top defensive back prospects in the state next year.
West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial High School offensive tackle Brennan Williams has now narrowed his list to five schools in Virginia, Boston College, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke. He plans to announce his decision at the Army All-American game in January.
Rutgers lost another commitment last week when tight end/defensive end Malcolm Bush chose to take another look around. The Hackensack (N.J.) native gave no reason for his decommitment, however the option of him going back to Rutgers will likely not be there.
One of the better prospects in Virginia for the class of 2010 is Aramide Olaniyan. Olaniyan from Woodberry Forest just picked up another offer this weekend from Boston College. He already had an offer from Stanford and says he is expecting more written offers to hit the door any day now.
Ed Hazelett, the super-sized (6-foot-8, 265-pounds) tight end out of Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central told InsideTheVille.com publisher Mike Hughes he’s a soft verbal to Western Kentucky and looking to play on a bigger stage. Louisville and Michigan have now joined the race with Western Kentucky to earn Hazelett’s signature in early February.
Cincinnati (Ohio) Elder offensive lineman John Anevski told Scout.com that he’s still considering Louisville and Miami (Ohio) as the teams he’ll continue his football career with. Anevski has put together a solid senior season as Elder won the Greater Catholic League title and earned a home game in the first round of the Division One (Big School) playoffs against Centerville High School.
Harrison (Ohio) wide receiver Josh Dugan has been flying low on the recruiting radar but is starting to hear from a couple of programs. According to Dugan he’s been invited to Notre Dame for a visit this weekend and is also hearing from Purdue and Cincinnati. Dugan pulled down 39 passes for 842-yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
Columbus (Ohio) DeSales defensive end Davon Custis continues to make the rounds and is getting closer to figuring out who will earn his verbal commitment. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Custis has enjoyed a great senior season helping DeSales to a perfect 10-0 record and is the favorite to win Division Two in the state playoffs that get underway next weekend. With visits to Boston College and Wisconsin already completed, Custis will head to Notre Dame in early December followed by trips to Northwestern and Stanford before making his decision.
Super sophomore Braxton Miller is recovering well according to Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne head coach Jay Minton. “Braxton will get his next check-up the middle of this week. It looks as if he’ll get the boot removed and could get his release to start playing after that.” According the Minton, the injury to Miller’s leg looks to be healing well and while he doesn’t expect his star quarterback to be back for the teams first round playoff game this weekend, he could be ready if the Warriors advance to the second round of the Division One Region Four playoffs.
Since quarterback Braxton Miller went down in week six Erique Geiger has been called upon to carry the offensive load. How has the running back done? Geiger has rushed for 501 yards and 6 touchdowns helping Huber Heights Wayne (Ohio) reach the playoffs with their star quarterback out. Geiger holds an offer from Bowling Green but is looking for more in the coming weeks.
Clay County (Ky.) quarterback Zach Lewis continues his attack on the Kentucky High School record books as he added 231 yards passing and 3 touchdowns over Edmonson Country giving him 12,726 yards and 108 touchdowns for his career.
One of the top juniors to watch in Kentucky enjoyed a big night as Miles Simpson (Simon Kenton High School) rushed for 237 yards and 5 touchdowns in a victory over Russell.
Allen Trieu, Dave Berk and Matt Alkire all contributed to this report.