Tustin, Los Alamitos programs stand out in NFL draft

Only seven high schools in the nation produced two players taken in last month's NFL draft.

And of these seven, only Tustin and Los Alamitos also produced first-round selections -- USC tackle Sam Baker from Tustin, who was picked by the Atlanta Falcons, and California cornerback Antoine Cason from Los Alamitos, who was picked by the San Diego Chargers.

Nevada Las Vegas linebacker Beau Bell was the other Tustin alum selected, taken in the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns, and Boise State defensive back Orlando Scandrick, from Los Alamitos, was selected in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys.

"Sam was the hardest working guy, and he’s still the hardest working guy," Tustin Coach Myron Miller said of Adams. "It was a joy to coach him, a joy to watch him, and I think he’s going to be a great pro.

"That’s the first kid I had drafted in the first round. I don’t get excited very often, but I jumped out of my seat. It must have moved me. I was pretty excited."

On Bell, Miller said: "Beau is another guy who was highly motivated. The guys who make it are highly motivated kids. He was a very strong kid leaving us, cleaned about 340 pounds [in the weight room], and only weighed about 215, but he was a flat-out hitter."

John Barnes, longtime coach at Los Alamitos, said, "When they leave, it's always a surprise to me when they're drafted. That was a pretty good group of defensive backs, and Scandrick really didn't play that year. He was a fill-in guy who played more on offense than he did on defense. He was a really explosive offensive player, but the colleges wanted him at corner. It's hard to find corners, so if a kid can play, that's where they want him."

Said Barnes of Cason: "Antoine had an incredible career at Arizona, freshman of year, all-conference, all the way to the Thorpe Award. He had told us he was a probable first round pick, so it wasn't shocking.

"He was a kid, as a sophomore, you wouldn't have thought he would be in the NFL. His dad, Wendell, played a few years in the NFL with the Falcons, and I think that had a significant effect on him to prepare at that level."

On Scandrick, Barnes said, "Orlando came out a year early and improved tremendously in college, no doubt. I heard on ESPN that he's going nuts in their mini-camp. I think he has s tougher road that Antoine. I think he matured a lot after high school, physically and mentally. He was also one-minded. The one thing he talked about was "I want to be in the pros." That's part of making it, being focused."

The other schools that produced two players were Shreveport (La.) Evangel Academy, the alma mater of USC quarterback John David Booty, a fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings; Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville; Gilbert (Ariz.) Highland; Tyler (Texas) Robert E. Lee, and West Palm Beach (Fla.) Suncoast Community.

A total of 245 high schools in 42 states and the District of Columbia contributed to the 252 players selected in the seven rounds, USA Football announced Thursday.

California led all states with 34 players drafted, followed by Florida with 25 and Texas with 24. No other state had more than 13.

Southland players in NFL's 2008 draft

Player (Position), NFL team (Round), college, high school

Sam Baker (T), Atlanta (1), USC, Tustin

Beau Bell (LB), Cleveland (4), Nevada Las Vegas, Tustin

Colt Brennan (QB), Washington (6), Hawaii, Mater Dei

Antoine Cason (DB), San Diego (1), Arizona, Los Alamitos

Ryan Clady (T), Denver (1), Boise State, Rialto