RECRUITING : Overlooked, Underappreciated Talent Often Rises to the Top

In the winter of 1986, hardly anybody noticed when a 5-foot-8 running back from North High in Wichita, Kan., signed a letter of intent with Oklahoma State. His only other scholarship offers were from Tulsa and Iowa State. Three seasons later, Barry Sanders won the Heisman Trophy.

When Mike Sherrard of Chico, Calif., enrolled at UCLA in 1981, he asked football Coach Terry Donahue if he could try out for the team. When he left after the 1985 season, Sherrard had caught more passes--128--than any receiver in Bruin history.

College football’s best defensive lineman in 1991, Steve Emtman, was not highly regarded when he enrolled at Washington in 1988. But he was the first pick in the NFL draft last spring.

How could three players that good manage to be overlooked by most college recruiters? Welcome to the subjective world of football recruiting, where mistakes in evaluation are inevitable, especially in a sport where many players don’t mature physically until their college years.

There are other factors working against college coaches as they attempt to pinpoint top prospects. NCAA rules prevent coaches from watching high school or community college games in person until Nov. 1, leaving little margin for error when staffs decide who should be offered the 20-plus scholarships that most schools have available each year.

In addition, the NCAA is reducing the number of football scholarships for member schools from 92 this year to 88 in 1993 and 85 in 1994. That could force coaches to be less inclined to take a chance on a “sleeper” prospect.

There is also a logistical problem that college recruiters face in trying to canvass an area the size of Southern California, not to mention the entire country.

Enter Dick Lascola, whose Fallbrook, Calif.-based Scouting Evaluation Assn., provides written reports and videotape on top high school and community college prospects in California to colleges throughout the country. Lascola’s evaluations help supplement the scouting efforts of colleges.

Every season, players emerge as solid college prospects despite not being highly publicized in the preseason.

“You’ll find one or two kids you’ve never heard of, or a couple that have done better than you thought they would,” Lascola said. “Of course, it works the other way, too. You’ll see some kid who you think was vastly overrated, or who was better as a junior.”

In the case of Sanders, he didn’t even become a starter at tailback until only five games were left in his senior year at North. In his first game, he rushed for 274 yards and scored four touchdowns.

This season, according to Lascola, there are at least six Southern California players who have enhanced their reputations as college prospects:

* Demetrius White, a 5-9, 165-pound quarterback/defensive back from Moreno Valley Canyon Springs. He has 57 carries for 359 yards (6.3 yards a carry), has scored three touchdowns and has 28 completions in 60 attempts (46%) for 419 yards and four touchdowns. He has had four passes intercepted. “He’s really fast and has a lot of athletic skills,” Lascola said. “A good option quarterback who plays cover on defense. I didn’t know this kid was that good.”

* Jahi Arnold, a 5-7, 175-pound running back/defensive back/kick returner from Downey. He has 60 carries for 441 yards (7.3 avg.) and nine touchdowns. “This kid lights up the place. He’s fast, durable and very strong for his size. He does so many things well. Some people are really going to have to take a hard look at him.”

* Sean O’Brien, a 6-3, 205-pound quarterback from Santa Margarita in Rancho Santa Margarita. He is the second-leading passer in Orange County with 92 completions in 140 attempts (65.7%) for 1,331 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has had two passes intercepted. O’Brien can also play free safety and outside linebacker. “He’s a very, very polished football player. Looks like he’s been playing the position for years. I’m very impressed with how much progress he’s made. In this so-called ‘year of the quarterback,’ he’s proving that he belongs right up there with the best of them.”

* Cordell Horner, a 5-11, 180-pound wide receiver from Lakewood. He has 24 receptions for 346 yards (14.4 yards a catch) and three touchdowns. “This kid has come out of nowhere. He has speed, durability and agility. He definitely passes the ‘look’ test. Coaches that have seen film on him have been very impressed.”

* Dion Laffitte, a 6-2, 235-pound fullback/linebacker from Manual Arts. He has 38 carries, 307 yards (8.0 avg.) and has scored four touchdowns. “An aggressive kid who runs well and makes a lot of hits at linebacker. I’m very impressed with his athletic talents. Coaches knew about him, but he’s taken the next step up.”

* Scott Seal, a 6-1, 195-pound running back from Irvine. He is the third-leading rusher in Orange County with 170 carries for 1,054 yards (6.2 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. “A tough kid, quick, aggressive, runs hard; a powerhouse. Breaks tackles. He’ll be a fullback in college. Kinda reminds me of Danny Thompson (former Huntington Beach High and UCLA running back). I was really taken in watching him play. I’m a fan of his.”

Notes

With the Nov. 11-17 early signing period approaching, it is decision time for many of the country’s top high school basketball players. North Carolina scored a major coup when it received an unwritten commitment from 6-foot-6 forward Jerry Stackhouse of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. Stackhouse, rated the No. 3 player in the United States by talent scout Bob Gibbons of Lenoir, N.C., chose the Tar Heels over North Carolina State, Virginia and Florida State. More good news should be forthcoming soon for Tar Heel Coach Dean Smith when 6-3 point guard Jeff McInniss, Stackhouse’s close friend and Oak Hill teammate, makes his decision. It’s expected to be North Carolina. He will visit the Chapel Hill campus this weekend.

Pepperdine has received an unwritten commitment from 7-1, 220-pound center Jamar Holcomb of Northbrook, Ill. Holcomb, who picked the Waves over James Madison, among other schools, will need to develop to become an impact player. Interestingly, he never took an official trip to the campus. He did visit the campus last summer during a break from a camp at UC Irvine. . . . Kenya Wilkins, Dorsey’s 5-9 point guard, has decided to attend Oregon.

Two players made official visits to USC last weekend: 6-7 forward Corey Saffold of Inglewood Morningside and 6-4 guard Jim Carroll of Placer High in Auburn, Calif. In addition, 6-2 guard Ed Gray of Riverside North made an unofficial visit. Gray, an outstanding football player, also attended the UCLA-Arizona State football game Saturday night. . . . Avondre Jones of Lakewood Artesia visited Michigan last weekend. The 6-11 center has narrowed his choices to USC, UCLA, Michigan and Arizona, where he plans to visit Nov. 7. Indications are that he’ll eventually sign with the Trojans.

Also visiting Michigan last weekend was highly touted 7-1 center Rashard Griffith of Chicago. He is expected to choose Purdue, where he visits this weekend, over Michigan and Wisconsin. . . . Another outstanding big man, 6-11 Rasheed Wallace of Philadelphia, will probably decide between hometown schools Villanova and Temple. . . . Two top-rated 6-5 guards from Ohio have made unwritten commitments: super-shooter Damon Flint of Cincinnati to Ohio State and Hamilton’s Chris Kingsbury to Iowa. Flint chose the Buckeyes over Cincinnati, Arkansas and Louisville; Kingsbury picked the Hawkeyes over North Carolina State and Virginia.