Slow Recruiting of Fast Player

College football coaches are obsessed with speed, which is why they scour the high school ranks searching for players with 40-yard times of 4.5 seconds or faster.

Recruiters, however, remain strangely undecided about the college potential of Marty Tadman, a senior receiver-defensive back at Mission Viejo who runs a 4.5-second 40 and might be the best all-around player in the Southern Section.

Arizona, Colorado State and Washington State are the only schools that have made firm scholarship offers to Tadman, who Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson calls “the best there is.”

Before panic sets in, one recruiter pointed out, “It’s early in recruiting, so a lot of things could happen.”

Tadman seemed to answer many questions about his speed two weeks ago in Mission Viejo’s 28-27 victory over Long Beach Poly, the team with track sprinters galore.

All Tadman did was throw two passes for touchdowns, catch four passes and make his share of tackles as a free safety.

“He’s got plenty of speed to play at a top Division I level,” Johnson said. “He’ll have plenty of offers.”

But recruiters are taking their time. It is a situation reminiscent of that involving former Thousand Oaks receiver Dave Anderson, who is averaging 19.7 yards per catch as a sophomore at Colorado State this season.

Anderson thought he was fast enough in high school to attract lots of recruiters, but Colorado State was the lone school to remain serious throughout.

“I could not get people interested in him,” Thousand Oaks Coach Mike Sanders said. “He was too short, he was too this, he was too that. They didn’t believe how fast he was. Recruiting is such a weird enigma.”

Tadman is 6 feet and 185 pounds. He’s so versatile that he was a part-time quarterback last season and can play cornerback or safety on defense.

“He does a ton of stuff for us,” Johnson said. “We wouldn’t be where we are right now without Marty Tadman.”

Tadman didn’t play football as a sophomore, deciding to take time off. He played basketball, tennis and ran track. He returned last season to become the Division II co-player of the year on offense.

“I love football,” Tadman said. “It’s No. 1 in my life. I look forward every day going to practice, lifting and running.”

The Poly game was a rare opportunity to prove himself against the kind of speed he will face in college.

“It was important,” Tadman said. “We’ve played great football teams but never played a team with great receivers and defensive backs. Coaches will see there’s no difference between me and the fastest guys in the state.”

Besides speed, instincts are critical to success in football, and Tadman is one of the best in playing the anticipation game.

“Instinct is everything,” he said. “You have to be smart on the field and know what’s going to be happening before it happens.”

Tadman is the most valuable player on a Mission Viejo team that has a 34-game win streak -- an Orange County record. He intends to remain patient and wait for college recruiters to take notice.

“I know I’ll go somewhere, Pac-10, Mountain West, Big 12,” he said. “Colleges will decide if they want me. All I have to do is play.”

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A rising college prospect is 6-4, 245-pound linebacker Greg Newman of Westlake Village Westlake. He has become the top defensive player in the Marmonte League.

He visited Colorado last weekend but is waiting for an offer from USC or UCLA and would likely commit if either one comes forward, Coach Jim Benkert said.

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Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame soccer standout Greg Folk is making an official recruiting visit to UCLA this weekend. Folk moved to Bradenton, Fla., in August to train with the under-17 national soccer team that includes Freddy Adu.

After visiting UCLA, Folk will leave for a two-week trip to France with the under-17 team. Folk is supposed to be a junior in high school, but he’s graduating a year early so he can start college next fall.

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Derrick Taylor, the boys’ basketball coach at Woodland Hills Taft, has added Yutaka Shimizu as an assistant coach. Shimizu has coached for 45 years, including 28 years as head coach at Hamilton and Granada Hills Kennedy.

“It’s like the ‘Karate Kid,’ ” Taylor said. “I’m the kid and he’s the master.”

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High school baseball players have started playing for scout teams this winter, and one of the most impressive players is junior shortstop David Fonseca of Thousand Oaks. He started at third base on last year’s Division II championship team.

“He can do it all,” said one scout.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com