BY ROBERT CASSIDY
Cassidy’s Local Pick of the Day
High School Football has no longer become a single-season feature for local hometown rivals to battle one-another in front of the friends, families and in some cases, scouts from collegiate level schools – based upon the capabilities a recruit may have. In this day and age, if you have size and even somewhat potential & at the very least, coachable there is a good chance a school can and will take a shot on you. Once more, due to the year-round training and high demand for developmental techniques, High School Football has taken (on a national scale) the absolute replica of what used to be known as, “bitty-basketball”, or “AAU Basketball”. With the article you are about to read, I assure you, you’ll know why.
Alabama bound Offensive Tackle Evan Neal, who by the way, is a 5-star recruit, 1st team All-American and grew up right here in our own backyard of Okeechobee, FL. Weighing in at 370lbs. and standing at nearly 6-feet-8 inches! If one has ever come across a certain Netflix Original by the name of ‘Last Chance-U’ , one may also have heard of the Dynamic Powerhouse of High School Football, IMG Academy. This young man has gotten the chance to hand-pick between our Nations most Exclusive Universities such as Georgia, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma – yet announced on ESPNU his commitment to Coach Saban and the Crimson Tide – breaking the hearts of so many! Although, I mean honestly, could you blame him? The answer to that is a given due to not just the heritage of the Tide’s ol’days when Coach Bear Bryant built what would soon become one of, if not the dynamo in college football’s history. With a young guy like Neal, being under the wing of Nick Saban and his elusive staff is without a doubt going to develop this ‘man-child’ into a top NFL Prospect.
As Neal joins a stout offensive line class which includes several 4-star recruits such as both Offensive Tackles Pierce Quick and Amari Knight, alongside with another set of 4-start interior lineman Darrian Dalcourt and Tanner Bowles, I hope my audience is prepared for a daily overview of what I would like to label: Cassidy’s Local Pick of the Day. Covering local highly recruited stars as they develop through the critical Junior year season, into the classroom and then of course Good Ol’ Senior Year! This is merely one topic amongst many which I hope you all shall enjoy, until then…ROLL’ TIDE!
