Who is the best HS football player you have ever seen

[ALL4SMU]

I am curious as to who people have seen. I have seen a lot of them, but Cedric Cormier is one of the best hs players I have ever seen. I believe he played for NorthShore, and now is with Colorado. I saw him single handedly beat Lamar at Rice Stadium...

[dmerritt]

In 93 I had the privilege of playing against Odell James, when he was a Sophmore. He had about 200 yrds passing and 200 rushing for Aldine MaCarthur, even though they still lost. He went on to play at Baylor, but I don't think he played much.

Another would be my old teammate Chad Nelson. He played Quarterback for Rice a few years back.

Recently the best HS player I have seen is the running back for Midland Lee, Cedric Benson.

[graypony]

It would have to be Billy Sims at Hooks, Texas (OU Sooner & Detroit Lion) or Earl Campbell (UT Longhorn & Houston Oiler) from Tyler, Texas. Both won a Heisman and it would be tough to think of anyone else who played HS football in East Texas who was even close to them (or anywhere for that matter). In HS they looked like a college player against an 8th grade team.

Because they were my son's age and in our district, I have had the opportunity to watch Billy's two sons play at Hooks, but they were not in the same caliber as their father. Neither were recruited by anyone, but they were good little athletes to have on a 3A team. They were really better at BB.

I saw a film clip of Hershall Walker in HS when he was a college freshman sensation and it looked the same way. Of course, he was recruited and signed by a Georgia Bulldog RB coach named Mike Cavan.

[No Quarter]

I never saw H. Walker play in HS, but he was a 4A or 5A player in a Class A environment, bigger or faster (almost always both) than anyone else on the field. Jack Collins, HP & UT, last player cut from the Bears the year he went up, was probably the best I ever saw in HS. Andre Hastings, Morrow, GA, UGA and pros the best I've seen more recently.

[graypony]

I saw Hastings play as an underclassman in the Independence Bowl. You are right. Even then he had NFL written all over him.

[Grider]

I wish I could've seen Earl play, but I have seen some game films. The most impressive performance I saw by a high school athelete is without a doubt RB Rodney Thomas from Groveton, TX (A&M and Oilers). Talk about dominating, he was definately a man among boys. They would just run him up the middle, everyone would converge on him on defense, then he would shoot out like a rocket for a 60 or 70 yard run.

[graypony]

Rodney Thomas was awesome on the next level, too.

Really when I think about it, Billy Sims was the most impressive but we didn't know what he would have done in a higher classification. Now I know it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

In regard to Earl, he was better known as a linebacker and was signed at UT as a LB. Imagine if he never had gotten switched over to the other side of the ball. Remember, the great Johnny Freeman was a DB until 2 a days were almost over last August.

[Grider]

I think if Earl wouldn't have been switched to RB he would have been a hall of fame linebacker. He was born to play football.

[Juice]

I saw highlights of Cory Redding his senior year, he was unbelievable.

[No Quarter]

Re: Hastings...

Graypony, You might recall that Hastings was on some kind of a Sports Illustrated "ALL" team while still in HS. I suppose if he had another gear he might be off the scale.

[graypony]

i have forgotten who he plays for, but I do remember last time I saw him in a game thinking that he was under utilized.

In regard to HS athletes in Georgia, all the Bulldogs have to do is get the best out of Georgia every year and they would be SEC Champs. Of course, the Atlanta area (I think Marrow is a community just south of Atlanta) is recruited by everyone in the SEC, Big East, and ACC,

[No Quarter]

Opinion of others, especially graypony requested. Where would David Richards, HP and SMU, have fitted in this picture?

[graypony]

You got me on that on. I am sorry to show my ignorance. Tell me about him. When did he graduate HP? What was his position? What made him outstanding?

My attention had always been bent toward the old SWC's only out of state school and East Texas/Ark HS football until last year. I assure you that I bleed Red & Blue now and have repented of my past sins.

[PonyExpress]

David Richards was a dominant a player as I've ever seen on the High School level. If I'm not mistaken, he was the only lineman ever to be named Texas High School Player of the Year. To bad SMU's indescretions prevented him from finishing his whole college career here, where he belongs.

Dave was a great high school player, a great college player and had a long, successful pro career. And he's as nice a guy as you'll ever meet.

[No Quarter]

Graypony,

David Richards was a big OL, maybe 6-5 and ighland Park 4A playoff team that lost to Permian (?) in Texas Stadium. That was the only time I saw him play. He did have a big rep and was a prize recruit. Some one will correct me if I'm wrong but a few years later the SMU team started an informal, maybe already coachless, spring practice or at least conditioning. I happened to be in Dallas and drove by the campus. I could recognize Richards from a distance, big, and one of the leaders in the team running laps.

No Quarter