Area QBs star at Elite 11 regional, Massillon trio draws interest
April is a time where temperatures, allegedly, steadily climb and the number of days in the school year steadily decline.
It’s also a time of the year where a lot of activity starts to take off for those football players being recruited by FBS and FCS Division I college programs. Thursday ends what the NCAA deems to be a “quiet period” in recruiting that started on March 1, where prospective recruits can visit campus and talk to coaches, most of whom are in the midst of spring practice with their own college teams.
“I would say it started a couple of weeks earlier,” Hoban junior quarterback Jayvian Crable said recently. “You have like lifting and stuff that you have to go to to get your body stronger and stuff like that. Then you kind of go to the coaches and critique your game. Then it begins. Camps turn into 7-on-7s, and 7-on-7s turn into scrimmages and scrimmages turn into regular-season games.
Friday, meanwhile, is where it really takes off. That starts the “evaluation period” which runs through the end of May, where college coaches will hit the road to crisscross the country talking to high school players and coaches.
To that end, we’re here to keep you updated on what’s going on with those Greater Akron/Canton high school football players on the recruiting trail. This will be a regular column that will provide updates on offers, visits, commitments and camps.
Area QBs gets exposure at Elite 11 regional in Massillon
For a number of area quarterbacks, Saturday was a chance to give their college prospects a bump by participating in the Elite 11 Ohio Regional at Massillon’s Paul L. David Athletic Training Center.
The event, which drew quarterbacks from not just Ohio, but as far away as Florida and California, has become one of the most prestigious events on the recruiting calendar for quarterbacks. Alumni from the event include 26 NFL starting quarterbacks and 14 of the last 15 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.
Participating in the regional from the area were Crable, Mogadore’s William Butler, Akron East’s Justin Cox, West Branch’s Dru DeShields, Tallmadge’s Ty Hurst, Salem’s Jackson Johnson, Walsh Jesuit’s Ryan Kerscher, Northwestern’s Ethan Siders, Massillon’s Jalen Slaughter and Alliance’s Brendan Zurbrugg.
“First off, I met a lot of people, a lot of different people,” Slaughter said. “I learned a lot of different techniques and different drops. I had to work on a five-step drop that I’m not used to and it’s under center, so that’s new to me.”
Dru DeShields, Brendan Zurbrugg impressive at Elite 11
DeShields and Zurbrugg each made the most of their time at the Elite 11 Ohio Regional. They each were two of the top performers in the Golden Gun Accuracy Challenge.
DeShields, who will be a senior next season, scored 20 points in the nine-throw pro day station, tying Northwestern commit Aidan Gray out of Illinois and JJ Kohl, a 6-foot-6 big-time prospect out of Iowa — who is firmly on the radar of Perry grad Matt Campbell, the head coach at Iowa State.
DeShields’ West Branch teammates Christian Martig and Michael Kanagy came in as his receivers Saturday.
“I felt like the competition was good, and it helped me to learn from other people, and maybe people learned from me today,” Deshields said. “So I feel like all around it helped everyone.”
Zurbrugg scored 17 points, which tied with Colin Hurley out of Jacksonville, Fla. Zurbrugg felt that he benefited from perfecting his craft and making better decisions with the ball.
“It’s a really good experience, especially being around coaches as good as these guys are,” Zurbrugg said.
Zurbrugg, listed at 6-3, 180 pounds, has received MAC offers and interest figures to grow. Looking ahead to his junior season in the fall, he expects to continue to take steps forward and wants to make sure nothing gets in the way of that, which is a goal during the offseason.
“Just stay away from the distractions and keep working hard all the time and staying focused,” Zurbrugg said.
Family influences Brendan Zurbrugg, Dru DeShields
Zurbrugg and DeShields have their reasons for why they want to play quarterback. What they share in common is the influence of their relatives.
Zurbrugg mentioned his father played a part in why he wanted to play the position. His father, Chris, was a former Michigan quarterback (1984-86) after being an All-Ohio quarterback at Alliance. Zurbrugg learned a lot from his dad, who still advises him as a coach.
“He’s been my coach since I was little,” Zurbrugg said. “He has taught me everything. He taught me how to keep a level head, and he also taught me everything I need to know in how to throw.”
DeShields, whose parents are both coaches at West Branch, looks up to his older brother T.J., a former standout West Branch QB. T.J. DeShields initially played at the University of Akron before transferring to Sul Ross State, a Division III school in Alpine, Texas.
“I was in seventh grade, and he was the quarterback for the high school team,” DeShields said. “I’ve always remembered growing up watching him, trying to be like him.”
McKinley’s Harold Fannin, Massillon’s Ardell Banks commit
Two standouts in two different classes on two different sides of the biggest high school rivalry in the state made college announcements in the last week. It will, eventually, put them on opposite sides of one of the best rivalries in the Mid-American Conference.
Last Friday, McKinley senior Harold Fannin Jr. committed to play at Bowling Green State University. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Fannin is viewed by Falcon coach and Barberton native Scot Loeffler as a pass-catching tight end when he gets on campus this fall.
On Sunday evening, Massillon junior Ardell Banks announced a verbal commitment to play at the University of Toledo. Banks, who can’t sign with the Rockets until Dec. 21 at the earliest, emerged as a Division I college prospect after becoming the Tigers’ top receiver this past fall.
Tallmadge’s Collin Dixon gets Big Ten, SEC attention
Tallmadge junior Collin Dixon has become one of the fast-risers in the area. The 6-2, 205-pound receiver picked up his first FBS offer from Central Michigan back on Sept. 26.
Now, as mid-April arrives, it’s much more than just MAC schools in the hunt for Dixon. The most recent interest includes his first SEC attention in the form of Kentucky, as well as interest from Big Ten West power Wisconsin.
Illinois, Indiana and Purdue are among his Big Ten offers. ACC schools Duke and Pittsburgh have also offered, as well as Group of 5 schools Akron, Kent State, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Marshall and Miami (Ohio).
He recently was on an unofficial visit to Illinois where he had a fantastic visit.
Interest rises for Massillon football trio
With Banks having committed to Toledo, the focus turns to three other Massillon Tigers in the Class of 2023: running back Willtrell Hartson, defensive lineman Marcus Moore Jr. and defensive back Jaden Welch. All have been busy over the last month or so.
Hartson picked up FBS offers from Buffalo and, most recently, Georgia Southern in the last month, joining ones he’d already received from Boston College, Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Temple and Toledo. He also received an FCS offer from Illinois State in February.
Among the colleges the standout tailback has made unofficial visits to include Tennessee, Cincinnati and Marshall.
Hartson’s teammate, Moore, has received an FCS offer from Youngstown State. Beyond that, he’s made multiple visits during the spring across the MAC, including Akron and Ball State.
Welch, a receiver/defensive back, hasn’t been offered by any schools yet. However, he has visited FCS schools such as Duquesne and Youngstown State.
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