[Buckskin86]

Ford heads list of top picks

Sarasota's running back leads pack of 21 players who are sure to attract college scouts

BY ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT

There is little doubt that this year's junior class is comprised of a bumper crop of football players who will have college scouts drooling next season. However, before we push the clock ahead, it's time to give this year's senior class its due.

The Herald-Tribune's Preseason Super Seniors has enough talent to attract the attention of college scouts throughout the country. Though there may not be as many "sure-shot" Division I-A prospects as in previous years, some of the talent is of very high quality.

Leading the pack is Sarasota High running back Mike Ford, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, who is on every major college's radar screen. Behind what figures to be one of the area's best offensive lines, Ford should thrive as he shoots for the 3,000-yard plus career rushing mark.

Ford is one of five area players who appear certain to be signing high-level D-I scholarships next February. The other "Blue Chippers" are Venice nose guard Aaron Stahl, Lakewood Ranch offensive lineman Tyler Rice, Riverview running back C.J. Hamilton and Booker's Steve Fougerousse, a punishing fullback, who is worth the price of admission just to watch him barrel over defenders.

MIKE FORD, Sarasota

RB, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

The area's top-rated senior rushed for 1,000-plus yards as a sophomore at Riverview High and again last year with the Sailors. Ford has it all: size, speed, quickness, natural instincts and good field vision. He runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and is being courted by all the major programs in the country. Among area returnees, he leads in yards per carry, averaging 6.9 per attempt. He is a perfect fit for Sailors, who like to feature the tailback in their I formation and Ford is athletic enough to catch passes passes out of the backfield. Scored 84 points with 14 TDs last season.

http://www.newscoast.com/apps/pbcs.d...408270469/1006