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'04 FL DE Willie Young (N.C. State signee, via Hargrave)

slickman

keeping tan
Tonight I'm going to the Florida HS Outback something or other over at Royal Palm HS on Okeechobee Rd just to get a look at some good FL players. I'm pretty sure that we're high on Willie Young's list so he and Albert Dukes are a couple of guys I'm going to check out.

Here are a couple of links on Willie Young... he was this area's Defensive Player of the year: Willie Young: Defensive Player of the Year

Young Uses Silent Motivation


There are a bunch of guys who I've seen who are trying to get noticed. Atlantic HS (Delray Beach) has an all-purpose QB who I saw a few times, McKinson Souverain, that was like lightning when he found a seem and an accurate deep passer (receivers just couldn't catch) who would look real nice in Golden Flashes gear (I graduated from KSU)... here's a link on that...All about Exposure

Anyway, I'll post what I thought about whoever if there is anything postworthy. I had no idea about this game until 2 days ago I was driving past Santaluces HS and there were a bunch of guys in pads out there practicing and I thought... this is a little early for FL springball and then I noticed an array of helmets so I sort of figured it out.
 
Okay.... I'm back.... and these are my preliminary thoughts...

1. Willie Young is huge... compared to the other Palm Beach County All-Stars... just a beast.... skinny... tall... extremely, extremely fast for his size... keep in mind he was playing against other extremely, extremely fast players.
1a. The opposing team was smart and ran AWAY from his side all night long.
1b. He did miss some wide open sacks and tackles... but he was playing against all running QBs who are really scat-back/DBs in diguise.

2. Albert Dukes is a completely sick wide-out... the likes of which I've never seen in person. I know this sounds a bit much but let's take into account a couple of factors (take this all with a grain or two- he was only going up against Palm Beach All-Stars this evening)...
2a. I don't think I've really, honestly seen great wideouts on the HS level- in person (although a couple years ago a guy named SANTONIO was the MVP of this game).
2b. Okay... first things first... I was late getting into the game as it was more than sold out.. so I missed the opening series... and Dukes was on offense while Young was on Defense... so I missed the first series while Dukes' team scored on their opening possession and I know that Dukes did not score the first TD... but...
2c. As we got into a spot to watch the game... I looked at the program and I said to my buddy... okay... number 71 for the blue team is Willie Young and look at him and number 81 is the guy for the white team that we have to look out for and no more than 10 seconds elapsed before a bomb went up along our side of the field and Dukes went up in traffic and with extremely soft hands came down with the ball (I have it on crappy film) about 45 yds down field.
2d. Next play... on the other side of the field they threw a bubble screen from about the 30... to the left... and Dukes grabbed it... shook a couple of tackles and breezed in... all I was thinking was... SANTONIO... you have a twin??? from your same school???

TIMEOUT... at this point... I'm thinking... I like this Albert guy and I just walked through the gates....

That's all I can provide for now... because I have to go over the game tomorrow because it's being broadcast locally and I had to leave in the middle of the 3rd qtr because I knew it would be broadcasted and I saw Albert and he looked very fluid and tall and Willie just looked like an animal on the other side of the ball-- skinny--- but fast-fast-fast.... my buddy was getting torn up by mosquitos and it was apparent that they(the white shirted lads) were really trying to feature everybody and it was getting really boring. They threw a couple more times at Albert but it became obvious that the QBs just didn't have the accuracy to hit him on the hooks and slides and it became an INT fest. Let's suffice it to say... right now in my very, very HO that Albert looks like a stud who could be worthy of a star or two extra had he a QB who knew how to deliver... his QB (from Glades) was in the game and was a very nice TB in drag... very nice... I'll get more on this later.

To say the least... this game was a very refreshing time for me and it definitely helped me think about things other than FD! Dukes was sweet and tomorrow I'll have the whole game on tape. Seeing them in person gave me a better idea and Dukes looks pretty big. Tall and with some huge calves (of course the standard Florida Dreads)... Young looks like he can be an outstanding speed rusher if he adds some serious weight... but Dukes impressed me BIG TIME.

I'll get more later... Bear in mind that I'm a former QB and offense is my thing. This is just a little disclosure. Kind of like "past perfomance is not an indication of future results".
 
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Now that two NCST coaches have left the program (Doc Holliday to Florida and Reggie Herring to Arkansas), Young has opened up he recruitment.

After his senior year, Young received offers from Florida, Ohio State, Georgia, and NC State. Willie says those schools should feel free to contact him.

He says he is open.

He is now 6-6, 215 lbs and runs a 4.6 40.

My money is on Doc Holliday bringing him to Florida.
 
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I'm confused...if Young is an '04 recruit, what was he doing this past football season (when he should have been a college freshman)? How can he "open back up" his recruitment when he should have already been in college?
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
I'm confused...if Young is an '04 recruit, what was he doing this past football season (when he should have been a college freshman)? How can he "open back up" his recruitment when he should have already been in college?
he was at Hargrave Military Academy because of grades. He has no binding agreement to play anywhere since he didn't qualify last year so he can sign with whatever team he wants now. I agree with Buckskin86, he probably follows Doc Holiday to Florida.
 
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Mudvayne said:
he was at Hargrave Military Academy because of grades. He has no binding agreement to play anywhere since he didn't qualify last year so he can sign with whatever team he wants now. I agree with Buckskin86, he probably follows Doc Holiday to Florida.

I didn't see anything in the thread about it, but I guess my idiot self should've been able to tell by the "Hargrave" in the thread title.

BN and 86, should we change the '04 to '05 in the thread title since he's now part of the 2005 recruiting class?
 
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strange that he's just 215 right now.. what was his playing weight last year.?

he's got just about the same physical numbers as LW with Lawrence bein a little heavier but I'd rather take Wilson right now.
 
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sorry Mili- I guess I wasn't very clear about him being at Hargarve (thanks Mudvayne)

I think he should stay in the '04 class- just like Larry Fitzgerald, his clock starts when he graduated from HS, which was in '04 (theoretically he could leave college after two years). We have other prep school kid profiles on the board (curtis brinkley, louis holmes etc.) and their title also has the class they graduated HS.
 
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/highschools/content/sports/epaper/2004/12/23/a10b_dorsecol_1223.html

University of Florida recruiters lately have not been knocking down construction barriers on I-95 in an effort to sign this area's best football talent. The Gators have signed only one marquee player — redshirt sophomore Ray McDonald Jr. of Glades Central — directly out of high school in the past four years.

That trend might reverse, at least to some extent, with the arrival of assistant coach John "Doc" Holliday, who last week was hired by new UF coach Urban Meyer. Holliday has been a familiar face at area schools in the past several years. He recruited and signed several area players when he was an assistant at West Virginia and most recently at N.C. State, including Da'Juan Morgan of Suncoast and Willie Young of Palm Beach Gardens last year.

Don't be surprised if Young is one of the first players Holliday tries to sign with the Gators in February. Young, The Palm Beach Post big schools Defensive Player of the Year last season, chose N.C. State over UF in February but did not qualify for entrance and spent this past season at Hargrave Military Academy prep school in Virginia. Young, who had 61 tackles and nine sacks for Hargrave this season, now has qualified and can recommit to N.C. State or reopen the recruiting battle.

Palm Beach Gardens coach Tim Tharp said he recently spoke with Young, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defensive end, who told his high school coach that he plans to visit N.C. State again next month. However, Young recently told Floridakids.us that he also might consider signing with UF, Tennessee, Oklahoma or Alabama.

One advantage Young has over this year's area seniors is that he's already experienced the craziness that accompanies the football recruiting season.

Coach Larry Coffey of Glades Central, which annually used to send at least one player to Gainesville, said Holliday called him Monday "to let me know he's there."
 
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Moose said:
I'm sorry, whats up with the "04" part? He'd be in college if it was 04. Right? Or am I missing something. Thanks for clarification ahead of time on this one.

Moose- he graduated from HS is Spring '04- that is why he is listed as '04. But he is not in college yet because he had to take a year of prep school (just like Larry Fitzgerald or Eddie George).
 
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