Every year, football agents, scouts, GMs, etc. start following the local papers very closely to see which college seniors will be invited to play in various post-season college football all-star games. Those games include the Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Game, and my favorite title, Texas vs. The Nation Game. It seems like proper sponsors would include Enron and Halliburton. Anyway, I digress. Those all-star games are important spotlights for seniors looking to raise their draft grades prior to the NFL Combine (if invited) and the NFL Draft. Pro days at various institutions are also excellent opportunities for draft eligible players to show their attributes. But let’s be honest. We are following these athletes well before their final year of collegiate eligibility has elapsed. We start focusing on these guys when they are high school seniors, and special attention is paid to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
I remember just a few years ago sitting on my couch and watching a beastly linebacker named Brandon Spikes wreck havok on the opposing squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Now I cheer him on every Saturday as he leads a young Florida Gators defense to potentially a National Championship. Will you be watching the next great collegiate players as they line up for battle in the trenches? The U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be held on January 3, 2009. All players taking part in the event will be trained by BJ Maack, ATC, CSCS, of Arkansas Sports Performance in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is what Maack had to say about the opportunity:
“I’ve been around sports at the highest levels. To be asked to work with the U.S. Army All-Americans is as high an honor as I’ve had. I’m excited to be offered the chance to work with and take care of such talented athletes.
One athlete in particular that I’m eager to get to know is Darius Winston from Central High School in West Helena, Arkansas. Darius has signed to play at Arkansas next year and I have yet to see him play. He is from a team with a lot of talent, but was singled out as the best of the best by U.S. Army All-American Bowl selectors.”
Darius, among other very talented high school seniors, is someone you need to know. He is 6’1 180lbs and runs a 4.3. He is a powerful corner that has a lot of upside going into college. Congratulations to BJ Maack for being selected as the lead trainer for the young men, and good luck to all participants in the event. You know that all of us agents will be watching.
