Recruiting Report: Garrett Shumski (2019)

Sophomore offensive linemen are not supposed to do some of the things Mankato West's Garrett Shumski has been doing the past three seasons. Sophomores make impacts at the skill position positions and the defensive backfield, but very few athletes can do what Shumski has done for Mankato West's offensive and defensive lines. Three seasons ago Shumski was the first offensive lineman off the bench for the state champion Scarlets – as an eighth grader. As a freshman, he started at tackle. Half way through the season moved – to help the team, not because he couldn't handle it – inside to guard. Last season he started at guard and nose tackle on the Scarlets' squad. He is too young to get too much attention from college programs, but considering his performance so far, college programs will soon be lining up to talk to one of Minnesota's best young prospects. Like most of Mankato West's seasons that past dozen years, the Scarlets were successful advancing all the way to the state semi-finals. "We had a pretty good run," Shumski said. "I don't know if we deserved to win the Spring Lake Park game, but with C.J. Terry's injury, it made it tough. I'd say it was a pretty successful season." Shumski felt the team was successful largely because of their running game – running the ball and stopping the run. The sophomore had a hand in both. "I played guard and felt pretty strong in there," Shumski told Northstar Football News. "Tommy Bigaouette – our center – helped me a lot. I felt that I got the job done in most cases, but I still have a lot of work to do." Power is Shumski game. "I am a ground and pound inside zone type player," said NFN's 10th ranked player in the Class of 2019. "One of my biggest upsides is my strength. I have been working out for many years, and I am just now figuring out how to transfer that from the weight room to the field. That has been an issue with me in the past, but if I can figure out leverage on a player, I don't think there is any competing with me. My strength is my zone blocking, moving as a whole as an offensive line and moving a man against his will. Getting in on double teams is a big part of my play; getting a lot of drive and pancakes." Shumski – who likes to fish and do anything on the water - is realistic about where he needs to improve. "Pass blocking isn't there yet, but it is coming. It is coming along slowly. I need to focus on keeping my hands inside and my pad level." Defensively he started at nose tackle and defensive tackle. "What I think I do best is stopping the run," Shumski said. "I enjoy taking on double teams from the guard and center. I feel I can split those in most cases." Like on offense, Shumski knows where he needs work. "Pad level has been an issue for me before, but it is all a process." This winter and spring he was in the weight room. "I lifted very heavy from the end of November all the way through track," said the soon to be four-year starter. "I did a lot of bench, squat and dead lift. Then also a lot of explosive movements and flexibility drills." Shumski threw the shot and discus in track and qualified for State in the discus. Shortly after school ended, the 6'2" 286-pound lineman went to the Minnesota big man camp, a one-day camp at South Dakota State a team camp at Augustana and to wrap things up he went to North Dakota State for an individual three-day camp. "I know I am a lot better player now (because of the camps) than I was a month ago." Shumski has been on an upward path on the football field his entire life. Based on his skill at such a young age there is no reason to think he will level off now.

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Recruiting Report: Garrett Shumski (2019)

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