Speedster Recruits to Know

Between its public and private high school programs, New Jersey holds some premier talent on a yearly basis. There are some players with lightning fast speed, and they are set to embark on another football season in early October. Having a player known for speed surely helps a team in many ways. For one, tackling that player is a challenge in itself. You can also use speed guys in a variety of ways – in the backfield, on punt/kickoff returns, as a slot receiver, etc. Let’s take a look at some speedster recruits you should know. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27876" first="Xavier" last="Coleman"], Lenape, Sr.</strong> – Coleman, a Boston College commit, had a monster junior season for Lenape, leading the Indians to a 10-2 season. Coleman had a handful of offers from some top Power 5 programs, ultimately deciding on Boston College. In the backfield, Coleman ran for 631 yards on 60 carries with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 29 balls for 531 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also someone very dangerous on kickoff return, returning three kickoffs for scores. Coleman is a player who can do many things on the football field, and he’s extremely dangerous in space with his speed and cutting ability. <strong>Ejani Shakir, Pennsauken, So.</strong> – Shakir is a two-way skill player who has received national attention after a strong freshman season with Pennsauken. He amassed 1,182 yards at wide receiver, scoring nine TDs. College offers already on the table include Boston College, Florida State, Miami, Nebraska, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers and West Virginia. Shakir can take a punt all the way back and he is a tough cover for any defensive back with his versatility and speed. He gets a great burst of speed when he catches the ball and he’s a strong route runner. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27882" first="Will" last="Towns"], Jackson Memorial, Sr.</strong> – Towns has incredible speed with a 4.56 40-yard dash. A Wake Forest commit, he ran for 1,372 yards with 12 touchdowns last season. Two standout performances came against Freehold Borough and Brick Township. Against Brick, Towns finished with 242 yards on 25 carries with four TDS, and he followed that up three weeks later with a 232-yard outing on 27 carries with four scores against Freehold Borough. He is a physical running back who gets yards after contact and can speed past multiple defenders. <strong>Kayne Udoh, St. Augustine, Jr.</strong> – Defenders do not want Udoh in open space. There is a good chance he’ll find the end zone if he sees an opening. He has received college interest from programs such as Boston College, Buffalo, Maryland, UConn, UMass, Nebraska, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple and West Virginia. Not only is he dangerous in the backfield, Udoh can make plays at receiver. <strong>Patrick “Cheeks” Smith, Holy Spirit, Sr.</strong> – Smith is a Colorado State commit who can make many plays happen in open space. The running back should have a strong senior season before he heads off to Colorado. Like so many other elusive players in New Jersey, Smith can make plays happen on returns, in the backfield and as a receiver. He is a tough runner who makes plays happen both on the inside and outside. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27981" first="Nazir" last="Dale"], Camden, Jr.</strong> – Dale has such a burst of speed when he gets the ball. His motor is the reason why many colleges are interested. West Virginia is one of his top offers. Dale has the characteristics we’ve seen with some of the top runners in the game – fantastic speed, great cutting ability, shifty, power runner and a great field vision. Expect more positives for Dale as he enters his junior year for Camden.