Gridironstuds.com Blog

High School Football ja'juan story, Tevin Drake

Anyone who knows anything about football can tell you that the state of Florida is rich with talent. The NFL names that have been produced by the state can stretch from the Panhandle to the southern tip of the Keys. Each year college programs from coast to coast slide down into the Sunshine State hoping to stock up on talent like hurricane supplies.

With that being said one would have to wonder how a high school so over run with athletic talent can be overlooked but it’s happening. Tucked in the West Coast of Florida, 30 minutes North of Tampa, lies Nature Coast Tech High School located in a city called Brooksville. Brooksville is all of 5 square miles but even a city that small has managed to produce professional athletes, most notably the late Jerome Brown of University of Miami and Philadelphia Eagles fame.

Nature Coast Tech gears up for it’s sixth season of football this year. They are the first school in Hernando County, Florida to make it to the state playoffs in their first three years and they are also the first school to make it to the state playoffs three years in a row. Last season, their run to a possible state title was cut short by sanctions from the Florida High School Athletic Association after they were involved in a brawl with Groveland-South Lake High School. Despite losing 32 players from last year’s team, Nature Coast Tech boasts some of the most athletic talent in all of Florida.

Leading the way is Tevin Drake, a 6’0″ 205 lb running back that put up 1,200 yards a season ago and splashed into the endzone 20 times. His fullback is a state finalist in the sprint events. Antwan Story can boast a 10.61 100 meter dash time and piled up 688 yards on the ground last year from the fullback spot. Story’s younger brother JuJuan is faster than him clocking a 4.31 in the 40 yard dash. Look for him to make noise at wide receiver. You think it’s easy? Lest we not forget versatile QB C.J. Baker who completed 62% of his passes, threw for 700 and rushed for 441. Tight End Braddie Ellison is a beast and showed it at the Randy Shannon University of Miami camp this spring. Along with JuJuan Story and Ellison, Baker will also find comfort in finding the polished senior wideout transfer Jamal Byrd. Senior Justin Murray will anchor the defense from his linebacker spot and will have help from the wealth of athletes that surround him.

The story here is that Nature Coast is loaded with athletic talent however not many college football programs are aware of it. Perhaps it’s because they are relatively new or because they don’t have the press or have not won a state title. Whatever the case may be, they possess talent that can run up and down the football field and terrorize opponents for the entire duration of a football contest. Many of the kids named do not have the amount of offers that kids with half their talent have. It’s time that a spotlight be placed on this school in the tiny town of Brooksville.

Profiles on Nature Coast’s Top Players along with highlight video links are listed below:
- courtesy of assistant coach Robert Kazmier

Tevin Drake

RB/LB 6’ 205 lbs

Thus far in his high school career he has rushed for 3,580 yards on 458 carries – an average of 7.8 yards per carry and he has accumulated 53 touchdowns in the process. Tevin has proven he can start on both sides of the ball so he will be starting at a LB spot as well during his Senior season. Tevin was named the Overall Most Outstanding Performer at the University of Miami’s Football Camp this summer. Tevin currently holds offers from: Miami, Memphis, FAU and FIU. View his highlight video

Antwan Story

RB/OLB 6′ 180 lbs

-As a Junior Antwan used his explosive speed to rack up 687 yards on 84 carries with 6 touchdowns (over 8 ypc). He also averaged 32 yards per return on kickoffs. On the track Antwan is the reigning district champ in the 100m (10.61) and 200m (21.93) and also anchors the champion 4×100 team. His speed translates to the field really well. He hits the hole extremely fast and once he is past the first level the defense is not likely to catch him. He will also be starting at OLB on the defensive side of the ball during his Senior year. View his highlight video

Braddie Ellison

TE/OLB 6’3” 240 lbs

-Braddie knows that we don’t throw the ball much and he does not have a problem with it. He has learned to love blocking and does it extremely well. When we did throw he had 8 receptions for around 200 yards and 1 TD. On the TD catch caught the ball in front of the safety and got hit at the 15 yard line but proceeded to score while dragging the safety across the field. Braddie will also be starting at either LB or DL during his senior season also. He was named the MVP of the Tight Ends at the University of Miami’s Football camp this summer. Braddie currently holds an offer from FIU. View his highlight video.

John Carbone

DL 6’3” 255

-The work he does in the weight room shows on the field. He is strong and physical at the line of scrimmage. He explodes off the ball and he can blow up plays and has enough speed to terrorize the opposing QB. John had 58 tackles and 3 sacks as a Junior. As a Senior John should be unstoppable and the numbers will show it.

Justin Murray

LB/DL 5’11” 205 lbs

-Justin gets after it in the weight room. He comes in on his free time to get extra workouts in and loves being there. During drills he is always a great example and he leads by it. His strength and speed is utilized on the defensive line and on special teams. He made one of the biggest hits I have ever seen during a kickoff return last season. He sprung our return man with it but just about gave himself a concussion in the process. I can’t wait to see what his hard work this offseason translates to on the field this upcoming season. He works as hard as he does in the classroom as the weight room as he also carries around a 3.5.

Avery Clemmons

DB/DL 6’ 190 lbs

-Avery is highly athletic and very strong. He will have every opportunity to use those assets this fall as he will be playing some d-line where he can use both to his advantage to make a lot of plays. If he becomes as dangerous as he is capable down there the entire defense will benefit.

Corey Emerson

OL 6’4” 265 lbs

-Corey is our only returning offensive lineman. He is very athletic and has good feet due to also being a basketball player. He used this summer to add some strength and speed. It should really help him hold down his Tackle spot. He is the leader of our O-line and has a good head on his shoulders. He takes care of business in the classroom also with a 3.5 GPA.

CJ Baker

QB 5’11″ 165 lbs

-CJ is 9-0 as a varsity starter. He has done a tremendous job running our offense. For his size he runs hard and is also very elusive. He also is not afraid to lead up in the hole and take a linebacker head on. When we throw the ball he does a good job making a decision. He also does a great job in the class room as he carries over a 3.2. Though he is a solid QB due to his size he could easily be converted a WR and has the athletic ability and ball skills to do it! View his highlight video.

Michael Lynch

TE/LB 6’2” 210 lbs

-Mike Lynch has all the athletic ability that you could want in a football player and he has a big frame and is absolutely solid. He works hard in the weight room and is very strong. He made a lot of improvement last season and did a lot of learning behind Braddie. He has recently been moved to the O-line so we can utilize his speed and strength to improve that area. He is strong enough to push the bigger guys around too. He will also be seeing a lot of time on the Defensive line.

Jamel Byrd

WR/DB 6’2″ 180 lbs

Brooksville, Fl

-Another great athlete that has the chance to start on both sides of the ball, Byrd has really worked hard this summer and made himself an asset to his team. He has shown a lot of potential and will be in position to make a huge impact during his first and only season in NCT uniform.

Ja’JuanStory
WR/DB 6’4″ 182 lbs

- Ridiculous athletic talent with a 4.31 forty yard dash time on his resume. JuJuan is a 2011 prospect that scouts are sure to be drooling over. View his highlight video.

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High School Football antwan story, braddie ellison, jujuan story, nature coast tech high school, Tevin Drake, top 2010 recruits

July 26th

The SouthEast team were the winners in the final game of the Gridiron Kings 7-on-7 tournament in Orlando this weekend.  Miami Central’s Jeffrey Godfrey fired a pass to Miramar H.S. (Florida) WR Ivan McCartney with no time remaining for the 12-6 win over the West team.  Gridironstuds.com member Latwan Anderson was named the Defensive MVP.  Anderson played for the Midwest team which dealt the Southeast team their only loss in the tournament.   The offensive MVP of the tournament was Palm Beach, Fla Dwyer H.S. tight end Gerald Christian.

July 25th

Booker T. Washington H.S. (Florida) DE and Gridironstuds.com member Lynden Trail says the Florida Gators are his leader but that USC is giving them a run for their money. View his video here.

University of Miami commit Tavadis Glenn was asked to leave the Florida Gators event “Friday Night Lights” after flashing a U Sign to stands.

July 24th

Martin Luther King H.S. (Georgia) running back Mack Brown has committed to Florida. Brown is also being recruited by Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia and Auburn.

Highly recruited LB and Gridironstuds.com member Jeff Luc has named a final four of Florida St., Florida, Georgia and LSU. Interestingly enough, the University of Miami was not named in Jeff’s top four. Many had considered him leaning towards the Hurricanes. Gators fans think he’s a Florida St. lean. Florida St. think he’s a Gator lean. I think Luc’s going to ride the process out as long as he can.

Top rated Gridironstuds.com wide receiver Kyle Prater has named his top six as Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma, Illinois, Tennessee and USC.

Highly sought after quarterback from Lakewood H.S. (California) and Gridironstuds.com member Jesse Scroggins has chosen USC. Scroggins was also considering Florida, LSU, Arizona and wait for it… wait for it… Tennessee. Look at Scroggins’ highlight video, click here.

A ton of top prospects expected to attend the University of Florida’s Friday Night Lights event. In attendance will be: Venice quarterback Trey Burton, Mobile (Ala.) Murphy receiver Solomon Patton, West Palm Beach Dwyer teammates Matt Elam and Gerald Christian, Bradenton Southeast defensive back Jon Dowling, Cape Coral athlete Jaylen Watkins, New Port Richey Gulf defensive lineman Leon Orr and Orange Park Fleming Island offensive lineman Ian Silberman, Moreno Valley (Cal.) Rancho Verde defensive end Ronald Powell, Lithonia (Ga.) King running back Mack Brown, Tampa Catholic athlete Christian Green, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast linebacker Jeff Luc, Hialeah defensive end Corey Lemonier, Miami Northwestern running back Corvin Lamb, Pahokee receiver Chris Dunkley, Philadelphia George Washington defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Staten Island (NY) Curtis defensive lineman Dominique Easley. Also, Punta Gorda Charlotte running back Mike Bellamy, Davenport Ridge Community athlete Karlos Williams, DeLand running back Deaunte Saunders, Columbus (Ga.) Crowell running back Isiah Crowell, Tampa Jefferson receiver Andre Davis, Belle Glade Glades Central receiver/tight end Kelvin Benjamin, Miami Northwestern quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day quarterback Price Litton and Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline receiver Kasen Williams. Finally, Glades Day (Florida) running back Kelvin Taylor (son of former Gator Fred Taylor) will be at the event.

Byrnes H.S. (South Carolina) running back Marcus Lattimore has named his top 3 schools as Penn St., North Carolina and Oregon.

As expected, Opelika H.S. (Alabama) running back Corey Grant chose Alabama over Auburn and Florida. View Grants’s video here.

Cedar Park H.S. (Texas) defensive end Holmes Onwukaife has committed to Florida St. Onwukaife is also being recruited by UCLA, Baylor, Texas Tech, Michigan and Colorado.

Booker T. Washington H.S. (Georgia) wide receiver Antonio Goodwin has chosen Auburn over Alabama, Florida, Florida St., Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia and wait for it, wait for it …… Tennessee.

July 23rd

JAKHARI GORE UPDATE: After going back and forth with whether or not the University of Miami accepted the commitment of Jakhari Gore or not, I have confirmed from what I consider to be an EXTREMELY reliable source that the University of Miami HAS NOT accepted Gore’s commitment and the Columbus H.S. (Florida) running back will be most likely playing somewhere other than for the Hurricanes in his college career.

Top rated Dr. Phillips H.S. (Florida) wide receiver Kenny Shaw has named Florida St. as his top school after taking part in their camp this past weekend. Shaw says Georgia, Bama, Tennessee, Florida and Ohio St. are also teams in the running for his services in 2010.

East Lake H.S. (California) athlete Tony Jefferson has committed to UCLA. Jefferson rushed for 1,328 yards and 28 touchdowns last season and also recorded 88 tackles with four sacks on defense. Jefferson is also being recruited by Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami, Florida, USC and wait for it…. wait for it…. TENNESSEE. It was earlier reported the Jefferson dropped USC from his list and that UCLA was not even on his top school list. I guess this kids favorite play is “the end run”.

Highly recruited Southwest DeKalb (Georgia) defensive end T.J. Stripling has become the 18th commitment for the Georgia Bulldogs from the 2010 class.

Jeff Luc is amongst several other highly recruited prep stars including several Gridironstuds.com members competing in the Gridiron Kings event at Disney Wide World of Sports this week. Luc will be joined by fellow Gridironstuds.com members Aramide Olaniyan and Kyle Prater. A total of 64 players will take part in the event. The Gridiron Kings is a three-day event featuring players at the seven skill positions: quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, linebacker, cornerback and safety. It culminates in 7-on-7 competitions Saturday

July 22nd

Reports are that the University of Miami has accepted the commitment of Columbus H.S. (Miami, FL) running back prospect Jakhari Gore (cousin of former Hurricane Frank Gore). It was reported earlier that UM told Gore that things were full when he attempted to commit. View Jakhari Gore’s highlight video.

Penn Hills H.S. (Pennsylvania) cornerback Cullen Christian maintains that Michigan is his #1 but he has planned official visits to West Virginia and UCLA along with Michigan for games this Fall. View Cullen Christian’s highlight video.

Ohio (Glenville H.S.) defensive back and Gridironstuds.com member Latwan Anderson has ascended from #74 rated prospect in the country to #35. Anderson is now also rated the #2 safety in the country. Anderson’s strong showing in a couple of camps this summer has led to this move up the list. Check out some of Anderson’s camp highlights, click here now.

July 21st

Former Miami Hurricane quarterback Robert Marve has torn his ACL and will be out of practice at least until October. Marve has to sit out a year anyway but this injury prevents him from practicing and getting familiar with the offense and personnel at Purdue.

Frostproof H.S. (Florida) four star rated cornerback Nickell Robey has committed to the University of Georgia. Robey is also being recruited by Michigan, Ohio St., USF, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Clemson and Florida. Robey has rushed for over 3,100 yards and has picked off 13 passes over the last two seasons.

West Virginia still running in first place for Ohio safety and Gridironstuds.com member Latwan Anderson. “West Virginia is my favorite. I really like their coaches. I enjoy talking to them and I like the family environment with their players,” Anderson said. Anderson announced a top six last month of West Virginia, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Miami and Michigan St. All but Michigan St. are recruiting him as a safety. Michigan St. likes him as a cornerback.

Top rated linebacker Jeff Luc landed on the Alabama Crimson Tide campus on Monday visiting the team, coaches and facility.

Provisio H.S. (Illinois) wide receiver and Gridironstuds.com member Kyle Prater has planned trip to Alabama before the start of the season. Prater has Alabama in his top 10. “What I like about Alabama is I love the SEC,” said Prater. “I love competition and they have it.”

Opelika H.S. (Alabama) running back and Gridironstuds.com member Corey Grant plans to announce his decision on Thursday. He has a final three of Alabama, Auburn and Florida. Some believe that Bama will be his choice.

July 20th

Nature Coast Tech H.S. running back and Gridironstuds.com member Tevin Drake has listed a top 5 of Miami, Florida St., Georgia, Oregon and Ole Miss in that order. Says he’s still interested in hearing from other schools and that he won’t be making a decision any time soon.

Clive Walford, TE from Glades Central H.S. (Fl0rida) has committed to the University of Miami. Also being recruited by Purdue, FIU and Indiana.

East Lake H.S. (California) running back Tony Jefferson has dropped USC from his list and now has a top 5 of Penn St., Michigan, Notre Dame Oklahoma and Florida.

Byrnes H.S. (South Carolina) Defensive End Corey Miller has committed to Florida St. Miller is also being recruited by South Carolina, Miami, North Carolina, Georgia and… wait for it, wait for it…. Tennessee.

Douglass H.S. (Georgia) Defensive End, Garrison Smith has committed to Georgia. Smith is also being recruited by Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ohio St. and USC.

Dr. Phillips H.S. (Florida) wide receiver Kenny Shaw says he will not make a decision until the end of the season but says Florida St. is the current leader for his services.

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Rumors and Wires Clive Walford, Corey Grant, jeff luc, Kyle Prater, latwan anderson, mack brown, Tevin Drake, top 2010 recruits