By: Chad Wilson – Editor – Gridiron Studs Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds
High school football is played all across this great land we call America. In every corner there are outstanding players that get the job done on game day and likely go unnoticed by college football programs. No where does that happen more often than in South Florida which is widely regarded as the most fertile recruiting ground in the USA.
The likelihood of being overlooked is high in the sunshine state simply because there is just so much talent. College football coaches flood the state of Florida at every opportunity in the recruiting calendar to jump in and take a swipe at the score of athletes that are roaming the high school gridirons. Over in Coral Springs, Florida, there is an underrated gem at Taravella high school that college coaches would be well served to feast their eyes on.
In the recruiting game, size is important and Taravella’s Ken Hiteman has it. The 2016 TE / WR stands at 6’4″ and 220 lbs. and is still growing. Hiteman has the frame that DI coaches laud over and the athleticism to make him a must see. The first thing that jumps out at you on his game tape is his blocking ability. Hiteman is relentless when he gets into defenders and blocks to the whistle. He is text book in the blocking department and is very skilled at moving the defender off their mark. He does excellent work with his hands and drives his feet like he pushes a sled to school every morning. However, that’s not Hiteman’s only skill. He plays in a run heavy offensive attack so his other skills can be hidden at times. However, Taravella opened up things last season and Hiteman was allowed to put his other talents on display. His film features quite a few plays with him split out wide and looking like someone who can dominate at the WR position. Tightends are getting asked to do a whole lot more these days and Hiteman has no problem flexing out, running a route and beating a defensive back for the football. He is that matchup up problem that offensive coordinators seek each game day.
This offseason should be a solid one for Hiteman as he gets out and shows off his physical tools and skills. Hiteman was recently added to well regarded South Florida high school writer Larry Blustein’s 2016 Watch List. I am certain that when Spring football comes, a number of college football programs will be bidding for his services as he will certainly stand out. The question is, if you are a college football coach reading this is, will you be a part of the action? On your next trip down to the Sunshine State, put a trip over to J.P. Taravella High School on your to do list. Hiteman is a D1 prospect that deserves your attention.
Check out Ken Hiteman’s Junior Year Highlights – Click Here
Chad Wilson is a college football recruiting expert and creator of the GridironStudsApp which allows high school football players to gain exposure to college football coaches and fans. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a former youth and high school football coach for over 15 years most recently for 5-A State of Florida Champs American Heritage. He runs All Eyes DB Camp a defensive back training company located in South Florida IG: @alleyesdbcamp. Wilson’s oldest son Quincy plays in the NFL for the New York Giants and his younger son plays cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
