The NFL draft class of 1983 is widely regarded by NFL analysts and experts as the greatest draft class in NFL history. It contained historic quarterbacks such as Dan Marino and John Elway who were unanimously voted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Other Hall of Fame inductees included Bruce Matthews, Eric Dickerson, Jim Kelly, and Richard Dent. It also had twenty six non Hall of Fame players who were inducted to multiple Pro Bowls. It is one of the deepest draft classes the NFL has ever seen and many believe that the greatness of this class will never be surpassed.
However, if local high schools were to hold a high school football draft it would be a historic one. This year’s upcoming senior and junior class of football studs is one of the most dynamic and highly recruited classes Warren County has ever seen. We have multiple players getting recruited by large, Division 1 colleges and their talent is not going unnoticed. Among these players includes the duo from South Warren, Adrian Middleton and Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Across the county, we have a quick, illustrious running back from Warren East, Eli Brown. And no one can forget the Bowling Green quarterback and wide receiver tandem in Devin Hayes and Nacarius Fant.
While South Warren may be a new high school, they are not short on talent. Defensive tackle Adrian Middleton was recently ranked the number one junior football player in the state and college recruiters are not overlooking that. The 6 foot four inch, 275 pound tackle is being widely recruited by major division one colleges all across the United States. He has received offers from Austin Peay, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri, and Western Kentucky University. Other major schools such as Cincinnati, Florida, Ohio State, and Purdue have all expressed major interest, but have not made an offer yet. One of his greatest strengths is his speed despite his large build. Defensive tackles with Middleton’s frame and speed don’t come around often, so schools won’t let this gem pass up.
Along with Middleton, South Warren also has another recruit in Joel Iyiegbuniwe. The 6 foot 2 inch, 205 pound outside linebacker is going to be a big help to the Spartans this season. He has received offers from Western Kentucky and Indiana State recently. He has also received interest from Purdue, UK, and UofL. He only has about two seasons of varsity play under his belt, but that doesn’t stop him from making a huge impact on the field.
The Bowling Green Purples always seem to produce a big star every couple of years and this year it happens to be Nacarius Fant. The 175 pound receiver is currently ranked 6th in Kentucky among high school football players and has received interest from almost every major college you can think of. These schools include Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame. While he has currently only received offers from Western Kentucky and Illinois, it is almost a sure thing that there are many more offers coming his way. The 4.68 40-yard dash he runs causes many colleges to do a double take. He recently led the Purples to their second straight Class 5A state championship. Throughout the year, he reeled a little under 1400 receiving yards and 23 touchdown catches.
While Fant may catch the ball, he has to have someone to throw the ball and that would be Purples quarterback Devin Hayes. He also helped lead the Purples to their second championship thanks to his 2700 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes. Along with athletic achievements, he also puts the student in student-athlete. He currently has a 4.0 GPA and a 31 on the ACT. Thanks to these accomplishments, the junior has been invited to the NFL-Wharton School Prep Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He was one of 36 athletes chosen from across the nation based on both academic and athletic success reviewed by the NFL. He has received interest from schools such as Louisville and WKU along with many Ivy League schools including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Columbia.
Last but not least, Eli Brown from Warren East is also causing some uproar from college recruiters. The 6 foot 2 linebacker has received offers from Kentucky, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Western Kentucky. Along with offers, he has also received major interest from UofL and Cincinnati. The thing that astounds many high school football fans however is that he is only going to be a junior in the 2013-2014 season. He helped lead his team to a 13-2 season despite losing in the playoffs. He is currently ranked 32nd among high school football players in Kentucky, but his stock is sure to rise as he gains experience and grows.
While this class of high school studs might not have the next Dan Marino or Eric Dickerson, but I think most local high school football fans agree that someone from this class could make it big. Whether it’s the South Warren monster Adrian Middleton or the young blood linebacker Eli Brown out of Warren East, it doesn’t matter. It is safe to say however that this young class is putting Warren County on the map.
