Article by Bill Seals of the CycloneReport.com.
It appears the only thing keeping more schools away from an Oklahoma high school offensive lineman is the broken foot that ended the rising senior’s 2010 season. But the setback hasn’t deterred Iowa State, which verbally offered a scholarship two weeks ago.
The Cyclones remain sold on Guthrie’s Blake Belcher and saw enough of the 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle on tape to offer. I-State is Belcher’s fifth offer and fourth from a BCS-level program.
“As of now I have offers from Iowa State, Arizona, Stanford, Oregon State and Tulsa,” said Belcher. “Iowa State is my most recent offer, and just a few days before that I got offered by Stanford.
“I may pick up a few more at spring ball, because everyone wants to see how my foot’s healed up. I broke the fifth metatarsal in my foot the ninth week of the season, but everything has healed up fine and I’m back to 100 percent.”
It’s easy to believe Belcher will start collecting offers in bunches. He runs a sub-4.8 40 time and projects at a number of positions along the offensive line.
“A couple schools have told me I’d be a tackle if I went there,” Belcher said. “OU asked my coach the other day if I could play center. A couple schools are even looking at me as a tight end. I could be anywhere on the line. It’s really up in the air on where I will end up.”
He previously earned an invitation to the National Underclassman Top Prospect Camp, which hosts the top 10 players for each position nationally. He was also scheduled to attend a Nike Elite Camp, but instead competed in the state track meet.
“I’m really athletic for my position,” Belcher said. “I run a sub-4.8 in the 40-yard dash. My goal for a play is to never give up on it and keep driving your man until the whistle blows. A lot of times I make the calls from the center position all the way up to the tight end on my side, so I have pretty good awareness.”
The Cyclones’ offer came by way of a phone conversation between Belcher and ISU assistant coach Luke Wells. In addition to offering a scholarship, Wells tried to sell Belcher on a summer visit to Ames.
“I’ve been chatting with Coach Wells and they wanted film and I sent them my highlight film,” Belcher said. “Just a couple weeks ago, he told me to give him a call. I called him and he offered me right there on the spot.
“I’d like to get a trip up there sometime to see how the campus is. I haven’t scheduled anything yet, but would like to fit one in. They’re up and coming and beat Texas. I realize Texas had a down year last year, but they’re still a prestigious program with 5-star players. Iowa State is really moving up in the NCAA right now.”
At this point, Belcher claims no favorites and is not in the process of naming any.
“Everyone’s real even,” he said. “I’m just sitting back and letting everything come to me. I’m analyzing each school one by one. I don’t have a top-five or top-10 yet. I’m not making any decisions right now.”
Aw, this was an extremely good post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate
a lot and never manage to get anything done.