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'17 CO DT Jalen Sami (Signed to COLORADO)

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
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3398244_844e01409da64322b03a2d1100b284ce.jpg

Vista Ridge HS (Colorado Springs, CO)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamiUso

Ht: 6'6"
Wt: 338
40:

Rivals rating: 2*-5.4rr; unranked DT
Scout rating: 2*; unranked DT
ESPN rating: unrated DT
247s rating: 2*-79 grade; #123 DT

Reported Offers: COLORADO, CSU-Pueblo, Mississippi, Northern Colorado, Weber State
 
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I admit to not knowing much, but seems like he played a little out of position in HS and would fit better as a 3-4 NT. Anyone with knowledge care to share their thoughts?
 
Yes. Not why he was overlooked though.
I'm assuming small school in Colorado doesn't help. Really need your head coach to help you out if that is the case. He obviously didn't market himself like some do. Are you alluding to other reasons or did I mostly cover it?
 
How does a D1 scholarship level player get overlooked for so long in the recruiting process?

I will tackle this based on my own experiences and what I've observed with numerous kids such as Tyler Strong (who turned down Nebraska to go WY and Isaac Miller):

1. the kid probably hasn't been coached much and is playing on a lot of raw ability. This keeps him from being overly dominant, he's playing on raw ability only in many cases.
2. he's playing at a program without tradition of success (which goes along with coaching received above). Thus his own staff doesn't have connections.
3. he's normally playing in a league without a lot of traditional powers. For example, if they played Valor Christian, one of the VC coaches might have said, who is this raw monster? And that sort of thing often gets back to a program that recruits the power.
4. Does not attend a camp. Probably doesn't know camps exist (see item 1 and 2).

In this kids' case, CSU-Pueblo and UNC stumbled across him, perhaps while recruiting players (that we would not be) that are on his team, or playing for an opponent. Perhaps they have better ties into coaches in that league (point 3 above) than CU or CSU would?

The story of how CU found him is premium content, but we didn't find him thru any of those points above.
 
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I will tackle this based on my own experiences and what I've observed with numerous kids such as Tyler Strong (who turned down Nebraska to go UW and Isaac Miller):

1. the kid probably hasn't been coached much and is playing on a lot of raw ability. This keeps him from being overly dominant, he's playing on raw ability only in many cases.
2. he's playing at a program without tradition of success (which goes along with coaching received above).
3. he's normally playing in a league without a lot of traditional powers. For example, if they played Valor Christian, one of the VC coaches might have said, who is this raw monster? And that sort of thing often gets back to a program that recruits the power.
4. Does not attend a camp. Probably doesn't know camps exist (see item 1 and 2).

In this kids' case, CSU-Pueblo and UNC stumbled across him, perhaps while recruiting players (that we would not be) that are on his team, or playing for an opponent. Perhaps they have better ties into coaches in that league (point 3 above) than CU or CSU would?

The story of how CU found him is premium content, but we didn't find him thru any of those points above.

Very good, and accurate list of why some kids get passed over.

I have no idea about the circumstances for this kid but a couple of others.

1. Kid is sick or injured in his Jr. year, falls off if he ever was on the radar screens since this is the key year for identifying and developing relationships with recruits.

2. Late bloomer. Don't think this applies in this case but these are high school boys we are talking about. Not unusual for them to grow 3-5 inches and put on a bunch of muscle in their last year of HS.

3. Colorado Springs kids like this one also are often military kids. Not unusual for a kid nobody has every heard of to show up from a base in Germany or Japan with his parents well after the recruiting process is under way.
 
I personally don't think a kid can really do much to market themselves, because it's empty. Nobody listens. When my own daughter was recruited I remember asking the coach if she'd seen the film we mailed her. She said no, we don't have anytime to look at those, please send it again.

But in this case, if this kid would have started twittering away a few weeks ago about CU's interest and scheduling an OV, we might have seen him take another OV or two.
 
Just posted a tweet that showed he also has an Ole Miss offer. I'm not at home or I would add the tweet.

Edit:
 
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I will tackle this based on my own experiences and what I've observed with numerous kids such as Tyler Strong (who turned down Nebraska to go WY and Isaac Miller):

1. the kid probably hasn't been coached much and is playing on a lot of raw ability. This keeps him from being overly dominant, he's playing on raw ability only in many cases.
2. he's playing at a program without tradition of success (which goes along with coaching received above). Thus his own staff doesn't have connections.
3. he's normally playing in a league without a lot of traditional powers. For example, if they played Valor Christian, one of the VC coaches might have said, who is this raw monster? And that sort of thing often gets back to a program that recruits the power.
4. Does not attend a camp. Probably doesn't know camps exist (see item 1 and 2).

In this kids' case, CSU-Pueblo and UNC stumbled across him, perhaps while recruiting players (that we would not be) that are on his team, or playing for an opponent. Perhaps they have better ties into coaches in that league (point 3 above) than CU or CSU would?

The story of how CU found him is premium content, but we didn't find him thru any of those points above.

How much would you say CO preps plays into that as a whole? Outside of the traditional powers it seems difficult for these kids to get the exposure.
 
Film is impressive. Very large man who looks big, strong and has surprisingly good closing speed when he gets off blocks. Like
 
How much would you say CO preps plays into that as a whole? Outside of the traditional powers it seems difficult for these kids to get the exposure.
Kids get noticed all the time from 4A, including far in the sticks. But a kid has to get on the radar of someone. Dalton Risner is a good example. These kids have to get to a camp or have an "in" somewhere. A coach who sees them that tells someone to check it out.

Colorado Springs is a bit out there on the football map. I think if this kid played in the Metro area, he likely gets noticed easier.
 
From the visit story by Adam I linked above:

A first-team all-conference and second-team all-state selection as a senior, Sami said he measured in at 6-foot-5.5, 338-pounds during his trip to Boulder.
“Colorado said they are impressed with how I can move for being as big as I am,” he said.
 
From the visit story by Adam I linked above:

A first-team all-conference and second-team all-state selection as a senior, Sami said he measured in at 6-foot-5.5, 338-pounds during his trip to Boulder.
“Colorado said they are impressed with how I can move for being as big as I am,” he said.

Huge, even bigger than ellis.
 
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