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ANTHONY FELDER, O'Dea (Seattle), LB, 6-3, 225
Bio: With coaching changes swirling in Felder’s face, it took a heart-to-heart, one-on-one conversation with Cal coach Jeff Tedford to swing Felder toward the Bears and that program’s stability. “I was looking for a stable program with the best academics, the best coaching and giving me the best chance to play. Cal had all of those things,” Felder said. The two-time Metro League Mountain Division defensive MVP (264 tackles in his final two seasons) was one of Washington’s most sought-after players from the get-go, getting offers from Ohio State, Louisiana State, Penn State, Arizona State and Notre Dame. With a nose for the ball, Felder, a fearless tackler, is pegged as an inside linebacker.
Committed to: CALIFORNIA
J.R. HASTY, Bellevue, RB, 5-11, 200
Bio: Hasty’s first carry should have been a sign of things to come. He rumbled 74 yards for a touchdown as the Wolverines ended De La Salle’s 151-game winning streak in September. Hasty kept it going, posting one of the finest seasons in Washington state history with 2,519 yards and a state-record 50 touchdowns. He is a bullish runner with more speed than the average power running back (bench-presses 335 pounds, squats 520). He notched three 300-yard rushing outings, one against Timberline and Jonathan Stewart en route to Bellevue capturing a fourth consecutive 3A state title. In his career, Hasty averaged nearly 10 yards per carry.
Considering: WASHINGTON, OREGON, ARIZONA STATE, PENN STATE
LEON JACKSON, Pasco, ATH, 6-3, 205
Bio: Here is one scary-good player. Coaches diagramming a game plan to stop Jackson during the season winced at what they saw on film: He can score from anywhere on the field. The fastest recruit in the Northwest (4.4-second 40 time) won back-to-back Class 4A state 100-meter championships before not turning out for track as a junior. One opposing league coach compared Jackson’s explosive style to Eric Dickerson, the former NFL star. A preseason USA Today Super 25 recruit, Jackson (1,743 yards in 2004) committed to Nebraska in early October, got scholarship offers from California, Oregon and Washington State and was one of six Cornhuskers-to-be to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Committed to: NEBRASKA
E.J. SAVANNAH, Bellevue, LB, 6-2, 215
Bio: Considering Bellevue team won its fourth 3A state title in a row and finished ranked No. 8 nationally by USA Today, it should come as no surprise what Savannah wants out of a college program. “I want to win bowl games.” If teammate J.R. Hasty was the offensive workhorse, Savannah was the emotional leader of the defense (KingCo 3A MVP, 72 tackles, nine for losses). Bellevue’s defense suffered, especially against the run, in the playoffs when Savannah sat out the last three games with a neck stinger. “He’s explosive, a little bit like Tahj Bomar (at Washington). He’ll start outside, and depending on how big he gets, he could move inside,” a recruiter said.
Considering: OREGON, ARIZONA STATE, WASHINGTON
NDAMUKONG SUH, Grant (Portland), DT, 6-5, 275
Bio: His name might be difficult to pronounce (“En-dom-ah-ken Sue”), but he’s far more difficult to stop. The state of Oregon’s defenisve player of the year (65 tackles, 10 sacks) wanted to be part of the Nebraska rebuilding process under second-year coach Bill Callahan, and in the end chose the Cornhuskers – where he’s projected as a defensive tackle or end – over California and Mississippi State. Other scholarship offers came from Miami, Oregon and Oregon State. With his size, hard-charging motor and quick feet – honed from years on the soccer pitch and basketball court – he runs a 4.8-second 40-yard dash and blows by opposing linemen.
Committed to: NEBRASKA
JONATHAN STEWART, Timberline, RB, 5-10, 225
Bio: Stewart might be an anomaly in the Northwest – a running back ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit for his position. He certainly did nothing to shed that tag, setting Washington’s career rushing mark with 7,757 yards and being named as the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year and to the All-USA Today team. “He’s the complete package. He can run inside … and has the speed to get outside,” one recruiter said. Out of all the offers from top 20 programs around the nation – including Southern California, Michigan, Ohio State and Florida – he narrowed his choices in the final week to the Pacific-10 Conference’s Oregon and Washington State before deciding to head south to Eugene, Ore.
Committed to: OREGON
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