He played on a last-place team at Livermore High, and his family didn’t have the means to send him to the combines, camps and clinics.
But Damariay Drew, a 5-11, 195-lb. running back and safety, is as gifted and motivated as any player on anyone’s Top 250.
Drew’s a hard-hitter and a hustler with soft hands out of the backfield. He runs hard and finishes carrying tacklers forward with him. He rushed for 1,291 yards and 17 touchdowns last season and led his team in tackles with 7.9 a game. Coaches in the East Bay Athletic League, a league that features three quarterbacks who got Division One scholarships, call him the best athlete in the conference.
He runs a 4.4 40 and adjusts beautifully to the ball on pass routes, deftly slashing his way through the defense with exceptional vision. The running style is a little like Kenjon Barner, but Drew is such a versatile athlete he could wind up at running back, safety or slot receiver, and with his instincts, motor and desire he’d be a standout special teams player also.
Not getting much notice at a school that’s been down in football for a long time, Drew’s only now starting to get recruiting attention. He’s listed as a soft verbal to Cal, but the Ducks are interested. He’s the kind of smart, well-rounded athlete Chip Kelly loves to sign.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L1di7oBeULs
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
