[NOTE: Dan Albano’s weekly football recruiting notebook will run each Saturday leading up to National Signing Day on Feb. 4. If you have recruiting news to report, please email it to dalbano@ocregister.com]
Servite wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown used the same word to describe his recruiting that others have picked when pondering his college future.
“I’ll be a mystery,” St. Brown said with a hint of a smile this week.
If there is a “mystery” man in Orange County’s recruiting class for 2015, it’s St. Brown, a gifted, 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior who is arguably the top uncommitted recruit in the area.
St. Brown appears to have the physical abilities and the grades of a blue-chip prospect, but his recruiting case appears far from solved as the Feb. 4 National Signing Day approaches.
UPDATED: O.C. commitment lists
St. Brown has made official recruiting trips to Notre Dame (October) and Utah (early November) and also lists Stanford, USC and Washington State as among his schools of interest.
But when it comes to narrowing his list to finalists, he said he hasn’t made any cuts.
St. Brown, who holds a 3.9 career grade-point average, has been admitted to Stanford but doesn’t have plans to visit the school before signing day.
He said he probably won’t make any more official visits, a decision that could add to the mystery about his recruiting.
For now, St. Brown said it’s safe to call his recruiting wide open heading down the stretch.
“I’m fine. … We’ll see on signing day,” he said. “There’s really not that much pressure. I think I’m going to make the right decision.”
For a player whose first name was reportedly inspired by the word equanimity, or composure, St. Brown’s mood on recruiting is perhaps fitting.
St. Brown said his parents are his biggest source of support in the recruiting process, which can be tricky to navigate.
He said only Utah asked him to evaluate his senior season. After a promising showing at an elite Nike 7-on-7 passing tournament during the summer, the county’s top-rated receiver finished 2014 with 32 receptions for 485 yards and four TDs while playing with quarterback Travis Waller (Oregon).
As a junior, St. Brown finished with 41 receptions for 706 yards, including 139 yards in a playoff game against Alemany of Mission Hills, and earned third-team All-County honors.
St. Brown battled hamstring issues as a senior but told Utah that he could have played better.
“I think I could have put more effort in,” he said.
St. Brown said he also got caught in some preseason “drama” at school. He said the incident made him a better teammate and he is driven to improve as a player in college.
“I’m thinking about doing big things in college, playing as a freshman,” he said. “I need to stay focused. A lot of things can get in your head.”
Teammate Kameron Dennis, a senior cornerback, said St. Brown showed “glimpses” of his ability at Servite, but there’s more to see once the mystery of his college decision lifts.
“Whatever (school) he goes to, he’s going to fit in,” Dennis said. “He’s a playmaker.”
SERVITE NOTES
St. Brown said his brother, sophomore receiver Osiris St. Brown, has been offered by Washington State, Utah, Illinois and Texas Tech. …
Servite cornerback Maurice Davison (5-9, 170), a two-time first-team All-County selection, is at Eastern Washington this weekend for his first official visit. …
Dennis (5-11, 190) has made an official visit to Navy and plans to take a trip to Northern Colorado next weekend.
WEEKEND TRIPS
Buena Park wide receiver/defensive back Jaylinn Hawkins is visiting Boise State this weekend, not Oregon as previously planned, Coyotes coach Anthony White said. “Just changed (Thursday),” White said. …
Huntington Beach offensive tackle Quinn Hudak (6-8, 275) is visiting Nevada this weekend, Oilers coach Eric Lo said. …
Tustin receiver/safety George Wilson planned to visit Utah this weekend and Boise State next weekend. The senior is a “soft verbal” commitment for the Utes. Wilson also has visited Washington State and San Jose State and received interest from UCLA. …
Mission Viejo offensive lineman Jake Bland (6-2, 270) is visiting Division II Merrimack this weekend, Diablos coach Bob Johnson said. The school in Massachusetts also is recruiting Mater Dei offensive lineman Alex Losoya. …
Tesoro receiver Jake Smeltzer is visiting Cal Poly SLO this weekend, Titans coach Matt Poston said.
NOTES
All-County offensive lineman Austin Maihen of Santa Margarita has switched his commitment from Washington State to Stanford. … Santa Margarita linebacker Grady Higgins, a second-team All-County pick, has committed to Boston College as a preferred walk-on. “BC has always been my top choice,” he said. … Los Alamitos running back/linebacker Denzal Brantley is planning to visit Idaho next weekend, Griffins coach John Barnes said. … Mission Viejo receiver Connor Hill has been offered by Penn.
Send your recruiting news to dalbano@ocregister.com.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
