Huskers get big offensive lineman
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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
It’s difficult to imagine a 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive tackle slipping through any crack, but Marcel Jones apparently managed the feat.
Generally overlooked by the vast majority of big-time college programs, Jones received a large dose of recruiting attention from Nebraska, leading to the player’s oral commitment to join the Huskers’ class of 2007.
Jones, a standout at Trevor G. Browne High School in Phoenix, becomes the 27th player known to have pledged to Nebraska’s 2007 class, and the first offensive lineman. The Huskers’ recruiting class has ascended to No. 5 nationally in Scout.com’s team rankings and No. 8 in Rivals.com’s ratings.
“I think Marcel slipped through the cracks,” said Trevor G. Browne head coach Randy Ricedorff, whose Bruins finished 2-8 this season. “I think the whole world would’ve been recruiting him if we would’ve won 10 games.”
As it stands, Jones has two scholarship offers beside Nebraska’s — from Arizona State and Oregon State. It didn’t help matters that Jones missed his entire junior season because of a ruptured appendix.
Also, Jones’ development was slowed by a stress fracture in his leg that flared up near the end of his sophomore season, requiring him to wear a walking cast.
“He’s been tested by adversity and overcame it,” Ricedorff said. “He kept battling. He never stopped working hard. He’s proven he can work through the lows in life.”
Jones is rated as a three-star prospect on a five-star scale by both Scout.com and Rivals.com. Scout.com ranks him as the nation’s No. 59 offensive tackle.
In addition to his prowess on the gridiron, Jones also is the starting center on a Trevor G. Browne basketball team that has a 5-1 record.
“He moves his feet well,” Ricedorff said. “He’s a good football player right now, but he’s going to be great. I’ve really never seen a kid with this much athletic talent. You add in his work ethic and attitude, and the sky’s the limit for this kid.”
Trevor G. Browne athletic director Reynaldo Peru, a former starting defensive lineman at Arizona State, said Nebraska assistants Bill Busch, Dennis Wagner and Ted Gilmore made a strong recruiting push for Jones in the past month.
“With Marcel’s size, you would think more people would want to learn about him,” Peru said.
Nebraska’s 2006 recruiting class featured four offensive linemen — Cruz Barrett, D.J. Jones, Carl Nicks and Keith Williams. The Huskers this year are known to have strong interest in Jaivorio Burkes of Moon Valley High in Phoenix, rated as the nation’s No. 7 guard by Rivals.com.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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