|
Mountlake Terrace High School isn’t known for producing top recruits, but that is all about to change as one of the top recruits in the Evergreen State’s 2014 recruiting class will be LB/RB Devante Downs. The talented two-way star hit the camp circuit earlier this month, and impressed so much that he has plenty of scouting eyes on him already.
“I love to play running back, but I like defense too,” Downs told Northwest Elite Index recently. “If I have my choice, it’s going to be running back because I really love to have the ball in my hands. I have a good mix between power and finesse, and I feel like I’m only getting better.”
As a freshman back in 2010, Downs started on both sides of the ball for Mountlake Terrace and this past fall, the 6’2, 237-pounder rushed for over 800 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, while also racking up over 90 tackles and two forced fumbles from his linebacker position.
“I’ve been working a lot on my speed this summer,” Downs said. “I’m with a personal trainer a lot and we just work on speed drills, footwork, getting my strength up and just overall getting me ready physically to be where I need to be.”
On the recruiting front, Downs who will only be a junior this fall, already has schools from all over showing him attention including Washington, Oregon State, Stanford, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Oregon among others.
“I don’t have any offers yet, but I’m hoping that changes soon,” Downs noted. “I had a good camp down at Oregon (the NFTC camp there) and I’ll be going to Washington Rising Stars Camp this week. I was also at Washington’s camp last year and I’ll also be with my team at our team camp at Central Washington too.”
Downs is a legit candidate to be the top recruit in the state of Washington in the 2014 class, but he will have to battle the likes of players like Bellevue RB/DB Bishard “Buddah” Baker for that honor. With his size, speed, instincts and toughness, Downs is a player to keep an eye on the rest of this summer and during the fall as he gets further into the recruiting process.
Devante Downs Freshman Highlights (2010) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5c2X0Tfs2w
