Monday, December 31, 2012
2014 CB Adarius Pickett works for future
By Mason Kelley
EL CERRITO, Calif. -- For Adarius Pickett, football season never truly ends.
Sure, El Cerrito (Calif.) High School played its final game of the season in early December, but the 5-foot-11, 172-pound junior cornerback is already working toward the future.
The desire to improve and erase the feeling of a 31-28 loss to Kentfield (Calif.) Marin Catholic in the CIF North Coast Section Division III championship game continues to push the 2014 prospect.
“We were really hurt,” Pickett said. “We know we’ve got to get ready for next season right now. We don’t want to feel that loss again. We don’t want to have any losses next year.”
The Gauchos are already showing up for morning workouts. As one of the team’s leaders, Pickett is usually one of the first to arrive.
“I’m just getting prepared for college, for the next level,” he said. “I’m trying to get better every day.”
Pickett is one of three El Cerrito junior standouts who are already receiving serious Division I interest. Alongside D.J. Calhoun, a linebacker, and Jalen Harvey, a receiver, Pickett has already been playing at a high level for several seasons.
“I don’t like to use the term dog too often to refer to a person but, when I think about them, they’ve been playing like big dogs since they were puppies,” Gauchos coach Kenny Kahn said.
Pickett played so well as a sophomore he earned a scholarship offer from Utah. He has since added offers from Cal and Arizona State. He is receiving interest throughout the Pac-12 -- he mentioned Washington and Oregon -- in addition to catching the attention of several schools in the SEC.
He said that, right now, he is taking a close look at each program that contacts him.
“Growing up I always just looked at football,” he said. “I love football. I never just paid attention to one school. I paid attention to everybody. All of these schools coming along, it’s just a dream to have them.”
During the season, Pickett spends a lot of time in press coverage, so he focuses a lot of his work in the weight room on improving his upper body, while also spending time on his technique.
“There’s no question Adarius is a shutdown corner,” Kahn said. “When you put him on offense, he’s an excellent receiver/running back. He can take a direct handoff. He can get in space and catch a ball. He’s just an overall athlete.”
