ESPN Recruiting Nation Football

When an assistant coach makes the rounds at area high schools, he might make five or more stops that day. That was not the case with Reggie Mitchell when it came to East St. Louis (Ill.) High.

It paid big dividends, too, as the Kansas assistant coach helped land ESPN 150 outside linebacker Kyron Watson on Tuesday.

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FRISCO, Texas -- Soso Jamabo (Plano, Texas/Plano West) would have liked to be a part of this weekend’s Nike EYBL series playing with the Texas Titans. With a sling on his right shoulder, however, the 2015 two-sport star was reduced to watching the Titans on the bench, offering instruction to teammates and being the team’s biggest supporter.

For the rest of the spring and most of the summer, Jamabo’s focus will be on rehabbing after undergoing shoulder surgery on April 30. Jamabo broke some bones and damaged some ligaments in his shoulder during a Texas Class 5A Division-I state quarterfinal playoff. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete is expected to miss 6-10 weeks but is projected to return a couple of weeks before Plano West’s first scrimmage in August.

“It’s early in the process, but it’s going well,” Jamabo said of the rehab process. “I’m just trying to get the shoulder back to usual, if not better. Right now, I’m just doing basic stuff and keep everything as minimal as possible.”

Exactly what kind of football player will Plano West look to see back on the field? Jamabo’s first rush as a varsity player was against Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus on Aug. 31. It went for 12 yards. His second rush: A 75-yard touchdown run.

Since then, Soso has been ... well ... anything but.

Only the shoulder injury managed to slow the electrifying 2015 running back down. He rushed for a team-leading 1,697 yards and 24 touchdowns and also caught 20 passes for 453 yards -- an average of almost 23 yards per catch -- and four touchdowns. On the basketball court, Jamabo averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 11 games.

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OLB Daylon Tarkington
Vital stats: 2014 / Fort Worth (Texas) Trimble Tech / 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Considering: Interest from Arizona, Michigan, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah, Yale
Where you saw him: Next Level Athlete South DFW Video Showcase
What impressed: For a player recovering from a broken leg, Tarkington’s lateral movement and immediate burst were something to watch. Tarkington showed that he is 100 percent and ready to make some noise.
Why you should keep an eye out for him: Last season was supposed to be a coming-out party for Tarkington, but the injury set him back. This spring and summer should be his time to shine.

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ESPN 150 offensive tackle Roderick Johnson (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) had his spring game invitations this past week. His mind, however, is focused on helping his track and field team get as many accolades as possible.

Johnson is a thrower for Hazelwood Central, and while interested schools such as Missouri and Arkansas held spring games on Saturday, he was participating in a track meet in Kansas.

“We had a meet at KU. It was my first time going,” Johnson said. “It was a good experience.

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ESPN Watch List offensive guard D.J. Foster (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast) has been laying low in recent weeks, focusing on improving as a player and taking a closer look at the options he currently has.

A player knocking on double-digit offers, Foster said he doesn’t have plans on making an immediate decision regarding his college future. Foster has offers from Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska, among others, and he said other top programs are showing heavy interest.

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The Elite 11 regional competition is scheduled to make a stop May 17 in San Francisco. Quarterback Manny Wilkins (Novato, Calif./San Marin) couldn’t wait that long.

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Tales From the Road spotlights players who stand out to RecruitingNation writers at camps, combines and various events. Here is a look at a few Midwest prospects who recently performed at a high level:

DE Jashon Cornell
Vital stats: (2015 / Saint Paul Cretin-Derham Hall / 6-foot-4, 225 pounds
Considering: Offers from Iowa, Minnesota and Rutgers

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The Twitter account for Myles Garrett (Arlington, Texas/Martin) tells half truth.

Garrett’s bio reads, “The big silly guy who plays football? Yea thats me,” and those who know Garrett know he enjoys to laugh and joke around. What the Twitter page doesn’t tell is just how athletically gifted the ESPN Watch List defensive end is. In fact, in addition to being the silly guy, friends have a nickname for him that seems to fit.

“They call me Superman,” Garrett said. “I guess it’s cool. It makes me laugh.”

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As far as unofficial visits go, Ohio State hit a home run on Monday.

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For ESPN Watch List athlete Christian McCaffrey (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Valor Christian), there’s literally no such thing as an off day. Spring break is included.

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Watch List offensive tackle Andy Bauer (St. Louis/De Smet) works hard for everything he gets, but he doesn’t ask for much in return. There are only a couple of things he wants before he graduates next year.

A state championship would be nice. All-state recognition would serve as an added bonus. A college scholarship also would be a dream come true -- even though, with a list nearing 40 offers, that dream will become a reality in time.

One thing that Bauer has wanted is an invitation to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, and on Tuesday, the 6-foot-6, 304-pound tackle had his wish granted. Bauer received the invitation and happily accepted, and he’ll be a part of the 2014 edition of the prestigious all-star game.

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A familiar tune blared from the speakers immediately after Brandon Simmons (Arlington, Texas/Timberview) stepped into his father’s car on Sunday, an indication that the ESPN Watch List safety had just landed yet another scholarship offer.

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It won’t be much of a break for Braden Smith (Olathe, Kan./Olathe) in a few weeks.

Then again, one of the most sought-after offensive guards in the nation wants to make sure he’s making the right choice when it comes to colleges.

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With more than 20 offers on the table, ESPN Watch List safety Jamal Adams (Carrollton, Texas/Hebron) ultimately will have to make a big decision.

That decision became even more complex on Wednesday when Adams picked up an offer from Oregon, his 21^st overall and fourth from the Pac-12. The 6-foot, 195-pound safety is taking his time with the process, but he said Oregon is a major pickup for him.

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