Marcus Benjamin @_BenjaminReport
Getting scholarship offers for student-athletes is just one of the many fruits of labor produced by Football Hotbed. The National High School Football Showcase on MLK weekend provides a platform for the current freshman, juniors, and seniors to display their talent on a national stage and create relationships that can ultimately affect their future for years to come. The showcase included college visits to Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech and West Georgia. Two participants landed offers on the spot during their visits to two power five schools over the weekend. Defensive lineman Elijah Roberts (Columbus, FL) earned an offer from Georgia Tech and defensive back PJ O’ Brien (Deerfield Beach, FL) earned an offer from Georgia.
“When coach [from Georgia] offered me, it felt great,” said O’Brien. “I couldn’t explain the feeling, I so surprised. I couldn’t wait to post my offer.”
What Position You Play ? EVERYTHING COACH🗣💯 pic.twitter.com/xRkInqcJwG
— PHILLIP O’BRIEN JR™️ (@PhillipOjr) January 19, 2019
O’Brien also received offers from Louisville, Pittsburgh, Missouri and South Carolina. All were his first from power five schools. Since the sixth grade, O’Brien has worked with Football Hotbed and explains that the coaches played a significant part in his development.
“At every showcase, the coaches will get you there,” said O’Brien. “You might not get the offer you want or might not even have any, but every time I with Hotbed I work. You gotta be patient. It’s a process.”
Much was said about the competitive environment at the National Showcase in Atlanta, GA. The competition drove the young athletes to improve at their craft and show the country what they can do.
“It was nice to compete out there with good competition around the world,” said Roberts. “I loved the game. I wish I would have had four sacks, but I’ll settle for the two.”
Some coaches did their research before the athletes arrived on campus.
“He saw my game tape before I came up there because he knew were coming,” said Roberts said of Defensive Line Coach Larry Knight.
“We talked it up about life and how I’m doing in school and he asked if I’m interested in Georgia Tech and I said of course. Then they offered me right there.”
If Roberts chooses Georgia Tech he would be joining former high school teammate Kalani Norris who signed with the Yellow Jackets in December. Columbus teammates Henry Parrish and Xzavier Henderson were also participants in the junior game.
Parrish and Henderson both received offers from Oregon and Michigan this weekend. Henderson also added offers from Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Tech and FIU this week.
“Once I found out they were going I had to make it up there and share the experience with them.”
Roberts also holds offers from other power five schools such as University of Miami, Indiana, Michigan, Syracuse, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. Lesson learned at the National High School Football Showcase are life lessons to help produce greater men.
“All the coaches at Hotbed showed me how to be on and off the field,” said Roberts. “They showed me how to talk to coaches and be a better player, they were teaching everybody that throughout.”
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