Hargreaves, McQuay, Sherit make Rivals 100 list

Posted Feb 8, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 8, 2012 at 04:44 PM

And just like that, the college football recruiting engine has cranked up again.

Rivals.com helped kick-start that ever-growing, seemingly unstoppable snow ball today with the release of its top 100 prospects for the class of 2013. As subjective as it may be, making this list is a sure-fire way to attract attention. And after jumping to the No. 10 spot on the list, Wharton defensive back Vernon Hargreaves was taken aside by head coach David Mitchell today and given a little talk.

“I told him there’s no pressure on you because you’re the car everyone wants to buy,” Mitchell said. “I told him he just needs to take care of himself in school, do the right things out of school, work hard and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

“He needs to take all of his (official college recruiting) visits and don’t rush it. And I think with his dad being a (University of South Florida) coach (Bulls special tams coordinator and defensive ends coach Vernon Hargreaves), I think he will do just fine with the recruiting.”

The younger Hargreaves is only 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, but Mitchell says he is “the real deal.” It’s not just Hargreaves’ ability to play the defensive secondary, it’s his total athletic ability. Hargreaves can play nearly any position on the field and last season saw duty at quarterback when starter Chase Litton went down with an injury.

Hargreaves already has offers from all the major schools in Florida, along with Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Purdue and Virginia. Mitchell says his mailbox at school is overflowing with colleges sending letters of interest in Hargreaves. Mitchell says Hargreaves also already has invitations from the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-America Game.

Speaking of athletic, Armwood’s Leon McQuay III and Hillsborough’s Jordan Sherit also made the Rivals 100. McQuay, a defensive back/safety who returned an interception for a touchdown in the Hawks’ state championship win over Miami Central, is No. 32 on the list while Sherit, who recorded more than 100 tackles last fall at defensive end for the Terriers, is No. 76.

Both McQuay and Sherit also have more than a dozen offers from major Division-I football programs. And like Hargreaves, the schools lining up for their services on the football field.

The bonus for the schools recruiting these players is they are all solid students. Sherit is in Hillsborough’s International Baccalaureate program while both McQuay and Hargreaves are honor roll students.