Prep football: DePriest could roll with ’Bama

Crimson Tide one of many major schools after linebacker DePriest.

Trey DePriest

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Brian Plasters, Staff Writer 10:47 PM Wednesday, January 6, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Most colleges send football scholarship offers over the fax machine. Alabama’s offer to Springfield High School’s Trey DePriest arrived through the mail on 8½-by-11 glossy paper, unbent and unblemished.

Maybe that’s why the Crimson Tide are playing in the Bowl Championship Series title game at 8:30 p.m. today, Jan. 7, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. More likely, it’s the players.

Some day, it might be DePriest playing in front of a national audience for a national title. Right now, he’s just looking for a good seat when Alabama plays Texas for the national title.

He might watch at home, on his couch. Or he might head to a local restaurant, where there’s a deal on boneless wings.

DePriest, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior, has scholarship offers to play football from several major universities, including Alabama. Sal Sunseri, an assistant head coach and linebackers coach at Alabama, has visited Springfield to speak with DePriest.

Alabama offered DePriest a scholarship in December. They sent two glossies — one to his home, and another to head coach Rick Robertson at the school.

“The way they did it was luxury,” DePriest said.

No, he hasn’t made a decision about where he’s going, and he said the outcome of this game won’t be the deciding factor, either.

“You’re talking about a team that is one of the best in the nation. Whether he takes it or not, it’s still a great offer,” Robertson said.

The recruiting trail hit a new peak last week when DePriest attended the Under Armour All-America Combine in Orlando, Fla., an invitation-only event. He bench-pressed 185 pounds 28 times, posted a 32-inch vertical jump, and performed well in a 7-on-7 drill.

DePriest was described as a “major standout” by The Detroit News and a “national target” by ESPN. He’s already committed to the 2011 Under Armour All-America Game, another invitation-only event played by national recruits.

DePriest has two other offers from schools that played in BCS bowls this year, Ohio State and Cincinnati, and 16 offers overall.

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