High school football: Springfield receivers catching college coaches’ attention

Brown, a four-star prospect at rivals.com and a three-star in 247Sports Composite rankings for the class of 2023, was already on the radar before the NCAA lifted the recruiting dead period in June.

Being the younger brother of a Division I player (Mike Brown-Stephens, who will be a sophomore at Minnesota this fall) helps, as does having great speed and quickness.

He led the Wildcats in catches (40) and receiving yards (829) last season then started collecting major-college offers in the spring.

Brown, who was listed at 5-foot-10, 160 on last year’s roster, started June by visiting Ohio State.

He went back to Columbus again two weeks later to work out more closely with receivers coach Brian Hartline and try his hand at returning punts.

Although the latter could have gone better — he said he dropped three — making the trip showed an interest in going the extra mile to get an Ohio State offer.

“I’m just learning,” he said. “I learned a lot. I had really never been taught how to catch punts. I learned how to come in and out of my breaks (as a receiver). I learned a few things.”

He did not get that OSU offer yet, but he still saw some benefits from his visits to Ohio State and the inevitable media exposure that came out as a result.

“The videos and the stories that were posted showed my true speed and explosiveness, so that gave coaches a chance to see what they didn’t see during my season,” Brown said.

During June, he picked up offers from West Virginia, Maryland, Syracuse, Penn State and Purdue.

He identified three Big Ten schools — PSU, Minnesota and Purdue — as recruiting him the heaviest at this point but said he is not in a hurry to make a commitment.

“Penn State has been kind of heavy on me,” Brown said. “Purdue took a big leap with their offer. Minnesota I talk to once every week. Those are the schools keeping in touch.”

As for the home-state Big Ten team, Brown said the message was to be patience.

“Coach Hartline after the camp was telling me he is recruiting me like he wants me, so…” Brown said before trailing off.

Of more immediate concern now is his junior season at Springfield.

The Wildcats are bona fide state title contenders after going out in the semifinals the last two seasons.

“Now that camps are over I can finally focus on getting back with my team,” Brown said. “We’re just outside grinding every day. Hopefully that will get us where we need to be.

“Teamwork is a big thing. If we all come together as a team, then I feel like we’re unstoppable.”

Springfield’s No. 2 returning receiver also had a productive June, but he’s just getting started when it comes to football recruiting.

Although Shawn Thigpen has played the sport since second grade, he’s often been regarded as more of a basketball prospect.

That’s part of the territory when one is 6-foot-4, 170 pounds and the son of a basketball coach.

He called football his first love, though, and there is some indication the sport is starting to love him back in the form of attention from major colleges.

He visited Ohio State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Eastern Kentucky in June with plans to also see Miami University in Oxford.

Although he does not have a star rating yet, he does have a pair of scholarship offers — Kentucky and Toledo — and said Ohio State coaches have invited him to visit for a game this fall. So has Cincinnati.

After catching 19 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns last fall, he could be in line for big numbers this season lining up opposite Brown and playing with standout senior quarterback Te’Sean Smoot.

“This year has to be I think a breakout year,” Thigpen said. “Last year I did pretty well, but this year I’ve really got to show the coaches what I can do.

“Football has been my favorite sport, but people told me they think I’d be better at basketball. I told them no I really want to be a football player.”