Height: 5'10"
Offer sheet: Boston College, UConn, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, Toledo
Ross Douglas, commitment number two of the 2013 class, will help bring some much needed depth to Penn State's secondary. Douglas plays both ways in high school, getting time at both corner and running back. As a sophomore, Douglas broke off over 700 yards rushing on just over 100 carries for nine touchdowns, but it looks like he'll be concentrating on the defensive side of the ball once he gets to Penn State.
I'm not going to lie - this commitment is unexpected. Many figured there would be a domino effect after Christian Hackenberg's commitment earlier today, but Douglas was not one of the players I (or anyone else, really) thought would be one of them. Not that we're complaining - we're glad as hell to have him. Ross picked up his offer at Junior Day two weekends ago, and by the sounds of what he told Lions247 ($), he really enjoyed his experience in State College.
More from our very own Keith Platt:
Coach O’Brien has gotten the commitment of another Rivals 4-star football player, Ross Douglas of Avon, Ohio. Douglas stands 5’10" and weighs 180 lbs. He runs a 4.41 40 yard dash. However, and perhaps most importantly, Douglas currently maintains a 3.3 grade point average.
In high school, Douglas plays both RB and DB, but is projected to play corner in college. He is a cover corner, who likes to play about 7-10 yards off the ball. He does seem to have some challenges in jamming receivers coming off the line, which could cause problems with some of the bigger Big 10 receivers. However, Douglas has the speed to make up the difference and seems to be able to read the quarterback well enough to disrupt pass plays. In addition, and somewhat surprisingly, he is more than adequate at playing the run. He also could play some on the offensive side of the ball, as a 3rd down/wildcat type back, and potentially in the return game. No matter where he lines up, Douglas should prove to be an exciting playmaker who, based on his speed and playmaking ability, has the potential to change the game every time he is on the field.
Overall, today was a great day for Coach O’Brien. He managed to get a great QB and a playmaking cornerback. Add to that the fact that he beat out Nick Saban and Urban Meyer for two highly touted recruits on the same day and this does bode well for Coach O’Brien. If O’Brien is half as good on game day as he appears to be in the living room, the Valley should be Happy indeed.
Looks like the BOBtrain is starting to really get rolling. LEGGGOOOOOO
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