Last year's shortage of blue-chip football players quickly ended as the past season provided more than its share of major-college talent in the state of Washington. The Times' yearly appraisal of high-school seniors yielded 11 blue-chip players, the most since the survey began in 1985.
Last year's survey found only four blue chip players, the fewest since 1985.
"This is a great class," said Ron Siegel, who has made a lifelong hobby of analyzing in-state football talent. "Last year was the worst I can remember. It's gone from the bottom to the top. Next year's class is going to be a good one, too. Washington is on a roll."
Of this year's 11 blue-chip players, nine were named to Siegel's preseason all-state team.
Three blue chips - linebacker Jayson Bass, lineman Sekou Wiggs and receiver Charles Young - come from the same school, Seattle's O'Dea High School, which made its second consecutive Kingbowl appearance in December.
Four other players from King and Snohomish county made the blue-chip list: Franklin's Corey Dillon, Vashon's Jason Chorak, Lynnwood's Chris Campbell and Mariner's Shane Fortney.
The other blues: Aberdeen's Jason McEndoo, Sedro-Woolley's Cameron Cleeland, Gonzaga Prep's Justin Strand and Curtis' Yauger Williams.
Six blue chips already have made oral commitments to colleges. Bass, Cleeland (a defensive end) and Campbell (a linebacker) said they will play for Washington; McEndoo (a lineman) committed to Washington State; Strand (a running back) committed to Stanford; Williams (a lineman) committed to Cal.
Bass, also basketball and baseball player, needed only one visit to make up his mind. Cleeland and Campbell also gave early commitments, before the winter holiday.
Strand, McEndoo and Williams all visited Washington before deciding on other schools.
Fortney, the only blue-chip quarterback in the state, was the fourth-leading passer in Class AAA, throwing for more than 1,600 yards. He visited Oregon and Washington and is visiting Washington State this weekend.
Vashon's Chorak and O'Dea's Young have two of the most impressive recruiting lists in this year's group. Chorak, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end, has visited Washington, Cal and Texas and is visiting UCLA this weekend. He passed up chances to visit Michigan, Pitt, Nebraska, Arizona and Arizona State. Young, an honors student, has visited Washington, USC and Stanford. He will take trips to Cal and Notre Dame.
The depth of big-time talent goes beyond blue. Several Division I recruits may come from the red chip list.
Among the red chips who have visited Division I schools: Prosser's Randy Carter, North Thurston's Mike Sellers, Shadle Park's Shane Doyle (who made a commitment to Washington State), Franklin's Ed Raiford, Cascade's Terry Hollimon, Cascade's Jerry Jensen, O'Dea's Jovan McCoy, O'Dea's Kyle Roberts, Kamiakin's Kelly Pratt and Garfield's Tim Wilson.
Division I coaches are proving the hype over O'Dea's talent is valid. As many as five players from O'Dea will be playing Division I football next year. Several more are small-college material.
Feeling a little left out are the Prosser Mustangs, who beat O'Dea for the 1992 state championship. Only three Mustangs, Carter, Nick Shaw and Jared Walker, have been recruited to play college football next season. Walker will play for Ricks College in Idaho. Carter will visit Washington State. Shaw might visit Oregon.
"Whoever gets these guys will be getting an absolute steal," said Prosser Coach Tom Moore. "If all the O'Dea kids are playing Division I . . . I'm not very objective, but our kids are as quick as anybody. Beating O'Dea helped because people were questioning our competition."
Also failing to draw major-college attention despite significant high-school accomplishments was Puyallup quarterback Darren Erath, The Times' state player of the year. Because of his size, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Erath was not recruited by any Division I schools. He hopes to join former teammate Mario Casello at Idaho.
The one thing lacking in this year's blue-chip class is a superstar, like Lawyer Milloy or quarterback Damon Huard two years ago.
Siegel said Dillon would have been that one player from Washington that everybody wanted, if he had the grades.
Dillon has not made any visits, but Franklin Coach Joe Slye said Washington State, Cal, Oregon and Oregon State are interested in setting up visits for Dillon. --------------------------------------------------------------- washington's top 100
The Times rates the state's top college-football prospects:
BLUE CHIPS
Potential major-college stars:
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. High school --------------------------------------------------------------- Jayson Bass LB 6-3 205 O'Dea. . Chris Campbell LB 6-1 215 Lynnwood. . Jason Chorak DL 6-5 240 Vashon. . Cameron Cleeland TE/DE 6-5 240 Sedro Woolley. . Corey Dillon RB/LB 6-2 190 Franklin. . Shane Fortney QB 6-3 195 Mariner. . Jason McEndoo OL 6-6 270 Aberdeen. . Justin Strand RB/LB 6-1 205 Gonzaga Prep. . Sekou Wiggs OL 6-5 245 O'Dea. . Yauger Williams OL 6-6 265 Curtis. . Charles Young WR 6-1 190 O'Dea. . . RED CHIPS .
Possible Pac-10, definite Big Sky Conference material:. ---------------------------------------------------------------. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. High school. . Brett Angel OL 6-1 305 Eisenhower. . Andy Burrill QB 6-3 200 Anacortes . . Randy Carter RB/LB 6-0 190 Prosser. . Cameron Curry OL 6-5 220 Auburn. . Shane Doyle LB 6-3 215 Shadle Park. . Eric Edwards DB 6-1 185 Pasco . . Adrian Eggleston DE 6-4 225 Bellevue. . Kelly Hansen LB 6-3 225 Puyallup. . Vake Helu OL 6-1 275 Franklin. . Travis Henry DB 5-11 180 Federal Way. . Terry Holliman RB/DB 5-9 185 Cascade . . Jerry Jensen RB/LB 6-2 200 Cascade. . Nate McAtee DE 6-5 225 Newport. . Jovan McCoy DB 5-9 180 O'Dea. . Shawn McWashington QB 5-11 180 Garfield. . Milt Meyers WR 6-1 185 Mariner . . John Miller OL 6-3 260 Franklin. . Scott Monroe LB 6-0 230 Bellevue. . Washington Mosei OL 6-3 317 Cleveland. . Kevin Peterson OL 6-2 240 South Kitsap. . Kelly Pratt QB/DB 6-3 190 Kamiakin . . Ed Raiford TE 6-3 225 Franklin. . Eddie Rhone LB 6-3 230 Pasco . . Kyle Roberts DB 5-11 185 O'Dea . . Mike Sellers RB/LB 6-2 230 North Thurston. . Nick Shaw DB 5-11 185 Prosser. . Derek Strey LB 6-2 200 South Kitsap. . Andre Taylor DB 5-9 200 Hale . . Mike Warner TE 6-3 220 Kennewick. . Al Wells DL 6-6 235 Garfield. . Tim Wilson LB 6-2 230 Garfield. . Scott Yakovich DL 6-4 220 Timberline. . . WHITE CHIPS .
Mostly small-college potential but some can surprise at major schools:. . . Player Pos. Ht. Wt. High school. . Jensen Allsop DL 6-0 220 Mercer Island. . Matt Banks QB/DB 6-2 180 Redmond . . Brett Bellinger PK/RB 6-0 185 Lewis & Clark. . Josh Blake LB 6-0 200 Bellevue . . Paul Breckenridge QB 6-1 180 Inglemoor. . Brian Brennan QB/P 6-5 190 North Thurston. . Brad Callan OL 6-4 240 Bellevue. . Jason Cetina OL 6-1 220 Fife . . Ken Chard OL 6-2 255 Prairie . . Jeff Conlon WR/P 5-10 170 Issaquah. . Ricky Danley RB/DB 5-9 170 Puyallup . . Chris Doelman QB 6-1 190 Tumwater . . Marco Emerson QB 6-0 170 Stanwood . . Darren Erath QB 6-0 170 Puyallup . . Gary Fleming RB 5-8 165 Shelton . . Lonnie Franklin TE/DE 6-3 190 O'Dea . . Brian Gahan DL 6-0 205 Burlington-Edison. . Pat Green RB/LB 6-2 210 Lake Washington. . Justin Guillroy LB 6-0 205 Curtis . . Jeff Haggard LB 6-0 185 Bellevue . . Matt Hale QB 5-11 170 Mercer Island. . Ty Harrison DB/WR 6-1 150 Meridian . . Saul Heikkila LB 6-1 200 Aberdeen . . Dan Hicks RB/DB 5-11 190 Tumwater . . Erik Highland RB/DB 5-10 170 Tolt . . Chris Hixson QB/DB 6-0 190 Bellevue . . Brandon Jackson LB 6-2 200 Columbia River. . Mike Jackson OL 6-4 235 Meadowdale. . James Jackson RB/DB 5-10 170 O'Dea. . Grover Johnson RB 6-0 190 South Kitsap. . Tom Jones RB 6-1 215 Redmond. . Bryan Kirkwood LB 5-11 185 Interlake. . Denny Kirkwood RB 6-0 185 Interlake. . Mac Kirschner OL 6-3 240 O'Dea . . Mike Lewis DB 6-0 200 Bellevue . . Kevin Lombardo DB 5-7 145 Newport . . Jason Marr WR 5-10 170 Mercer Island. . Leon Mayatte DB 6-3 190 South Kitsap . . Brett McDaniel WR 6-0 170 Puyallup . . Ryan McGowan WR 5-11 180 Juanita . . Troy McNaughton DB 6-0 180 Curtis . . Aaron Messenger LB 6-0 220 Peninsula. . Scott Morgan LB 6-1 225 Mount Vernon. . Robert Morris RB/DB 5-10 170 Ballard . . Todd Nelson LB 6-4 210 Hazen . . Justin Olson RB/DB 5-11 180 Enumclaw . . Mike Owings LB 6-1 190 Fort Vancouver. . Mike Radvick DL 6-0 225 Woodinville . . Chris Rigoni DE 6-4 213 Kennedy . . Omari Salisbury DL 6-3 245 Garfield . . Chris Scott OL 6-4 230 Wenatchee . . Gary Shavey LB 6-2 200 Mercer Island. . Brian Sherick QB 6-0 180 University . . Cory Solomon DL 6-3 231 Mead . . Jared Walker WR 6-1 170 Prosser . . Darin Wilburn QB/DB 6-0 175 West Valley . . Josh Wyrick LB 6-2 170 Eisenhower . . . -Hugo Kugiya.
