Raymond Sanders 2010 RB(UK commit)

[dwukfan1]

http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/64/643076.jpg
"I'm committed to Kentucky," Raymond Sanders (http://kentucky.scout.com/a.z?s=48&p=8&c=1&nid=4185360) reported. The 5'7, 170-lb back picked the Wildcats over offers from East Carolina (http://eastcarolina.scout.com/), Marshall (http://marshall.scout.com/), Toledo (http://toledo.scout.com/) and many others, in addition to interest from schools like Alabama (http://alabama.scout.com/).

[The Hack]

Welcome to the Big Blue, Raymond. You will never regret your choice!!

[UKFBFAN]

I just watched the video on Kentucky.Scout.com. His running ability is amazing. If you see it, be sure to enjoy the blocks. I'm sure Raymond did. Size; Can he carry more weight and might he grow taller? I always worry about the durability of a small player. I can easily see why we recruited him.

http://kentucky.scout.com/2/884117.html

[gerntz]

Mark Higgs did OK at 5'4" & about 185.

[The Hack]

I think Higgs was listed at 5' 6', small in any case.

[dwukfan1]

I just watched the video on Kentucky.Scout.com. His running ability is amazing. If you see it, be sure to enjoy the blocks. I'm sure Raymond did. Size; Can he carry more weight and might he grow taller? I always worry about the durability of a small player. I can easily see why we recruited him.

http://kentucky.scout.com/2/884117.html
Yeah the way he cuts back and jukes other players out is amazing.:icon_biggrin:

[SBCatMan]

Well, the good news is that he will proabably put on 20 pounds before he hits the field as a redshirt freshman in 2011. And, he certainly runs with a lot of determination and shows good speed. However, if you have seen his video, he had better forget about all that dancing he does. He will never get away with that on the collegiate level and certainly not in the SEC.

Still, a BIG welcome to the Big Blue.

[dwukfan1]

Well, the good news is that he will proabably put on 20 pounds before he hits the field as a redshirt freshman in 2011. And, he certainly runs with a lot of determination and shows good speed. However, if you have seen his video, he had better forget about all that dancing he does. He will never get away with that on the collegiate level and certainly not in the SEC.

Still, a BIG welcome to the Big Blue.

Yeah your probably right he wont get away with the dancing but he does get to the corner well and can break tackles but wont break many in the SEC.

[gerntz]

I think Higgs was listed at 5' 6', small in any case.

List him that tall they can. In reality in high heels, maybe.

[Watchtower]

He reminds me of Higgs. Higgs only had 4.6 speed and was small in height. He had game speed that was faster than the 4.6 or so it seemed. When a player is this small, he usually will play RB or WR. I can't see him on the other side of the ball. The WRs of today are tall and fast. It would be hard for a short guy to defend them. I am glad we got this commitment. I like those small guys who can hide behind the line and then pop one loose. :big_grin:

I can't believe this kid hasn't been rated. If The OSU was looking at him, he would be a 5 Star.

[The Hack]

If Alamama offers in spite of our verbal, he goes high 3 star. If he switches to Bama, he goes 4 star.

I would guess that Rivals puts him at a middling to high 2 star, soon.

Although this kid is not one of the 4-stars, he was offered, apparently, at the same time as them, early this summer. He is a "first cut" offeree, and I suspect the coaching staff is very pleased, as they have extended offers a bit more judiciously, this year.

[UKFBFAN]

If Alamama offers in spite of our verbal, he goes high 3 star. If he switches to Bama, he goes 4 star.

I would guess that Rivals puts him at a middling to high 2 star, soon.

Although this kid is not one of the 4-stars, he was offered, apparently, at the same time as them, early this summer. He is a "first cut" offeree, and I suspect the coaching staff is very pleased, as they have extended offers a bit more judiciously, this year.

Yes, with our, "Save a few scholarships," attitude this year, he must really show promise.

[poodoo]

A BIG BLUE WELCOME goes out to Mr. Sanders. :)

[dwukfan1]

Just to put this out there he goes to the same high school ej adams went to.

[PeachtreeCat]

If you are not going to BBM, a good chance to catch a view of one of our commitments from GA. His team is playing on ESPNU tonite at 6 PM. Alot of signees on both sides of the field. Should be a great game.

* * * * * * *

Stephenson and M.L. King will play for first place in their region in a nationally televised game Friday night at Hallford Stadium in front of a crowd that is expected to exceed 10,000.

Here are five reasons it’s considered the game of the week in metro Atlanta:
The teams: Stephenson is 6-0 and ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAA. M.L. King is 5-0 and ranked No. 8. Both have won region titles and averaged nine or more wins during the past five years. "It's even across the board," Stephenson coach Ron Gartrell says. "We carry a little more size than they do on the offensive line against their defensive line. That's going to be the issue of the game, which interior line decides they want to take over the game."
The players: Stephenson will have five Division I-A signees from this class. They are linebacker Tyrone Cornelius (committed to Miami), defensive backs Chris Sharpe (Louisville) and Kenneth Ladler (Vanderbilt), running back Raymond Sanders (Kentucky) and defensive tackle Michael Thornton (more than 30 offers). M.L. King has the state's top-rated running back in Mack Brown (Florida) and seven others with offers from smaller colleges. Stephenson has 32 alumni on college rosters this season, 11 in Division I-A. M.L. King has 21 alumni on college rosters, eight in Division I-A.
The stakes: One or the other has won Region 2-AAAAA each of the past four seasons. "I'm not taking anything from Union Grove [the other undefeated team in the region], but it usually comes down to our ball game," M.L. King coach Corey Jarvis says. "This rivalry is about who wants to be the best in region.’’
The exposure: ESPNU will have four trucks for a nationally televised game that will reach millions of viewers. "It's something that kids and parents will look back on several years from now," Gartrell says. "There will be lots of VCRs rolling."
http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/five-reasons-why-stephenson-163816.html

[SBCatMan]

I am watching this game as I get ready to head out to do a show tonight. Raymond Sanders -- WOW!!!! Had a nice run -- 26 yards, and then scored on a 20-some yard run where he broke tacklers and stiff-armed defenders. The folks on ESPNU had a lot of nice things to say about Sanders AND UK.

We got us a good one.

[Catdaddy]

I hope ESPNU replays this game, I would like to watch him play,

I havn't seen him since he played XRAy in the disney movie Holes

[wizard]

he was making catches out of the backfield too. ran well both between the tackels and outside. he is low to the ground but can get so air under him too.

[poodoo]

I am watching this game as I get ready to head out to do a show tonight. Raymond Sanders -- WOW!!!! Had a nice run -- 26 yards, and then scored on a 20-some yard run where he broke tacklers and stiff-armed defenders. The folks on ESPNU had a lot of nice things to say about Sanders AND UK.

We got us a good one.

Thanks for sharing, SBCatMan, and I certainly LIKE what I read here. :icon_biggrin:

[teamchemistry09]

Was it just me or was he on Sportscenters Top 10 this morning

[JDHoss]

Good speed...good hands....he's got that natual ability to make people miss....runs with more power than you'd expect from a guy his size. I'm guessing he's closer to 5'7 than 5'9, and IMO he's going to put on an additional 10 lb that would make him around 190.....well....5'7 190 ain't that small....excellent pickup by this staff.

[PeachtreeCat]

Here is how he ended up:

Stephenson running back Raymond Sanders, a Kentucky commitment, ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Stephenson also spoiled M.L. King’s homecoming activities with 294 yards on offense, 168 from Sanders alone. He bounced off two tacklers and scored from 21 yards out to put the Jaguars ahead 7-0 in the first quarter. He ran four times for 53 yards and caught a 19-yard pass from Tarver in the 9-play, 81-yard drive.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/stephenson-defense-thwarts-m-165011.html

As a side note, Coach Lame Kiffin flew in on his chopper to attend the game.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/tennessee-s-lane-kiffin-165330.html

[RV]

He's now rated a 3 star on Rivals.

RIVALS (http://rivals.yahoo.com/kentucky/football/recruiting/player-Raymond-Sanders-84733)

[The Hack]

RV we've all complained that recruits in the past have dropped in ratings after commiting to us, but the last two recruiting classes have seen as many or more rise after their commitment to us.
-
Obviously, his MONSTER game helped, but I suspect the folks who do the rankings at Scout and Rivals give a hard look at any Kentucky recruit, now, to get at least a 3-star ranking, because so many of our two-star players have been drafted.

[PeachtreeCat]

UK commit Sanders turning it on for Stephenson

11:51 am October 26, 2009, by Chip Towers

Last week I wrote about how Union Grove’s talent had been overshadowed by region rivals Stephenson and M.L. King, and the Wolverines do indeed have some talented football players. But they weren’t just overshadowed this past Saturday night, they were overwhelmed in a 27-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Raymond Sanders, a Kentucky commitment who wowed an ESPN national-television audience last week against MLK, had his most dominating performance to date. Stephenson’s senior running back piled up 232 yards rushing on just 17 carries, scored three touchdowns and added a 23-yard reception. :thumbup:
http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2009/10/26/uk-commit-sanders-turning-it-on-for-stephenson/

[WildcatRick]

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[WildcatRick]

Raymond Sanders

Running Back, 5-8, 184, Fr-HS, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Stephenson) - Shifty running back showed all-around skills at Stephenson High School, with the ability to run from scrimmage, catch passes and return kicks ... The nation's No. 15 all-purpose back by Rivals.com and the No. 41 overall prospect in the talent-rich state of Georgia ... "Very quick, has good vision, catches the ball well and runs like a 210-pound back," wrote recruiting analystBarry Every of Rivals, who also noted that Sanders "Reminds me of Rafael Little ... has the uncanny ability to break tackles and make plays." ... Honorable-mention all-state by the Georgia Sports Writers Association and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution following senior season ... Was the star of the show in a nationally televised game on ESPN, rushing for more than 130 yards and two touchdowns in Stephenson's 20-0 win over Martin Luther King HS ... Helped lead Stephenson to an 11-1 mark and the second round of the state playoffs ... Rushed for approximately 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior ... Coached by Ron Gartrell ... Teammate of current Wildcat signees Jabari Johnson and Ronnie Shields.