Aristide an emerging Florida name

As the Nike Camp circuit continues to progress, more and more names are sure to pop up as more and more players demonstrate that they have the ability to compete and excel against top-notch competition. One of those players that used the stage to shine was Orlando (Fla.) Evans defensive back Ishmael Aristide.

Aristide was one of the top performers among the defensive backs at the Gainesville Nike Camp and though he is yet to receive any offers, his interest has begun to pick up.

"Well just recently I talked to Florida State," Aristide said. "Right after the Nike Camp things have been heating up between Florida State, UCF, Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky. I'm getting a lot of mail from Duke, FAU, just mainly schools in the South."

Aristide plays both defensive back and running back in high school and is being recruited primarily as a DB but he doesn't have a major opinion one way or the other. The 6-foot-0 190-pound prospect just wants to compete.

"Nine times out of ten, they told me defense," he said. "Pretty much safety and corner is what people have been telling me. When you go to the next level, sometimes a safety is going to have to come down into the box or play cornerback. Sometimes a free safety will have to play strong safety so it's good that I can do both."

Despite his strong performance in the camp setting, Aristide believes that he can do even more.

"In the Nike Camp I think I did ok," he said. "I did what I wanted to do. I wanted to go against some of the best out there and perform. I can improve on better ball skills and opening up the hips a little more. The next camp I go to no matter where it is, I'm going to show them that I can play corner or safety."

The next step for Aristide will be to get to more camps. In fact, the 2009 prospect hopes to get to as many camps as possible.

"I've got what I call the master plan," he said. "I want to go to tever camp in the state of Florida. Whatever schools I can I'm going to attend their camps. I'm going to attend all of the one-day camps. I want to go to about four or five one-day camps outside of Florida. Hopefully everyone can get a good look. I just want to go to those camps and be seen and get better."

As far as what he is looking for in a school, Aristide is not focused on geography or any surface factors but is more interested in who is interested in him.

"The schools that start recruiting me early are the schools that are going to have the better chance," he said. "Mainly the schools that are recruiting me are the ones that I'm interested in. Where I play, it really doesn't matter."