Bruce stays loose, dominates

BALTIMORE -- This is all serious business for Sam Bruce, but maybe nobody at last week's Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour had more fun, either.

The four-star receiver from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas joked with teammates, laughed and laughed and laughed, and talked a little bit of trash as well.

For someone only 5-feet-8 and 185 pounds, Bruce carries himself with supreme confidence. Why not? Every event Bruce attends, he basically takes over -- on and off the field.

"I've been having so much fun out here it's crazy," Bruce said. "It's not fair I'm having this much fun. I have fun everywhere. It's all work, but you have to have fun at the same time.

"That's what it's all about - competing. At the same time you have to have fun with it always."

The Miami commit is enjoying himself. Everyone watching him is doing the same. Bruce's style of play is so captivating it's hard not to expect something mesmerizing every time Bruce touches the ball. Usually, fans are awed by his athleticism and ability to dodge defenders, his quick feet, his dazzling moves, his overall presence.

Rated as the seventh-best wide receiver in the 2016 class by Rivals.com (he's the highest-rated WR under 6-feet tall), Bruce is basically unstoppable in one-on-one situations.

Some of his moves are unrealistic for game settings -- the triple moves, the dancing at the line of scrimmage -- but he can get open seemingly at will. Cornerbacks are crossed up regularly and there's Bruce breaking free again for a deep reception.

In 7-on-7, it's basically the same. Crossing routes with Bruce are impossible to stop. Linebackers can't keep up, defensive backs try to grab and hold and do anything to keep him within range. His catch radius is small because of his size but quarterbacks usually can hit wide open players streaking down the field.

"Bruce is a lot of fun to watch, especially in the 7-on-7 setting," Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell said. "In games, he can make people miss and look silly as we've seen on film, but in a camp setting he's even more impossible to stop.

"The big question you ask is -- are the routes and plays he's making in camp situations realistic? Some are and some aren't. Triple and quadruple moves won't happen in college and some of the routes close across the middle of the field are impossible because of the traffic that would be in front and the trajectory of the ball needing to go downward.

"However, in space he's as dangerous as anyone in the country, especially with those feet after the catch. Guys like Bruce are just fun to watch and his love of the game, his sneaky strength, his never-ending motor and competitive desire make him even more fun to follow."

As a long Saturday wore on, after players were put through a battery of drills, a lengthy one-on-one session and then brought back to play 7-on-7 for hours, Bruce showed no signs of wear and tear. Others might have slowed down, but he sped up.

He and four-star receiver Trevon Sidney continued to carve through defenses late into the night. The lights at M&T Bank Stadium came on and there was Bruce scoring another touchdown, driving defenders into deeper depression and basking in every moment.

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"I just want to prove (everybody) wrong. I want to show them it's real. "

-- Sam Bruce

For those questioning whether Bruce can have a tremendous impact on the college level, the Five-Star Challenge was filled with future college stars and he dismissed them one by one. Bruce is small, but he packs a major punch.

"It just comes naturally," Bruce said. "I see a defender, I try to make a move and I try to get to the end zone as fast as possible. I've been doing it well.

"I just want to prove (everybody) wrong. I want to show them it's real. I'm an exceptional player. I've been working on my skills all offseason. I'm just putting it to show. I feel like I compete with myself. I'm as good as my last performance, that's the motto I go by. Every time I get on the field I try to do something incredible. I just play my game and most of all have fun with it."

Playing this well, Bruce is enjoying himself mightily.