Cats, Dores offer South Carolina WR

Junior to Watch: Brooks Foster

School: Boiling Springs, S.C.

Position: Wide Receiver

Size and speed: Foster is 6-foot-3, weighs 180 pounds, and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

Statistics: As a junior, Brooks had approximately 35 receptions for 500 yards and eight touchdowns. He also averages 15.3 points per game as one of South Carolina’s top basketball players.

Favorite Schools: South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Maryland, Auburn, Duke, Wake Forest.

Skinny: Boiling Springs coach Jeff Snipes eagerly awaits the day when his star player, wide receiver Brooks Foster, buys into the notion that he’s a football player first and foremost.

“Brooks is still at that point where his heart’s with basketball,” Snipes said. “But if the light ever goes off and he realizes how far he could go in football, he could be a very special player. He’s got amazing talent that’s yet to be tapped.”

Foster had approximately 35 receptions for 500 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.

“And we really didn’t have a strong enough passing game to get him the ball and fully utilize his talent,” Snipes said. “I would have thrown it to him 100 times a game if we could have.

“He’s just incredibly gifted with his size and speed and athleticism. He’s a tall, rangy kid who’s tough to cover, and when he goes up for the ball against someone, he’s the one who comes down with it. He’s got great, great hands. On top of all that, he’s a real classy kid with a 3.7 GPA. That’s a tough combination for college coaches to find.”

The only thing that may be holding him back is a desire to pursue a college hoops scholarship as well.

“I think he’s eventually going to realize that, while he’s a great high school player for our school, he’s not likely going to play ACC or SEC basketball,” Snipes said. “But he is already good enough to play ACC or SEC football, and he’s only going to get better.”

Kentucky and Vanderbilt have been the first two schools to offer scholarships. Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, Clemson, Auburn, Wake Forest and Duke are also evaluating Foster, according to Snipes.

“I think he’s pretty open-minded at this point,” Snipes said. “It may ultimately come down to who says he can come and get a chance to walk-on in basketball after he gets done with football season.”