De La Salle Athlete Going National
Junior to Watch: Jackie Bates
School: Concord (Calif.) De La Salle
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Position: Free Safety/Running Back
Size and Speed: Bates stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 188 pounds. He benches 305 pounds, squats 405 and cleans 260. Bates has recorded an outstanding 36-inch vertical and runs the 100-meter in 10.7.
Honors: Bates was an all-area and all-league selection as a junior.
Statistics: On the defensive side of the ball, Bates logged 77 tackles and picked off four passes. As four-star running back and UCLA bound Maurice Drew’s understudy Bates rushed for 747 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Favorite Colleges: Bates is very open at this time regarding his recruitment. He is getting correspondence from schools coast-to-coast. UCLA, USC, Cal, Oregon, Miami, Texas, Oklahoma and Michigan are just a sampling of the major powers that recruiting the talented athlete from De La Salle.
Skinny: De La Salle could have seven D-I prospects for the class of 2004. One of them is running back/free safety Jackie Bates.
Bates should be the featured back this fall. One thing that impresses you about all of De La Salle’s football players over the years is their quiet confidence.
When Bates was asked what it would be like to fill Drew’s very large shoes he said, “I’m looking forward to it. I like the challenge.”
Bates is a very versatile player who could end up playing several positions on the D-I level. Though Bates would prefer running the football in college, he could end up playing defensive back or wide receiver.
Bates is another player who is just beginning to hit stride as a football player, meaning his best days on the gridiron are ahead of him.
Believe it or not, Bates has been compared in running style to USC Trojan sophomore to be running back Herschel Dennis.
As a defensive back, Bates is very aggressive and physical. He loves to mix it up.
What is Bates considering in a school?
“Depth chart will be a consideration,” Bates said. “And of course academics will be very important. I am looking for a positive environment where I will feel comfortable.”
What does Bates attribute De La Salle’s overwhelming success?
“Everybody buys into the system,” Bates said. “And we work very hard.”