Florida LB nice blend of size, speed
Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) linebacker Rapheal Ousley holds a rare distinction entering his senior year with the Vikings.
“He’s started every game he’s been here from the ninth grade on up,” Fort Walton Beach coach Mike Owens said. “I think he’ll be the only guy who’s ever done that here, and it’s got to be pretty rare for any school at this level.”
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Ousley (6-2, 240, 4.65) has not only played all those games, but performed at an extremely high level along the way. He’s led the Vikings in tackles the last two years and is on pace to finish as the school’s all-time leader in that department.
As a junior, he was named a first-team Class 4A all-state selection after recording 114 tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception.
“The big thing with Rapheal is his size and the way he moves,” Owens said. “He passes the eye test, for sure. Then you see him go out and run sideline to sideline… it’s pretty impressive.
“He probably plays faster than he times, if that makes any sense. He’s really agile. And when you run into him, you’re going backwards.”
Owens said it’s difficult to project where Ousley will play at the college level due to his still maturing body. He is a hard worker in the weightroom, boasting a 350-pound bench, 500 squat and 315 power clean.
“I think he’d be a great inside linebacker right now,” he said, “but if he keeps growing, he may wind up being a defensive end at the next level. He’d probably be real good there, too. We just like him at linebacker because he runs so well and just controls the middle of the field.”
Ousley does not have an official scholarship offer to date, but Owens said they’re getting heavy attention from some major programs, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and North Carolina.
“I think he’d love to play for Florida State,” Owens said. “But it’s probably too early to tell. He’s a quiet kid, but I think he’s keeping an open mind.”
Ousley maintains a 3.0 core GPA and will take his tests in April.
“He’s a very bright kid,” Owens said. “He’s a good kid from a good family. There will be no problem there.”