Ginn isnt only star at Glenville

CLEVELAND - Attention college coaches: Glenville High School in Cleveland is more than a one-man team. Sure, five-star cornerback Theodore Ginn Jr. is one of the nation’s top five players, and his amazing senior season put him in position to move up even higher on the Rivals100 team.

But for college coaches that have ignored the other prospects on the team, they might be missing the mother-load.

That’s because Glenville has at least six other prospects that are solid Division I recruits.

“We have some really good senior prospects,” Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr. said.

“It could be a one-stop shopping spree for a school because we have offensive linemen, defensive tackles, defensive ends, linebackers and defensive backs. You name it, we have it.”

But for some reason, the college coaches have stayed away, believing that only five-star Ginn is the only Division I recruit on the team. If you ask Ginn, the coaches are missing a good thing – especially on the defensive line.

After visiting with coach Ginn on Wednesday in Cleveland, there is no question that college coaches would salivate over the senior highlight films from outside linebacker/defensive end Curtis Terry and defensive tackle John Coussett.

Terry, who played for Glenville for the first time this season, is a play-making end that is an impressive 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. With his size, he might obviously have to project as an outside linebacker in college, but there is no question that he has the tools to be really special.

“He ran a 21.8-second 200-meter,” Ginn said. “I think he also has something like a 40-inch vertical. He’s a beast and was impossible to block this year. His best football is still ahead of him and he’s worked hard to get better. Honestly, he’s a faster Prescott Burgess.”

For those with a short memory, Burgess was Rivals100.com’s No. 1 safety prospect in the class of 2003. He signed with Michigan after having a bevy of offers from all over the nation. But at this point Terry hasn’t received the same type of attention. Ginn speculates that it’s because this was Terry’s first year at Glenville.

“I tell you what, somebody is going to start to recruit Curtis, and they’re going to end up with a heck of a prospect that’s only going to get better and better over the next two or three years,” Ginn said.

“Somebody needs to take a chance on him because he’s overcome so many obstacles in his life. He’s a great story. He was virtually homeless, but he’s turned his life around and has focused on doing everything the right way.”

Another guy flying in under the radar screen is Coussett, a 6-foot-1, 289-pound defensive tackle.

On film, Coussett has an explosive first step and was some times unable to be blocked by two linemen. He did have a slight tendency to get high off the snap, but when he stayed low he used that quickness off the ball to cause havoc in the offensive backfield.

Coussett also came to play in the big games.

In last week’s first round of the Ohio state playoffs, Coussett and teammates went up against perennial powerhouse Cleveland St. Ignatius. Coussett wasn’t intimidated at all, and he was the worst nightmare for Michigan State bound quarterback Brian Hoyer.

“He knows that when he stays low he can’t be blocked,” Ginn said. “We worked hard with him on staying low and explode. He also has a great body for the nose tackle or defensive tackle spot, and he’s good enough to be playing for somebody in the Big 10 or school on that level.”

Two star recruit linebacker recruit Jemall Benjamin (6-1, 215) has offers from Cincinnati and Indiana and is getting attention from Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin. He deserves that type of attention because on film he has long arms and a great nose for the football.

Offensive guard Jerrold Thomas is a 6-foot-2, 310-pound guard that showed an amazing ability to pull, trap and open holes for Ginn and the other offensive players. He’s good enough for a solid mid-major program and with his great feet, he could be a steal for somebody.

Two other defensive backs are worthy of Division I attention – cornerback Donte Cloud (5-11, 195) and Stephen Fuqua (6-0, 190). Cloud is a tough tackler that has 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. Fuqua is a first-year player that is only beginning to tap his talent potential.

Rivals100.com will have more from Glenville soon, including a look at its super-star play maker Ted Ginn, it’s amazing junior class and a few sophomores to keep your eye on in the Class of 2006.