Junior to Watch: Joe Sturdivant
Junior to Watch: Joe Sturdivant
School: Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview
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Position: Safety
Size and speed: Sturdivant is 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds. He has been timed at 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also has a 235-pound bench-press and can squat 395 pounds.
Statistics: Sturdivant was a threat on both sides of the ball. On offense, he recorded 1,012 total yards and had 300 return yards. On defense – his specialty – he recorded 133 tackles, broke up six passes and recorded two interceptions.
Honors: Second-team all-county and earned all-county player of the month honors.
Favorite Schools: Florida State, Maryland, Clemson, Auburn, Michigan and Tennessee are the teams that Sturdivant lists on top of his list. He is getting the most mail and interest from Maryland, Michigan and Tennessee.
Skinny: Four-star safety Jeff Francouer was the star at Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview last season, but was he really? Fellow safety Joe Sturdivant might have something to say about that, because the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is expected to be one of the top players in Georgia for the Class of 2003.
“I feel like I’m always there when the big play happens,” he said. “I never give up.”
Never gives up and always makes big plays – sounds like a recipe for success and heavy attention from the college coaches. But that’s exactly what Sturdivant hopes to get here over the next few months.
“I’m getting a lot of mail,” he said. “The most stuff comes from Maryland and Michigan. But I’m still open to about anything and everybody.”
And just like Francouer, baseball is one of Sturdivant’s top loves.
“I might get recruited in baseball, too,” he said.
“It’s hard to tell because I was hurt last year and didn’t get a chance to prove myself. I play left field and I really go out there and use my speed. I’m not sure which one is my true love – football or baseball – I guess it’s just whichever sport that I’m playing at the time.”
Even though baseball is important in his life, there is no denying Sturdivant’s football talent.
“I just love to be around the ball, and that’s all I want to do,” he said. “I love making plays because the free safety in our system is always making the plays. I feel like I can do something and make an impact.”