Missouri LB earns NIKE Camp honor

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Pardon Bonne Terre, Mo., linebacker Will Compton if he was a little tired at Saturday's NIKE Training Camp at Purdue University. The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder was running on fumes after a late night of driving from Missouri to Indiana, but it still didn't stop him from earning most valuable player honors at linebacker after the camp.

"I had lifeguarding on Friday night, so I got out of that about 8 and drove up here around 8:30," Compton said. "We got here around 2 a.m., but I didn't get to sleep around 3 because I was thinking about this thing. I'm pretty stoked.

"There was a couple of times where I wanted to fall over and croak because I was so tired. There was a slip up once and I got confused a couple of times, but I wanted the camp MVP, and after those little things I wasn't really expecting it. But I felt like I covered everybody real well, and I was real quick. I felt like that was what helped me the most."

Compton is listed as an athlete in the Rivals.com database because of his ability to play a number of different positions, but it looked like he found a home at linebacker at the NIKE Camp.

"I thought my junior season went pretty well statistically, but with some of the turnover in our coaches, it wasn't quite the season we hoped for," Compton said.

"I'm hoping things will be better this fall. In high school, they've moved me back and forth between safety and linebacker. I'm being recruited as a linebacker. When I go to camps, I'll go as a linebacker. Playing safety has helped me greatly in my hip movements as a linebacker. I'm able to adjust quicker whenever a guy makes a cut, and that helps me react as soon as I see it, rather than trying to adjust after it's too late."

Compton is still searching for his first scholarship offer, but performances like Saturday definitely have to help in that department.

"I've texted with Notre Dame, Iowa, Illinois, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Wake Forest, Mizzou and K-State," he said.

"Mizzou says they really like me a lot, and they're supposed to be visiting me this week. Gary Pinkel is coming down to the school to see me. And then Wake Forest is bringing their coach down. I think I just need to make sure that more people see my highlight tape. I just need to get in front of more people."

And once he does get in front of them, people will like what they see.

"I feel like I belong in the Rivals250, but I'm hoping now I'll get ranked even higher," he said. "Our coaches don't really promote me a whole lot. I just need to get in front of as many people as I can. I know they'll like me when they see me."