Oklahoma LB wants to be like Rocky

Junior to Watch: Rob Howell

School: Ardmore (Okla.) Dickson

Position: Outside linebacker

Size and speed: Howell is 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds. He has been timed at 4.6-seconds in the 40-yard dash and has a 32 inch vertical leap, 280-pound bench press and a 485-pound squat.

Honors: Howell was an all-area super team selection by the local media in the Ardmore area.

Statistics: As a junior running back, Howell rushed for 1,078 yards on 78 carries and eight touchdowns. On defense as a junior, he had 46 solo stops, 42 assists, four sacks, six tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries.

Favorite Schools: Howell lists Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Notre Dame and TCU as his early leaders. He does not have a favorite and does not have any scholarship offers early on in the recruiting process.

Skinny: Ardmore (Okla.) Dickson coach Brad Odom has seen his fair share of college prospects in his career as a player and as a coach. But he’s also seen his fair share in his family with his brothers Barry and Brian also playing football in college. So when he says he has a legitimate college prospect on his squad you have to stand up and take notice.

That player is linebacker Rob Howell.

Howell, who is 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds, is an aggressive, hard-nosed prospect that always seems to find his way to the football.

“I would say that he almost has a reckless disregard when he flies after the ball,” Odom said. “He’s one of the hardest hitters we’ve seen.”

Howell said he’s not even concerned about giving up his body if that’s what it takes to make the tackle.

“Some times I just have complete disregard for my own safety,” he said.

That’s the type of thing – along with the physical attributes – that makes college coaches perk up and take a longer look.

Howell said it’s a little too early to talk about college favorites. At this point, he’s just out there trying to prove to the coaches that he has what it takes. And he’s going to use the same work ethic that his sports hero did to make it.

“My hero is Rocky Calmus,” he said. “I work hard every day to prove that I can be like him and be a college football star.”