Poly sleeper hungers for season

You may not have heard of linebacker/defensive end Richard Smith (6-3, 230, 4.65) from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, but the chances are that you. His story is a familiar one if you play at the football powerhouse that is the Jackrabbit program. He like many athletes before him has had to wait his turn so the season of 2009 will be a very important one for him.

Smith had a solid showing at the recent USC Rising Star Camp as the coaches told him he performed well.

This young athlete could be the class of 2010's version of UCLA freshman safety Stanjarivus McKay, the Poly safety who had to wait his turn until his senior season and blew it up.

Like McKay, Smith hopes that his senior season performance will the same and open the eyes of college coaches.

Now the time has arrived and Smith is hungry to he is worthy of his pending opportunity. He will play both defensive end and middle linebacker for the Jackrabbits this fall.

Smith explains how he will be used this fall.

"The coaches want me to play MIKE, but in certain situations they want me on the edge," Smith said. "I don't care where I line up, I just want to play football."

On the recruiting trail colleges that know all about the history of Poly are the ones that have Smith under evaluation. Those schools are UCLA, Arizona, Oregon State, New Mexico State and USC because he attended their Rising Stars Camp.

What is Smith looking for in a college?

"Basically, I want to play some football and get the best out of college," Smith said. "I want to have fun and get a good education.

The scouting report on Smith is he's hard working and has outstanding leadership qualities. He has good practice habits and that usually will translate into good performances in the games. He is very explosive off the edge and is very physical. He 's one of those players who loves to hit. He reads blocks well and gets to the football.

Smith is definitely another one of those Poly players that is flying under the radar because he had to wait his turn. Don't be surprised if you see Smith's stock rise during the fall once colleges get to see him in person and on tape.

Another thing that is intriguing about Smith is he is only 16 and won't turn 17 until October so he is a young senior who could still grow.