RB one of Dade Countys best
Junior to Watch: Gartrell Shavers
School: Miami Springs
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Position: Running back
Size and speed: Shavers is 6-foot, 190 pounds and has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Honors: Shavers was named his team’s most valuable player and was a second-team all-Dade County pick as a junior.
Statistics: Shavers rushed for 1,341 yards on 210 carries and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He also had three receptions for 20 yards.
Favorite Schools: Shavers lists Michigan, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Penn State, Georgia and Oklahoma as his early leaders. He does not have any offers currently on the table.
Skinny: Every year it seems like the state of Florida produces a handful of running back prospects that could play at almost anywhere in the nation. One of the early candidates for that type of honor in the Class of 2004 is Miami Springs tailback Gartrell Shavers.
The 6-foot, 190-pound running back ripped through Dade County last season on his way to 1,300 yards rushing. He describes his running style somewhat like his hero, Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams.
“I’m more of a North-South runner,” Shavers said. “I do have the speed to run away from you, but I don’t shy away from contact. I get up there and can take a hit on and then keep going.”
And it’s because of that, combined with his size, speed and ability, that makes him attractive to college recruiters.
“I’m going to look at a few things when it comes time to make a decision,” he said. “I’m really going to look at a team’s offensive style, their graduation rate and the minority student ratio. Those are some of the important factors to me.
“But I also want an opportunity to succeed. I guess that’s the No. 1 thing on my list.”