SoCal OL lands fourth offer
Offensive lineman/defensive lineman Graham Vickers (6-2, 262) from Pomona (Calif.) Diamond Ranch is a player to watch this fall. He already has four offers, but it is a good bet those offers will rise with a strong early season this fall.
Vickers has offers from Air Force, Army, Navy and Portland State. He's also being recruited by BYU (camp), San Diego State (camp) and Boise State.
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On the offensive side of the ball, Vickers plays offensive tackle, but he is mostly being recruited to play center except Army and Navy will keep him at offensive tackle.
Diamond Ranch head coach Roddy Layton feels he has a special lineman in Vickers.
"Not only is Vickers fast, but when he pulls, he's athletic enough to knockdown corners and strong enough to knockdown anyone who is there whether he be a linebacker or defensive end," Layton said. "He moves very well and that's the quality everyone is looking at.
The only question mark for some schools is how big Vickers will become. A lot of schools like their offensive linemen to be at least 6-4 and close to 300 pounds. At least one school thinks that Vickers' size will work.
Boise State told Layton that Vickers is every bit as big as the center that started for them in the Fiesta Bowl when the Broncos surprised the college football world by playing David to Oklahoma's Goliath when they beat the Sooners in a surprising upset.
In the weight room, Vickers currently benches 300, power cleans an outstanding 275 and squats 465.
The thing that colleges really like about Vickers is his quickness.
"Graham is the only offensive lineman on our team who can do our defensive back/wide receiver agility drills," Layton said. "The recruiters were able to see up close his agility, and every one of them was impressed."
Vickers athleticism also lends itself to track and field as he is also getting recruiting looks for his skills as a shot putter and discus.
Layton is just as impressed by Vickers as a person as he is as a football player and athlete.
"Graham is not only an outstanding athlete, but his character is exceptional," Layton said. "He's a natural born leader and that is the reason why he is so attractive to the military academies.
"The academies are always looking for special people with like Graham. He leads by example and he leads by words."
"How many players are captains during their junior year," Layton said. "He's aggressive on both sides of the football, he's aggressive in the weight room and he's aggressive in the classroom."
It bears repeating, Vickers is one to watch during his senior season.