Texas junior has big role models

Beaumont (Texas) Westbrook 2009 star running back Christian Michael has a few guys he tries to pattern his game after. But maybe someday down the road players will want to model their game after the 5-foot-11, 195-pound top 100 junior prospect.

"I was watching Noel Devine from West Virginia, and he remind me a lot of myself and the way I like to play," Michael, who rushed for 1,050 yards and 17 scores in 2006, said.

"I like to make people miss, and he's real shifty like that. I kind of model my power after Adrian Peterson. He doesn't shy away from running over people, and I like to do that if I need to so I'm kind of a mix of those two in a way, I guess. I have a little bit of both of them."

Michael said he's already getting a ton of attention in the mail and he's sure that offers are going to be coming through soon.

"Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Duke, Texas A&M, LSU, and Texas have sent me stuff," he said. "LSU, Texas A&M, Texas are the main ones I'm interested in right now. Those are the schools that fit what I'm looking for the best right now. I went to Texas last summer for their camp, but I'd like to go to A&M and LSU this year for a game. That would be a good experience for me."

Michael has an idea of what the perfect school will have.

"I would love to play at a good running program, a team that runs the ball like Oklahoma or West Virginia," he said. "Texas runs the ball a lot, too. Those are offenses I would fit good in.

I want to stay close to home for the support. If I go far away they won't be able to come to my home games and I want them to be there instead of watching it on TV. Also I can come home and visit, where if I went to like Oklahoma they couldn't see me play as much unless it was on TV."

Off the field things will also play a factor.

"I'd like to major in engineering, so I would check to make sure they are good in the area I'm interested in majoring in," he said. "I want to make sure professors are helpful in the major and then check out the surroundings and make sure the area is nice and I feel comfortable there."