Track star has football offers

Is it possible to be one of the state's top prospects if you barely played as a junior? It is if you're one of the fastest players in the country as Long Beach Poly (Calif.) receiver Bryshon Nellum, coming off a season where he caught just two passes, is poised for a big year and already has a handful of scholarship offers at this time in his recruitment.

Nellum, 6-0, 175 pounds is better known as a track star than a football player right now. He won state titles last May in the 200m- 20.96 and the 400m-46.38 and will head to China in August as part of the US Junior World Championship team. Nellum is arguably the top track recruit in the nation in the class of 2007 and has world class potential.

Despite his accomplishments in track, Nellum has said he plans to sign a football letter come February so he can double sport in college.

"That's what he tells us all the time," LB Poly receiver coach Reggie Ward said. "He's serious about wanting to be a football player and he has the skill set to be one of the best athletes we've ever had here. Obviously he needs more work but he's a natural out there and more than just a track guy trying to play football.

"Bryshon has great speed obviously but he has good hands as well and is a solid route runner. We would have used him a lot more last season but we had two big time receivers (Terrence Austin-UCLA and Travon Patterson- USC) playing ahead of him. I think initially, Bryshon will have more of an impact on punt and kick returns but as he gets more comfortable, he'll be able to stretch the defense for us and will have a huge impact in our passing game."

Despite his lack of numbers, Nellum has drawn heavy interest from Div I colleges.

"Everyone asks about him and he already has a handful of offers right now," Ward said. "I don't know the whole list but I know Utah, Arizona and Oregon have offered, I think Cal has as well. USC is showing a lot of interest and I think that's really where Bryshon wants to play. Growing up in Los Angeles and being close to his mom, that would be the ideal situation for him but he needs to prove it on the field before SC comes in with an offer."