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Posted on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 : 6:04 a.m.

Video highlights of area's top players

By Rich Rezler

The 2009 high school football season kicks off this weekend with arguably the best cast of individual talent ever assembled across Washtenaw County.

Having a pair of high-level college recruits like Chelsea running back Nick Hill and Huron wide receiver Jeremy Jackson in the same senior class is a rarity.

Having two additional Big Ten-bound players drop unexpectedly into local programs is unprecedented.

The addition of quarterback Joe Boisture at Saline and wide receiver Ricardo Miller at Pioneer has taken an already-solid crop of local players to another level. Boisture and Hill are headed to Michigan State. Jackson and Miller will play at Michigan.

"It's clearly the most big-time recruits we've had in one season in the league," Chelsea coach Brad Bush of the Southeastern Conference standouts. "And I think that has overshadowed players that would normally be considered among the best in the league."

Bush mentioned Ypsilanti quarterback Terrance Moore, Lincoln quarterback Andrew Dillon and his safety, Zak Giller, among those players who might be more celebrated in a normal season.

You can add names like Pioneer defensive back Brandis Yarrington and -- outside the SEC -- Willow Run offensive lineman Garrett Davis and Gabriel Richard quarterback Josh Herbeck to that list.

"Having all these kids around is great because it gets our league some recognition, too," said Dexter coach Tom Barbieri.

Here are a few of the impact skill position players around the county and a highlight video of each:

Joe Boisture, Saline: The 6-foot-6 future Michigan State Spartan is rated the No. 5 pro-style quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and was invited to the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camp. He passed for 1,700 as a junior at Goodrich High School before transferring to Saline last December.

Andrew Dillon, Lincoln: Voted the varsity team's most valuable offensive player as a freshman, Dillon has only improved as a dual-threat quarterback and defensive back. He accounted for more than 1,200 yards of total offense his sophomore and injury-plagued junior seasons.

Josh Herbeck, Gabriel Richard: A major college basketball recruit, the three-year starting quarterback also excels on the gridiron. Passed for a county-best 1,628 yards as a sophomore and 1,177 more last season despite missing three games because of an injury.

(No football videos available, but you can watch Josh rain 3-pointers here!)

Nick Hill, Chelsea: The four-year starting tailback is 300 yards shy of becoming the 14th player in the state of Michigan to rush for more than 5,000 career yards. That accolade should come quickly, considering the Michigan State-bound Hill gained more than 300 yards in three different games last season.

(All of Nick's highlight tapes are on premium ($$) sites, but here's an interview he conducted with the folks at the Big Day Prep Showdown.)

(More from the Big Day Prep Showdown interviews.)

Jeremy Jackson, Huron: The University of Michigan-bound receiver has big-time size (6-3, 194), speed (4.65 seconds in 40) and hands. Averaged 5.2 catches and 76.8 yards per game last season despite constant double-teams.

Ricardo Miller, Pioneer: A future U-M teammate of Jackson's, the two will spend one year as cross-town rivals. The transfer from Orlando, Fla., is rated the No. 24 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 3 player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com.

Terrance Moore, Ypsilanti: A tremendous athlete, Moore is getting major college consideration as a defensive back. But he hopes his senior season can convince more coaches that he can play quarterback -- where he's started for the past two seasons, accounting for nearly 3,000 total yards and 29 touchdowns.

Comments

CAproduction

Thu, Sep 3, 2009 : 9:47 a.m.

Where is the video highlights of Manchester High School wide receiver Corwin Every?...

tater

Thu, Aug 27, 2009 : 7:19 a.m.

This is a nice story, but there are a few schools down here in Florida that routinely get between five and as many as fifteen players on scholly per year. That's why RR recruits the south.