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A man in demand: Big-name football programs across nation are courting Cobbs

Central High School football player Demarco Cobbs is one of the most sought-after recruits in the state. Central coach Corey Russell likens Cobbs to former Texas quarterback Vince Young. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

 
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 5/3/2009  2:27 AM
Last Modified: 5/3/2009  3:08 AM

 There are two methods by which you can measure the status of a high school football recruit.

You can peruse various recruiting Web sites and determine that Demarco Cobbs is viewed as an elite athlete. Scout.com rates him as the nation's No. 3 wide receiver prospect.

Or you can check the phone logs at Central High School and see that Braves coach Corey Russell has taken calls from, among others, Southern Cal's Pete Carroll, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Florida's Urban Meyer, Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, Texas Tech's Mike Leach, Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, Texas' Mack Brown and Alabama's Nick Saban.

"It's like being chased by a bunch of cute girls," Cobbs says with a smile, "but you can only go with one."

A Central quarterback most commonly projected as a wide receiver at the college level, Cobbs is a red-hot commodity — Oklahoma's most heavily recruited prep football player. Shoeboxes are stuffed with letters from scores of major-college programs.

Russell likens Cobbs, physically and as a playmaker, to former Texas quarterback Vince Young.

"When Demarco has the ball in his hands, what he does is amazing," Russell said.

As a junior last season, while leading the Braves to their first winning record (6-4) since 1996, Cobbs rushed for 1,307 yards and 23 touchdowns. He passed for 1,108 yards and four TDs. As a receiver, he had 236 yards and scored once.

As of last week, 32 schools had offered a scholarship. For the time being, Cobbs has settled on a fluid list of 10 finalists: Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Southern Cal and Tennessee. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Cobbs says he won't announce his destination until Feb. 3 the national signing day for recruits.

"At some point in July, I'll narrow it down to five schools," said Cobbs, who this summer plans to attend camps at Florida, OU, Alabama and Southern Cal.

Cobbs has established friendships with many coaches, including assistants Bill Blankenship of the University of Tulsa, Jackie Shipp of OU and Gunter Brewer of OSU. At some point, Cobbs will have to say no to all but one of his recruiters.

"It's going to be really hard," he said. "Not every school can be the right school."

Asked whether he feels star-struck while conversing with a coaching heavyweight like Carroll or Stoops, Cobbs replied, "At first, it's exciting. But after five minutes, you just relax and talk. Coach Carroll was real cool and down to earth."

Cobbs says he never had an everyday relationship with his father. His mother has been incarcerated since 2002, convicted of the unauthorized use of a credit card. Cobbs has been raised by his grandmother, Freddie Owens, and his aunt, Sherri Owens.

If his aunt gets a vote in the recruiting process, Cobbs may be headed to California.

"I want whatever makes Demarco happy, but I am really leaning toward USC," Sherri Owens said. "I have an aunt who lives out there. She attended school at Southern Cal and she is a judge in Los Angeles. She would be 15 minutes away from Demarco. I like the idea of having family support so close to the campus."

Cobbs bears a striking physical resemblance to Michael Irvin. In homage to the former Dallas Cowboy receiver, Cobbs has two parallel lines cut into his hair. Irvin always had the two-line look during his NFL career. Cobbs' barber is his cousin Cordney Owens, Sherri's son and a 2002 Central graduate.

"I tell Demarco that this is about more than just football," Cordney Owens said. "He has to look at a program that has a high percentage of players who graduate. He has to think about life after football. He has to look at 20 years into the future."

Each of Cobbs' arms is tattooed. On the left side are these words: "If I don't live every day for my dreams, then my reality is nothing."

Etched on his right arm is the name "Wendy Cobbs" his 39-year-old mother. She was sentenced to a 16-year prison term, but has completed a vocational program and was recommended for parole. Soon, she could be released from the Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Taft.

Cobbs says his mother has never seen him play football, but is fully aware of his achievements and talent.

"It's been a long time since I saw my mom. About six years or so," Cobbs said. "It's possible that she can watch me this year. That would be very exciting. I'm going to play hard regardless, but I'd go extra hard if she's there."

Academically, Cobbs is solid. He scored a 24 on the ACT. He is a sprinter for the Central track team. His 40-yard times, recorded electronically, consistently have been at the 4.5-second mark. Russell says Cobbs is "a workout monster" who bench presses 275 pounds and squats 505.

The 17-year-old Cobbs listens to country music (Toby Keith and George Strait are favorites) and enjoys old black-and-white Western movies.

Cobbs has made unofficial visits to OSU, OU, Texas, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Arkansas and LSU. Last Monday, three Texas Tech assistants visited the Central campus. On Tuesday, a Florida assistant visited. On Wednesday, there were visits from a Texas A&M assistant and an Arizona assistant (former OU fullback Seth Littrell).

"I've known Demarco since the sixth grade, and he's always been good," said Central defensive tackle Marsiece Warrior. "When the rest of us were little, he was big and tall. He was a beast. He always knew he was a good athlete, but he never brags about it. He's always been a good teammate."

Says Aaron Fisher, Cobbs' best friend and a Central running back: "You can see things getting hectic for him in recruiting, but he's been cool. He's still the same dude to us. It's a good thing for the whole team. When the college coaches come to watch Demarco, they're seeing us, too."

Central has not been a football hotbed, but Cobbs says he was never tempted to transfer to a suburban power like Jenks or Union.

"I never even thought about it," Cobbs said. "These (Central) coaches have done so much for me. Without them, I wouldn't be in this position."

"Demarco grew up in this neighborhood, and he wouldn't dare leave," Russell said. "Demarco was a Mabee Baby (a member of the North Mabee Boys & Girls Club), just like Robert Meachem and Felix Jones used to be. I see Demarco following the same path that those guys did."

Meachem and Jones played at Booker T. Washington High School and went on to become college stars Meachem at Tennessee, Jones at Arkansas. They now collect NFL paychecks.

Cobbs’ high school credentials

Rated by Rivals.com as the No. 80 prospect nationally, regardless of position. Also rated among the nation’s top 12 athlete prospects (players who could be recruited at more than one position).

  • Rated by Scout.com as the No. 3 wide receiver prospect nationally.


  • Included on the ESPNU 150 Watch List.


  • 2008 stats: 1,307 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, 1,108 passing yards and four touchdowns, 236 receiving yards and one touchdown.


  • Electronic times: 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard sprint, 10.5 in the 100 meters.
Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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14 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Report Comment
Graybeard, Tulsa (5/3/2009 6:49:57 AM)
Norman would be a great home for Demarco. Close to Tulsa, excellent academic programs, football team is always in the hunt for the Title.
Report Comment
Rhymeister, Tulsa (5/3/2009 8:25:23 AM)
Sounds like a good kid. Naw, don't go to OU, go out of state before you go to boring Norman.
Report Comment
centralhigh, (5/3/2009 11:43:05 AM)
don't go to USC. USC ruined former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain's future.

Is this kid any kin to Dewayne Cobbs? Dewayne went to Central High in the late 60's?
Report Comment
wk, (5/3/2009 5:27:06 PM)
Central - I really think Mustain did his own damage before he ever transferred to USC. Tough depth chart in California but how could you find a better place to become an NFL stud? I would probably pick UCLA just for the coeds, I mean the education, but that's one of many reasons why I'm not in the NFL.
Report Comment
centralhigh, (5/3/2009 7:39:03 PM)
Mustain was 8-0 as a starter in Arkansas. Houston Nutt couldn't share the spotlight at Arkansas with a budding star player or his high school coach. Mustain should'ave gone to Tulsa where he had a shot at playing. USC was never going to let him beat out any california quarterback.
Report Comment
cosmo7, (5/3/2009 10:11:11 PM)
Good for you kid. Go with your gut, because they are all fine schools. Big ups to grandma and aunt. I hope your mom gets to see you play soon.
Report Comment
Getting Better, (5/3/2009 10:42:10 PM)
I know Sherri Owens. She stepped in and took in her nephews and has done a wonderful job. She deserves a great big hug. Go Sherri! Now Demarco head down the turnpike to OU.
Report Comment
cp3, Tulsa (5/4/2009 9:04:14 AM)
I agree on two things: Mustain did himself in and I wouldn't go to OU either.
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (5/4/2009 9:39:00 AM)
As a fan I would like him to go to OU or TU. He needs to look at what the schools are recruiting him as. Does he still want to play QB or does he just want to get on the field any way he can? I think that will start the weeding out proccess there. Either way I wish him luck in what ever school he chooses.
Report Comment
Deep In The Heart, (5/4/2009 9:51:17 AM)
Wow - the Shadow really does Know!

I've always been amused when "OU" and "Academic excellence" are used in the same sentence. Are they delusional or liars?
Report Comment
tulsandn, Boswell / Tulsa (5/4/2009 11:14:49 AM)
Going to any college after high school is an excellent choice for any young person to make whether it's TU, OU, OSU, Texas, USC, Florida, anywhere and to see people put down a universities Academic Excellence shows that they themselves have no academic excellence....

If you hate the OU football program and the benefits(cheats) they give them, then just state that, because EVERY school gives benefits(cheats) to atheletes that other students don't receive....
Report Comment
tulsandn, Boswell / Tulsa (5/4/2009 11:17:37 AM)
ATHLETES - no, I didn't go to OU or OSU or TU, I went to HIJC....
Report Comment
Crying in the wilderness, (5/4/2009 11:19:38 AM)
I've always been amused when TU grads posit their school is superior to OU or even OSU given few outside of Tulsa have ever heard of this tiny self described academic bastion. I travel nationally on business and when it is learned I am from Oklahoma, no one has ever asked me if went to school at TU or even OSU for that matter. Rather, they enquire if am an OU grad. For those whose horizons are bigger than Tulsa County, there is no comparison of what degree has the most value as it is clearly the University of Oklahoma. I won't even dignify comparing the athletic programs though admittedly TU's stadium is cute.
Report Comment
sidster, Tulsa (5/5/2009 3:30:59 PM)
Congrats on being in the position that you are in. The only thing I seen bad in this whole article is that they never said you can go to Miami Hurricanes. If you can, change your mind on all those colleges and pick the Canes. You probably will after we whoop those sooners this coming season in Miami. Good Luck on whatever decision you make.
 

 
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