2 Hammond sophomores already drawing major college attention
March 17, 2018
Hammond football coach Erik Kimrey’s phone and email are a little busier these days, and Alex Huntley and Jordan Burch have a lot to do with it.
The two Skyhawk sophomores are becoming big names on the recruiting trail and will be high-profile national prospects for the Class of 2020. This week, 247Sports ranked Burch and Huntley as four-star prospects in its initial Top 247 for the class of 2020.
Burch, a defensive end, is ranked No. 27, while Huntley, a center, is No. 100. The duo are ranked No. 1 and 2 in South Carolina.
Last month, Burch and Huntley each received offers from Arkansas to go along with ones they received from Michigan and Oklahoma.
“My job has increased by about 30 percent,” Kimrey joked. “I can’t imagine what it will be like next year, but it is a good problem to have. It means we have two special young men with a lot of ability. And on top of that, they are great kids with integrity.”
Burch and Huntley visited South Carolina and Clemson recently and both schools are interested in the duo. The Gamecocks have offered both while Clemson has offered Burch, but Kimrey said it is only a matter of time before the Tigers offer Huntley.
The two both like what the in-state programs have to offer.
“South Carolina visit was nice. Coach Muschamp showed me around and showed me everything,” Burch said. “I enjoyed talking football with coach Muschamp, and it made me think about recruiting. Clemson is the same way. I like the facilities and the weight room and how much they have put in up there.”
“I think both of the programs are great,” Huntley said. “What I like about USC is the future and what they got coming up. They have a great team and are building and building every year. Clemson, obviously, they have won a national title and are staying in the top four. They have great facilities, great coaches.”
Both players said it will be a while before they narrow down their choices, but both plan to tend a variety of camps in the summer. Burch, also a standout in basketball, will play AAU basketball over the summer.
Burch spent his freshman season at Wilson High School in Florence, where he played on the opposite side of the defensive line from Clemson signee and five-star prospect Xavier Thomas. As a freshman, he recorded 50 tackles and was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American team.
“Teams would try to double-team him and that would free me up, and that is how I got most of my tackles,” Burch said of his freshman season. “I learned a lot playing with Xavier. He was always energetic and never took plays off.”
Kimrey calls the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Burch an “Adonis” in a football uniform. He didn’t arrive at Hammond until late in the summer but made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Skyhawks, who won the SCISA 3A championship.
Burch had 56 tackles, eight sacks and 16 quarterback pressures. On offense, 16 of his 43 carries went for touchdowns and he also caught 11 passes for 156 yards and three scores.
“He came so late that it was hard to teach him the entire offense, so I put some packages at running back and receiver,” Kimrey said. “I would be stupid as a coach not to give him the ball. People think he is a defensive end, but he has some of the best hands I have ever seen.
“I have never seen someone who looks like that in a uniform. He is a great kid, so much integrity and wonderful human being. Got a lot of God-given ability.”
Like Burch, Huntley plays two sports and is a member of the Skyhawks’ state championship lacrosse team. Huntley said playing lacrosse helps him with his foot work and with his speed. And at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, Huntley easily stands out on the lacrosse field.
On the gridiron, Huntley’s job is to clog up the middle at defensive tackle. He had 61 tackles, 10 for loss, 10 quarterback pressures and seven sacks.
Huntley also got stronger in the weight room and put on 50 pounds from his freshman to his sophomore season.
“He understands to play with his hands now and is just a force up front. He is everything you want in defensive lineman in the interior,” Kimrey said. “He is quite the load inside, and he’s a legitimate national caliber player in his own right.”
Huntley has been surprised by the attention and the high caliber offers he has gotten over the past couple months but isn’t going to become complacent. He also said it is fun going through recruiting with his teammate and the two are able to talk to each during the process.
“You can enjoy it more if you have someone to go through the process with,” Huntley said. “I don’t know what is going to happen with recruiting, but if I stay in the weight room, stay working, I am going to get better.
“I have been enjoying the process because in two years I will have to make a decision. But right now, I am enjoying the process and just working hard.”
THE STATE
March 17, 2018
Hammond football coach Erik Kimrey’s phone and email are a little busier these days, and Alex Huntley and Jordan Burch have a lot to do with it.
The two Skyhawk sophomores are becoming big names on the recruiting trail and will be high-profile national prospects for the Class of 2020. This week, 247Sports ranked Burch and Huntley as four-star prospects in its initial Top 247 for the class of 2020.
Burch, a defensive end, is ranked No. 27, while Huntley, a center, is No. 100. The duo are ranked No. 1 and 2 in South Carolina.
Last month, Burch and Huntley each received offers from Arkansas to go along with ones they received from Michigan and Oklahoma.
“My job has increased by about 30 percent,” Kimrey joked. “I can’t imagine what it will be like next year, but it is a good problem to have. It means we have two special young men with a lot of ability. And on top of that, they are great kids with integrity.”
Burch and Huntley visited South Carolina and Clemson recently and both schools are interested in the duo. The Gamecocks have offered both while Clemson has offered Burch, but Kimrey said it is only a matter of time before the Tigers offer Huntley.
The two both like what the in-state programs have to offer.
“South Carolina visit was nice. Coach Muschamp showed me around and showed me everything,” Burch said. “I enjoyed talking football with coach Muschamp, and it made me think about recruiting. Clemson is the same way. I like the facilities and the weight room and how much they have put in up there.”
“I think both of the programs are great,” Huntley said. “What I like about USC is the future and what they got coming up. They have a great team and are building and building every year. Clemson, obviously, they have won a national title and are staying in the top four. They have great facilities, great coaches.”
Both players said it will be a while before they narrow down their choices, but both plan to tend a variety of camps in the summer. Burch, also a standout in basketball, will play AAU basketball over the summer.
Burch spent his freshman season at Wilson High School in Florence, where he played on the opposite side of the defensive line from Clemson signee and five-star prospect Xavier Thomas. As a freshman, he recorded 50 tackles and was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American team.
“Teams would try to double-team him and that would free me up, and that is how I got most of my tackles,” Burch said of his freshman season. “I learned a lot playing with Xavier. He was always energetic and never took plays off.”
Kimrey calls the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Burch an “Adonis” in a football uniform. He didn’t arrive at Hammond until late in the summer but made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Skyhawks, who won the SCISA 3A championship.
Burch had 56 tackles, eight sacks and 16 quarterback pressures. On offense, 16 of his 43 carries went for touchdowns and he also caught 11 passes for 156 yards and three scores.
“He came so late that it was hard to teach him the entire offense, so I put some packages at running back and receiver,” Kimrey said. “I would be stupid as a coach not to give him the ball. People think he is a defensive end, but he has some of the best hands I have ever seen.
“I have never seen someone who looks like that in a uniform. He is a great kid, so much integrity and wonderful human being. Got a lot of God-given ability.”
Like Burch, Huntley plays two sports and is a member of the Skyhawks’ state championship lacrosse team. Huntley said playing lacrosse helps him with his foot work and with his speed. And at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, Huntley easily stands out on the lacrosse field.
On the gridiron, Huntley’s job is to clog up the middle at defensive tackle. He had 61 tackles, 10 for loss, 10 quarterback pressures and seven sacks.
Huntley also got stronger in the weight room and put on 50 pounds from his freshman to his sophomore season.
“He understands to play with his hands now and is just a force up front. He is everything you want in defensive lineman in the interior,” Kimrey said. “He is quite the load inside, and he’s a legitimate national caliber player in his own right.”
Huntley has been surprised by the attention and the high caliber offers he has gotten over the past couple months but isn’t going to become complacent. He also said it is fun going through recruiting with his teammate and the two are able to talk to each during the process.
“You can enjoy it more if you have someone to go through the process with,” Huntley said. “I don’t know what is going to happen with recruiting, but if I stay in the weight room, stay working, I am going to get better.
“I have been enjoying the process because in two years I will have to make a decision. But right now, I am enjoying the process and just working hard.”
THE STATE