TX Tight End Making a Name For Himself

One of the top up and coming tight end prospects in the country is Southlake (TX) Carroll’s Jake Benoist (6-4, 218, 4.63). Jake has been traveling the camp circuit and has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Jake has an event filled summer planned. He has already camped at Oklahoma, SMU, and Texas A&M, and is scheduled to go to Baylor, TCU, Mississippi State, and the Stephen F. Austin defensive end camp. He may also try to squeeze in the Oklahoma State DE camp.

"He really liked the OU camp, because he found out that they actually run the tight ends attached and unattached quite often, and the tight end is probably, if not the leading receiver, then one of the leading receivers in that offense, that scheme," commented Jake's dad, Glenn. He got out there and made a really good impression on Jonathan Hayes, who is the tight ends coach.

"Jonathan made it a point to introduce Jake to (Oklahoma Head Coach) Bob Stoops, because I don’t think he had been on the radar screen with OU. Part of that is just because he didn’t get the reps last year, and part of it is pretty much they can pick whoever they want, being picked preseason number one already.

"Jake had an excellent week there, caught everything they threw at him, ran great routes, and Jake was impressed with the whole university and the coaches and everything. A couple of high school coaches that I bumped into said that Jake was the best tight end at the camp."

Jake is using his camp experiences not only to show off his wares, but also to experience different campuses and communities. Among his trips will be his first visit to Starkville.

Although the MSU camp has a special section just for lineman, Glenn says Jake will probably participate in the seven on seven competition top show off his pass catching and route running skills. "He could go either route with that, but given what he would prefer to do, he will probably run routes and catch balls," he said. "What made him stand out at that OU camp was when they checked him in they thought he was a wide receiver."

Jake has an interest in Mississippi State due to family ties. His uncle is a huge Bulldog fan, and his dad also went to school there. "I went to State and I loved it," Glenn said. "He’s excited now that he is getting to go to camp there. He’s like, 'Man they really do want me!'

"He’s always followed the Bulldogs, but he’s never been to the campus. I would say that State would be in his top five now, if for no other reason that they have expressed a lot of interest in him, but he wants to keep all of his options open.

"This will give him the opportunity to explore the different universities that are out there, to get a sense of a small town where the university is the town versus the other way around. We lived in Tampa, Florida, and when we lived there we spent time going around the state of Florida, so he’s been to Florida State, which he hates, but he liked the University of Florida.

"A big campus, and frankly I think that is a drawback for him. I don’t think he wants to go to a campus with 25,000 plus. I think he’d like go to a campus with fifteen to twenty thousand tops, preferably probably ten to fifteen thousand for him."

Jake is being recruited mainly as a tight end, even though he will be playing defensive end this upcoming season. "Frankly, he could play anywhere," Glenn commented.

"He could play outside linebacker, or he could play defensive end, with more size. He’s bigger than a lot of kids even at middle linebacker. He is a more natural defender than he is an offensive player. He has a nose for the ball and he is going to make stuff happen.

"He has that rare combination of real good speed and good strength to go along with it. Even though he doesn’t have the total size that so many schools are recruiting at tight end, he has the kind of frame where he can get up to probably 230, 235 and you wouldn’t even know it.

"If he got up to 250, 260 where a lot of tight ends are playing these days, or some even bigger than that, he would probably start to lose some of his speed. But losing speed when you are a 4.6, 4.65 guy to where you are a 4.7, 4.8, he is still faster than most tight ends out there.

"I think that is a thing a lot of people have overlooked with Jake. He’s got unbelievable speed, unbelievable foot quickness, and that goes a long way to helping him as a run blocker. If you are quicker off the ball and you deliver that first punch and you are strong you don’t necessarily need to be 250 or 260 to take the defensive end off the ball."

Glenn also feels that Jake has some acquaintances that will help improve his position in the scholarship wars. "He has had a lot of training," Glenn said.

"He ‘s been able to work out with guys like Major Applewhite, Nathan Chandler, and Todd Dodge, heck, his coach was a game away from the national championship. He has had great instruction and worked with some of the best quarterbacks in this part of the country, and I think has helped him prepare for playing at the next level."

Jake’s work ethic is also a bonus. "He is an extremely hard worker," Glenn explained. "He really grew up a lot in the last 18 months. He never really took thinks seriously, because he was such an athlete he could always get by, even though he worked hard."

Jake has been an excellent all around athlete growing up, but over the last several years has decided to focus strictly on football. He has even been a key contributor on the Southlake Carroll seven on seven team.

"He gave up soccer," Glenn commented. "He was one the top defensive players in the country in his age group, under 15, and he gave it all up because he wanted to commit completely to football.

"I said that’s great, and he’s worked real hard at it. He figured out that’s what he wants to do in life."

So where will Jake ultimately decide to go? "He’s open to whatever is out there," Glenn remarked. "I think if someone came to him and offered and it felt good and it felt right, he would probably take it because he saw a player last year pass up an opportunity at Arkansas, then he had a marginal season, and Arkansas lost interest in him. Then at the last minute he signed with Tulsa."

Jake is looking for an opportunity and will be a very good player for the school that gives him a shot. "He just wants to play," Glenn said. "He wants someone to give him the chance, and he will make the most of it. What he really wants to do is knuckle down this year, have a good year, and let the rest take care of itself."

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