SCOOP HD: Green Worth the Chatter
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CEDAR HILL, Texas - For quite some time Cedar Hill head coach Joey McGuire has been telling anyone that would listen that he had something special in three-star cornerback Marcus Green. While it took everyone a while to catch on to the 6-foot-1, 176-pound prospect when they did, his recruitment showed signs of blowing up as he picked up one offer after another last week.
However, it seems all those offers were for not as Green pulled the trigger to make himself an Oklahoma commitment on Sunday afternoon.
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So when SoonerScoop.com went by to see him on Monday afternoon it was with hopes of seeing just what all the fuss was about and it didn't take long watching the tremendously long and physical corner to see what McGuire had been talking about.
As mentioned, Green is a player that it only takes a few plays to note an aggressive playing style that would seem to lend itself well with Mike Stoops style of coverage. Due to his tremendous length even on the rare occasions when Green was troubled by Cedar Hill's lengthy list of talented receivers it was even more rare that the play became a problem as Green was able to get his hands and arms into passing lanes.
Now with all of that size comes certain drawbacks for just about any player and Green showed some of the same tendencies with footwork that could falter at times and a backpedal that is always a bit more complex for players with longer legs. However, that's not to say that both areas won't improve considerably with more and more work. Given more time Green can become more natural in coverage and should the Sooners played Stoops' long-favored 'Cover 2' he is a beautiful fit.
Not only because of his ability to get into passing lanes that most corners couldn't begin to close but also his willingness to come up and stick his helmet into traffic - particularly in the run game. Green may not be the fastest corner in the country, but his ability to get his hands on receivers and backs before they can reach him makes it much easier to stifle the progress of those who might normally be able to gain a step on him down field.
In short, with his size, physicality, and natural tools it's not hard to figure why McGuire, and a growing list of BCS programs, were clamoring for the nation's No. 41 cornerback.
As mentioned there were a few moments in which he was given a problem or two and almost invariably those moments were provided by Cedar Hill's emerging superstar, class of 2015 wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge, who McGuire has on more than one occasion said 'he has a chance to be as good as anyone we've had here'.
Lodge continues his amazing spring, that started at the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour in Dallas with a blend of size and speed that is special but it's his feel for the game and impressive hands that separate him from many of his counterparts. Whether it's vertical routes, crossing patterns, or simple comebacks, it seems that Lodge is always right where his quarterback expects him.