Just saw the Daniel Jennings news. Will be playing for Princeton in the fall. Looks like this is his hometown?
Daniel Jennings
- Thread starter M11H16D18H
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For the past 20 years, one team has kind of dominated the recruitment of the Tazewell/Mercer Co. Region. Bluefield, Richlands, Graham most recently.....I could see Princeton being next after the success of last season. Don't get me wrong, all of these schools have plenty of zoned talent. The magic happens when they steal 4-5 blue chips from the other schools.
With WV watering down their classification from three to four. A championship for Princeton could be a very realistic possibility without having to compete with Martinsburg. WV will have basically a couple dozen teams in each classification and nearly everyone makes the playoffs. It’s a new version of everyone gets a participation trophy, everyone gets a playoff spot for the most part. Kid may have made a very astute move, he’s already on the radar as a D1 recruit from his time at Graham. Wish him the best!
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That area has been loaded with talent for decades. The entire Bluefield and Princeton area and sections of the coalfields going through McDowell County, WV, has had player on top of player for decades. Look at the amount of state titles at Bluefield High, WV, and Graham High, in Bluefield, VA, and not titles, but the amount of deep playoff runs dating back for decades. Princeton always had coaching issues that couldn't put a program together that went on for decades, but they always had talent. Now at Princeton over the last few years, they've solved the coaching issue.
I'm not familiar with Daniel Jenings, but I'm sure of this. If he's a great player, Graham will have another player in the position that is far less of a dropoff than most other Class 2 schools in Virginia. U can go back to the 1960's with Graham High in Football, and they just don't seem to take a year off. The down years are few and far between compared to 99% of other Class 2 schools in Virginia If they were to go 6-4 next year, guarantee you nobody wants to play them at 6-4 when playoff time comes around because it's not going to be easy. They'll be a problem. We had the best team in the state of Virginia last year here at Radford, and even then, having a once in a generational type football team, Graham was 2 plays away from beating us. He may be a big loss for Graham, but if you know history, they will be fine.
I understand what you’re saying but I think you’re underestimating how good Daniel Jennings is/will be. He’s a generational type of prospect for our end of the state. He’ll end up as a high 4-star edge rusher with offers from the top P5 schools in the country, in my opinion.
I agree. This kid is going to be a major D1 recruit. He is going to be highly sought after coming out of High School. His upside potential is huge. He will be very difficult to replace. I'm sure Graham will find an adequate replacement, but nowhere near the caliber of Jennings.
I think he’s probably a bigger loss on defense than offense but a loss nonetheless. He will be hard to replace but Graham coaching staff does a great job coaching kids up. They may not have a replacement of his caliber but they’ll have someone to step up. If that person is willing to do what it takes to get to the next level, Tony Palmer & the other coaches will get him there. I honestly feel like one of the breakout stars for next year will be the Lilly kid. He had his best game of the season against Radford. I’m looking forward to watching him next season.
I agree, but he was the other Defensive End. A lot of his success came due to the fact that the qb was moving away from the side that Jennings was on. I'm sure there will be a capable replacement, DE has a little bit of a learning curve to become good at the position. I understand that Lilly has been working very hard and will definitely be a very good asset for Graham. I'm most interested to see the development of upcoming sophomore Cambel Fix. Kid has the straight ahead speed of Clements, is very athletic and strong, smart and tough as nails. He could play multiple positions - slot / rb / qb and play in the secondary on defense.
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It’s my understanding his family moved to Bluefield, VA. He could have just paid out of state tuition but principal wouldn’t approve it for him & a couple other 9th graders from out of state so the Fixes actually moved. I could be misinformed but that’s what I heard but if you know the principal , doesn’t surprise me. It doesn’t mean he won’t go back though.
He’s definitely got speed to burn & was a huge asset on the basketball team.
Kid definitely is a speedy and very athletic and football smart. I’d probably use him at slot & I’m sure he’ll be backup QB. He got some reps there last season.
Who is the next superstar on offense for Graham? Every championship team seems to have one. In my opinion, Clements is going to be the hardest person to replace at GHS. Even with the accolades, that guy is underrated in my book. His vision and ability to make cuts are unteachable. Most importantly, outstanding character. I think losing his production will hurt the most for the G-Men. (Same for us with Clark at Radford)
They can let them , they don’t have to. I was told 3 incoming freshmen from out of WV wanted to enroll at Graham and principal’s reasoning was numbers of incoming class were already high & could result in having to hire extra teacher. When it was taken to Chris Stacy , he deferred to the principal saying it was her decision. Like I said, just what I heard. It’s hard to imagine someone fabricated that entire story. There has to be some truth to it.
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Well, before Jennings moved, I was going to say Jennings. Now, I would have to say that Chris Edwards will be the standout (not a superstar - but very good) and Graham will have several outstanding players that will contribute. Blake Graham at WR, Jamel Floyd at RB / WR, Gage Palmer at WR / RB, Cambel Fix. They will have multiple weapons to get the ball to. I think the thing that will help them all the most will be the return of a big line that was young and lacked experience last year and started to click later in the season.
The next "superstar", I think may be A.J. Bradshaw (yes - another Bradshaw). He will be a freshman and I think he will contribute significantly when he gets a little bigger and stronger and has potential to be a special player.
I agree, Graham may not have a superstar like Clements but they’ll have multiple weapons which can be better than a lone superstar sometimes. I’m curious to see how the defense develops. They were tremendous in the Radford game and with them being young and hitting the weight room since January, they have the potential to be really nasty for opposing offenses. I don’t know but I guarantee Tony Palmer & his defensive coaches have already figured out who they’ll use in place of Jennings. It seems like they don’t rest but are game planning long before the season ever starts.
I like the Dowell kid, he has good athleticism and decent size and speed, that's a possibility. But, he is also a good prospect for linebacker. Isabelle woulld be good at DE also, but I think he will stay at LB. Jennings was perfect at that position.
Graham's depth will be at the O- and D- line this year. It will be hard for teams to run up the middle on them. They will need quality DE's on each side. Not sure who else they have that would be a good fit at DE, but kids change from year to year. I'm sure somebody will step up and do fine.
They live in Bluefield VA too so they’d have to move to Princeton. The two brothers have been at Graham area schools for several years but I guess stranger things have happened.
I personally have moved from Bluefield, WV to Bluefield. VA and back to Bluefield, WV. I had a kid go to Graham and one to Bluefield. The move had nothing to do with sports, but people have events that come up in life, they move....they get divorced, they get re-married, they get new jobs. If they move because they want to go to a different school system or have a better opportunity, guess what, it's nobody's business why they move or why they transfer schools but their own.
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As long as it was for the right (& legal) reasons reasons then you’re correct, it’s no one’s business but their own.
A higher % of teams in each class make the playoffs in Virginia than West Virginia even with these changes.
