Football: Does Anybody Love Raymond?
Jordan High's Cody Raymond did this past season what no other player in at least 30 years has done in large-school Utah prep football. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder was a consensus (both major Salt Lake City newspapers) first-team all-stater for three consecutive years.
He tied the state record for most touchdowns, 41, and caught 197 passes for 3,326 yards in a marvelous career despite not playing on a state championship team and often seeing double- and triple-team coverage.
Few players have been as unstoppable in the history of Utah prep football.
Why, then, are college recruiters avoiding the star Beetdigger like he's got the plague?
Good question.
Some say it is because Raymond has announced he's going on an LDS Church mission next September before he enrolls anywhere and schools have no idea what kind of shape he will be in when he returns. That's pure poppycock, though. There are dozens of examples of athletes who signed national letters of intent and then went on missions before enrolling.
Raymond told me this afternoon that he has exactly one scholarship offer. Snow (Junior) College in Ephraim has told him he can play for them any time.
The big boys, however, are mostly not interested.
Raymond has decent, though unspectacular, speed. His best time in the 40 is 4.52 seconds and he's mostly clocked in the high 4.5 range. His height is probably the thing that's keeping him off the charts of major colleges.
One recruiter told me that if Raymond were 6-2, he'd be swimming in scholarship offers.
The kid just gets open.
Ask state champions Alta (2007) and Bingham (2006). Neither state power could shut Raymond down.
Academics aren't a problem, either. Raymond has a 3.4 grade point average and scored 20 on the ACT college admission test. A 17 is required for college admission.
I caught up with Raymond after school this afternoon as he worked at his part-time job at Sportsman's Outdoor Products. Here's the latest on his recruitment:
* Utah has shown no interest at all.
* BYU quarterback coach Brandon Doman has talked to him off and on the past few months and told him that the Cougars likely won't offer a scholarship. However, they have three "preferred walk-on" invitations to give out, and he might get one of those. One recently went to Snow safety Andrew Rich.
"Honestly, I thought BYU would have offered long ago, with as much interest they showed in me my junior year," Raymond said.
* Utah State has expressed interest, and receivers coach Greg Stephens called to chat earlier today. The Aggies have requested film on Raymond and have talked to Jordan coach Alex Jacobson a lot about the star receiver, but have not invited him up to Logan for a campus visit.
"Coach Jake thinks they might be heading in that direction," Raymond said.
* Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech are among the schools that have called Jacobson requesting film on Raymond. Texas Tech looks the most promising of those because Red Raiders coach Mike Leach and Jacobson are good friends and Leach understands the mission deal to a certain degree.
"The whole [recruiting] deal has been a little bit of a let-down, to tell you the truth," Raymond said. "But my attitude is to control what I can control and let the chips fall where they may. I think it will be a blessing, in the long run."
He tied the state record for most touchdowns, 41, and caught 197 passes for 3,326 yards in a marvelous career despite not playing on a state championship team and often seeing double- and triple-team coverage.
Few players have been as unstoppable in the history of Utah prep football.
Why, then, are college recruiters avoiding the star Beetdigger like he's got the plague?
Good question.
Some say it is because Raymond has announced he's going on an LDS Church mission next September before he enrolls anywhere and schools have no idea what kind of shape he will be in when he returns. That's pure poppycock, though. There are dozens of examples of athletes who signed national letters of intent and then went on missions before enrolling.
Raymond told me this afternoon that he has exactly one scholarship offer. Snow (Junior) College in Ephraim has told him he can play for them any time.
The big boys, however, are mostly not interested.
Raymond has decent, though unspectacular, speed. His best time in the 40 is 4.52 seconds and he's mostly clocked in the high 4.5 range. His height is probably the thing that's keeping him off the charts of major colleges.
One recruiter told me that if Raymond were 6-2, he'd be swimming in scholarship offers.
The kid just gets open.
Ask state champions Alta (2007) and Bingham (2006). Neither state power could shut Raymond down.
Academics aren't a problem, either. Raymond has a 3.4 grade point average and scored 20 on the ACT college admission test. A 17 is required for college admission.
I caught up with Raymond after school this afternoon as he worked at his part-time job at Sportsman's Outdoor Products. Here's the latest on his recruitment:
* Utah has shown no interest at all.
* BYU quarterback coach Brandon Doman has talked to him off and on the past few months and told him that the Cougars likely won't offer a scholarship. However, they have three "preferred walk-on" invitations to give out, and he might get one of those. One recently went to Snow safety Andrew Rich.
"Honestly, I thought BYU would have offered long ago, with as much interest they showed in me my junior year," Raymond said.
* Utah State has expressed interest, and receivers coach Greg Stephens called to chat earlier today. The Aggies have requested film on Raymond and have talked to Jordan coach Alex Jacobson a lot about the star receiver, but have not invited him up to Logan for a campus visit.
"Coach Jake thinks they might be heading in that direction," Raymond said.
* Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech are among the schools that have called Jacobson requesting film on Raymond. Texas Tech looks the most promising of those because Red Raiders coach Mike Leach and Jacobson are good friends and Leach understands the mission deal to a certain degree.
"The whole [recruiting] deal has been a little bit of a let-down, to tell you the truth," Raymond said. "But my attitude is to control what I can control and let the chips fall where they may. I think it will be a blessing, in the long run."
3 Comments:
uhh... I am from ALTA and yes he is a phenom, but he didn't exactly blow us away...it was more like Jordan Anderson#31 and Tre Phillips#7 blasted Cody just about everytime he touched the ball....You asked I responded...don't ask if you don't want an answer?
Thanks for responding, Ron. I was at the games at Jordan last year and Alta this year. I know he tore Alta up pretty good at Jordan. I'd have to go back and look at the numbers, but it seems to me that he had a pretty good game at Alta, too.
Not to take anything away from the Hawks, though. They had a phenomenal defense. Don't forget the stellar play of Brantley Dunn, either.
My mistake, Dunn did have a stellar year and played Cody very well........You know I have to comment that I too am very surprised that Cody hasn't been picked up...especially at Utah State....can you imagine a combo of Riley-Cody? They would lite it up! I definitely felt like the Utes and Cougs blew it by letting Riley end up at USU.....Guy just doesn't get it....if he wants to fill his stands and win....maybe he should do a better job of recruiting more than just a bunch of JC transfers every year...there are so many kids in Utah High Schools that could excel and that people here would drive a snowstorm through Sardine Canyon to see.... come on Guy your days are numbered ...time to re-evaluate your strategy......Utah State could be the program that bets on and succeeds playing Utah Football players....I mean at 119-125th worst college program in the country and behind Snow College....what do you have to lose? Too bad McBride isn't up there....USU is actually the best school in the State...just a lousy program when it comes to football....but that could change literally overnite with the right coach! Good Luck Cody....you are a great kid....make us proud!
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