Ohio Football Recruiting Topic
Topic: 2014 RB Maleek Irons (Abbotsford, BC, Canada) - Ohio Signee
Page: 1 of 4
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Mike Coleman
12/9/2013 4:27 PM
Thanks to Mike Drake for the scoop.

The #1 player in Canada. 6-1, 205.

http://www.sportseh.ca/article/maleek-irons-doing-everything-and-then-some


Last Edited: 2/5/2014 1:02:19 PM by Ted Thompson
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OUOhYeah2428
12/9/2013 4:32 PM
This is very exciting. The #1 prospect in Canada. I was pretty concerned about the depth at RB next year with only Daz, Edmond and Dorian Brown. I feel much better now.
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Robert Fox
12/9/2013 4:34 PM
Impressive!
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mf279801
12/9/2013 5:02 PM
The title of that website ("Sports eh") is making me laugh uncontrollably right now
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Bcat2
12/9/2013 5:34 PM
Good news, though, I would also like to see a graduate transfer who could play right away. I would like Mr. Irons to benefit from a redshirt year.
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Bobcat General
12/9/2013 5:38 PM
This is a very impressive get and a position that was needed in this class!
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Doc Bobcat
12/9/2013 5:54 PM
Q Black Sabbath.....I am Iron Man😃.
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TWT
12/9/2013 5:54 PM
Bobcat General wrote:expand_more
This is a very impressive get and a position that was needed in this class!

I'm drooling at the thought of punt returns for 80 yards to the house. This guy has to play right away for special teams.

 
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MonroeClassmate
12/9/2013 6:44 PM
Perhaps he can speak French with N'Dour and become International fast friends! Of course French speaking Canada is the other direction so perhaps N'Dour can tutor him if he' d like!


 
Last Edited: 12/9/2013 6:46:26 PM by MonroeClassmate
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Bcat2
12/9/2013 7:02 PM
Is he from the Gerald Irons line?
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L.C.
12/9/2013 9:37 PM
Not rated by ESPN but known to them
Not known to 247Sports or Rivals.
Known
to Scout.com, but not rated by them.
Rated 4.5 stars by L.C.

I have to wonder if Chris Garrett playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
affected this.

All season long I have been saying that the number one priority was a bigger back. This is the man. This is the best RB that Solich has recruited since Mike Rozier. With this additions, maybe it's time to go get a 4-star fullback, and go back to the I-formation.

As far as I'm concerned, this class has it all, now. Anything else they add from here out is gravy. Another QB would be nice, as would another CB, but even without those, I'm happy.
Last Edited: 12/10/2013 6:34:06 PM by L.C.
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Cats-22
12/9/2013 9:48 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
This is the best RB that Solich has recruited since Mike Rozier.



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L.C.
12/9/2013 10:12 PM
He's not going to flatten defenders, but he's not going to get arm-tackled, either, and he's got good speed, balance, and lateral movement, and outstanding acceleration, but what makes him really stand out is his ability to see the field and read and follow blocks. He and Walker are both outstanding, but very different backs, meaning the offense of the future is going to have a lot of options. It's very much like recruiting Kalvin McRae and Chris Garrett in the same class.
Last Edited: 12/10/2013 6:36:27 PM by L.C.
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C Money
12/9/2013 10:20 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
With this additions, maybe it's time to go get a 4-star fullback, and go back to the I-formation.


No. This.
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Monroe Slavin
12/9/2013 11:37 PM
What a pleasant surprise!  Don't have time to watch the whole video, but the young man does not go down unless he's TACKLED.  Wow.

Go young OHIO lads!

 
Last Edited: 12/9/2013 11:41:28 PM by Monroe Slavin
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Cats-22
12/10/2013 8:13 AM
Just watched the first half of the video.  SPOILER: almost every run goes for a touchdown, incredibly.

Definitely looks like a player.  If he keeps getting better you have to imagine he'll have a great career.
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ytownbobcat
12/10/2013 8:48 AM
I am not sure of the level of play for Canadian High School football. When Canadian teams venture into Northern Ohio for the results are pretty one sided. 
I am thinking this will be a wait and see for me. Putting it in the category of American Samoan defensive linemen. Hoping for the best.
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Bcat2
12/10/2013 9:31 AM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
Not rated by EPSN but known to them
Not known to 247Sports or Rivals.
Known to Scout.com, but not rated by them.
Rated 4.5 stars by L.C.

I have to wonder if Chris Garrett playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders affected this.

All season long I have been saying that the number one priority was a bigger back. This is the man. This is the best RB that Solich has recruited since Mike Rozier. With this additions, maybe it's time to go get a 4-star fullback, and go back to the I-formation.

As far as I'm concerned, this class has it all, now. Anything else they add from here out is gravy. Another QB would be nice, as would another CB, but even without those, I'm happy.
Mr. Irons, if you read this, no pressure, OK. Mike Rozier was a two year starter for coach Solich back in the 1980s. He set some records and won some awards. He had good players around him. We hope you do well.
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UpSan Bobcat
12/10/2013 9:41 AM
This article says he rushed for 3,696 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior but had no Division I offers at the time (June) it was written.
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C Money
12/10/2013 9:53 AM
Do Canadian high schools play by CFL rules (12 players on the field, only 3 downs, etc.)? If so, those rushing stats are even more impressive.
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L.C.
12/10/2013 11:16 AM
I counted the players on the highlight film. It appears to be standard eleven man football.


ytownbobcat wrote:expand_more
I am not sure of the level of play for Canadian High School football. When Canadian teams venture into Northern Ohio for the results are pretty one sided. 
I am thinking this will be a wait and see for me. Putting it in the category of American Samoan defensive linemen. Hoping for the best.

That's indeed the wild card. The competition level is NOT good. That's what makes it hard to know for sure how good he is. Still, his measurables are good - he runs a lasar-timed 4.49, for example. For me the thing is, some things translate better than others. Skills like seeing the field, timing the use of your blocks, etc, are not that different against bad competition or the NFL. Remember - yes, it's true that the defenders aren't good, but neither are his blockers.

Often when I watch a highlight film of a running back, the back takes the handoff, runs through a big hole at the line, and speeds by the defenders for a TD. What does that tell me? Not much. In this case, as I said, his blockers are on a par with the defenders. The holes aren't big, and he has to time his run to use the blocks, and get through small openings, which he does well. He also shows lateral quickness in sidestepping defenders at times. That will scale well to better competition, I think. The defenders will be better, but so will the blockers. He'll still have to see and read the field, and time his use of the blocks to get through holes.

I think he has a lot of potential. The number one thing you can't see on his film is his heart. Think about Kalvin McRea. What made him a stand out, for me, among Ohio's running backs? His heart. He knew what was needed, and got it done. He played to win. He wasn't the fastest, the quickest, or the best in any specific, measurable way, but he gave it his all on every play. There is no guarantee that Maleek will be a star for Ohio, but the potential is there, in my opinion.
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Preez
12/10/2013 11:26 AM
Going on nothing more than meeting him and his mother this past weekend I am very pleased he has chosen OU. What a nice young man! All the recruits got along great and seemed very excited to be there. This class looked impressive!
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Beastmode
12/10/2013 12:22 PM
I am very excited to read these posts about Maleek, And as someone who has followed his Varsity career I can tell you he is a special player. I can assure you if he attended school in the US he would be a 4 or 5 star recruit. Maleek is rarely ever brought down by first contact, he is always moving forward and is physical with break away speed and vision. 

 Maleek has a large frame and can easily be 215 -225lbs pounds with 4.5 speed.  Maleek is a very special blend of talent and when he attended camps in the US he won top RB and MVP awards. This is a great day for a Canadian athlete and a fantastic signing for Ohio.

Go BOBCATS!!!!
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GoCats105
12/10/2013 12:42 PM
The last great Canadian running back I can remember is none other than this freak of nature:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3wSUL3kk1w
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L.C.
12/10/2013 2:39 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
The last great Canadian running back I can remember is none other than this freak of nature...
[/QUOTE]
I'd settle for that.

[QUOTE=Beastmode]I am very excited to read these posts about Maleek, And as someone who has followed his Varsity career I can tell you he is a special player. I can assure you if he attended school in the US he would be a 4 or 5 star recruit. Maleek is rarely ever brought down by first contact, he is always moving forward and is physical with break away speed and vision. 

 Maleek has a large frame and can easily be 215 -225lbs pounds with 4.5 speed.  Maleek is a very special blend of talent and when he attended camps in the US he won top RB and MVP awards. This is a great day for a Canadian athlete and a fantastic signing for Ohio.

Go BOBCATS!!!!

The last couple years Ohio has signed some very good offensive linemen, too. This year the offensive line was abnormally bad because the four Fifth-Year Seniors that were supposed to anchor it were all injured, and most of the snaps were taken by Sophomores and Freshmen. Over the next few years Maleek will have a very good line in front of him, and it sounds like he's already met some of them. I hope he can redshirt next year while he adjusts to the speed of Division I football, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him on the field.
Last Edited: 12/10/2013 2:41:21 PM by L.C.
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