TomVH: An Interview with WR Dwayne Stanford

Submitted by TomVH on

Taft High is the home to DE Adolphus Washington and WR Dwayne Stanford. Teammates, good friends, and a so called package deal recruiting wise. Michigan has made up ground for both, and the pair plan on taking in Ann Arbor this coming weekend. Washington recently announced that Michigan was in his top five. Here's a look at Stanford's film and where he's at in his process.

TOM: Adolphus came out with a top five, so does that mean you have a top group too?

DWAYNE: No, I don't have a top five right now. I'm still considering a lot of schools.

TOM: When do you think you'll narrow your list down, and do you know if Michigan will be in your top group as well?

DWAYNE: I don't know when, probably mid to the end of June I'll narrow it to a top five. Michigan will definitely be in the top five though, especially with how hard Coach Smith is recruiting me.

TOM: Is Coach Smith your main recruiter? If so do you feel like you've built a good relationship with him?

DWAYNE: Yes, he is. I'm pretty comfortable with Coach Smith, I'm really comfortable with him. We talk a little about everything sometimes it's football, sometimes we talk about life. It's not always football, which is what I like about him.

TOM: If you've never been to Michigan before tell me what got you interested in Michigan?

DWAYNE: Michigan is a big time program and for them to be recruiting me I feel great about it. For them to be recruiting me as hard as they are that's what's doing it for me. At first I wasn't too interested in Michigan, but now I'm starting to grow on Michigan.

TOM: Both you and Adolphus were planning on going up to Michigan this weekend, is that still the plan?

DWAYNE: Yeah, we'll be up there. I'm calling Coach Smith to get everything set up and see what Michigan has to offer. It's my first time up there so I want to see if I feel comfortable, how they want to use me, and if it's something I like.

TOM: Do you have any other visits planned yet?

DWAYNE: We don't have any other visits planned, but we want to go to LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, FSU, and Kentucky. None of them are dates set in stone, but we want to get out there.

TOM: I've actually talked to your dad before, and I thought he said he was an Ohio State fan. Are you also an Ohio State fan?

DWAYNE: My family are all Ohio State fans, but I grew up liking Miami and Michigan. I just recently became an Ohio State fan. My family just tells me to stay humble in the process though. They just try to help me figure out if the coaches are being honest with me. They're giving me advice here and there.

TOM: Tell me what kind of receiver is someone going to get with you?

DWAYNE: I'm a big physical receiver that can get separation because of my size. The average big receiver is slow and not fluid out of breaks. I can get out of my breaks, I can play slot, tight end, or play on the outside. I'm not a possession receiver, I'm a little elusive where I can catch the ball and make some people miss too.

TOM: With your recruiting process, what are you really looking for in a school. How will you evaluate a program?

DWAYNE: I just want the school to be honest and up front with me. What's their plan with me. If they tell me I'll sit behind a veteran then I'll appreciate that more than if they tell me I'll play right away and I probably won't.

TOM: I know a lot of times when teammates say they want to be a package deal it doesn't end up working out. Is it 100% that you and Adolphus will go to the same school, or is there a chance you end up at different places?

DWAYNE: We're going to try to fit the best schools for both of us. If he likes a school and I like a different one then I don't want him to feel like he has to go to school with me just because. We want to go to the same school, though. A lot of the same schools are recruiting both of us. If it doesn't happen it's ok, but it is the main goal and we'd like it to happen.

TOM: If you guys are going to pick the same school you'll probably have to announce at the same time. Adolphus said you'll probably do it at an All American game. Is that still the plan for you too?

DWAYNE: We're committed to playing in the Under Armour All American game. I'll probably actually announce it at the end of my senior season. I know Adolphus wants to wait, but ya know, it's kind of on him. We don't necessarily have to do it at the same time, but it might be best to do it together.

Comments

Six Zero

May 23rd, 2011 at 1:00 PM ^

"SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION WITH TOMVH" web site, but now realize it'd be a waste of time.

Tom directly knows everyone on the planet, including Dwayne Stanford's dad.

BrownJuggernaut

May 23rd, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^

I can officially say that that is the weirdest highlight video music I've ever heard. It sounds like it's straight out Super Mario or something.

I'm confident that we can make a play for these guys. What they say about being straightforward and honest, I believe that's how the coaching staff has been with all the recruits thus far, so I think that should play well. Whether we can snatch these guys remains the big question. 

TESOE

May 23rd, 2011 at 1:22 PM ^

recruits in an unusual position (from the RR era at least)...these guys are ready to play now...I hope they see that when they look at the depth chart and other commits.  There will be no redshirt with either one I think.

Mr Mackey

May 23rd, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^

He says he wants the coaching staff to be honest with him about playing time.. I think that really helps us because we can honestly say that he's very important and would probably (?) play as a true freshman. We don't really have a big WR like him, and we'll be awfully weak in 2012 at WR.

Blue_in_Cleveland

May 23rd, 2011 at 8:07 PM ^

Jeremy Jackson isn't exactly a small receiver, and he has a little bit of experience. I think you underestimate the wide receiver corps for 2012. Roundtree will be back and there are a number of guys who could step up such as Stokes, Jackson, Dileo and Gallon. We seem almost to quick to write off these guys who weren't superstars within their first year or two. Although underclassmen playing significant rolls may have been the modus operandi for the previous 3 years, that is not how it is supposed to be.

Erik_in_Dayton

May 23rd, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^

He apparently ran a 4.81 at a combine.  http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/player/campresults?id=127129&_slug_=dwayne-stanford-ii&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2frecruiting%2fplayer%2fcampresults%3fid%3d127129%26_slug_%3ddwayne-stanford-ii 

 

That may have been a bad day for him, of course.  I remember Mario Manningham's 40 times getting a lot better as the NFL Draft process went on. 

Mojave Gold

May 23rd, 2011 at 2:35 PM ^

He is a good WR.  Reminds me of Dwayne Jarrett with his height.  Doesn't appear to be 4.5, but a nice WR nevertheless.

ryebreadboy

May 23rd, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^

I think we stand a good chance at landing this pair.  They both seem to have very high interest in Michigan and, at least with Stanford, we can definitely promise early playing time.

The fact that UM is their first joint visit (and the only one they have planned so far) is definitely a big plus in our favor.  We have a chance to set the stage as far as expectations go, and I think Michigan clearly leaves kids with one heck of an impression.

MichiganMan2424

May 23rd, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^

The fact that we're definitely going to be in his top 5 and we're the only school they're both visiting as of now is a very good sign. Another nice job by Hoke and crew,

dahblue

May 23rd, 2011 at 9:03 PM ^

What's the thought on the board of Stanford v Burbridge?  Is one more highly thought of than the other?  Are they similar/different types of WRs?  Might we take 2 WRs in this class?  Many thanks in advance.

Magnus

May 23rd, 2011 at 10:30 PM ^

Well, Stanford is tall and medium speed like Plaxico Burress and Burbridge is shorter and faster like Mario Manningham.  Pick your poison.

Stanford is #93 to Rivals, and Burbridge is #134.  So there's not a whole lot of difference between the two.

We might take 2 wide receivers in this class, but the class would have to get bigger before that happened.  It would probably be a maximum of 1 right now.

ryebreadboy

May 24th, 2011 at 12:47 AM ^

So does that mean if Burbridge should commit in the near future (not that I've heard anything to indicate that that's in the cards), we'd be out of the running for Stanford/Washington until the class opened up?  I just can't believe we wouldn't make the room if they actually wanted to come as a package deal.

Magnus

May 24th, 2011 at 7:54 AM ^

It seems that the coaches wouldn't accept a commitment from Burbridge right now.

The Scout guys seem to think Burbridge has a good chance to qualify; the Rivals guys think it's doubtful.  So who knows?

However, I will say that it seems like most of the kids who have had questions about grades in the past few years have failed to qualify.  Rawls seemed to be the exception; Antonio Kinard, Conelius Jones, Davion Rogers, Demar Dorsey, etc. seem to be more common.

Wolverman

May 24th, 2011 at 2:09 AM ^

 I've seen a few quotes where Coach Hoke wants a burner to stretch the field. If they take one WR I don't see it being a guy running a 4.8 40 , unless they see him as a TE later. If Burbridge does commit soon They will most deffinately take 2 WR's just in case his grade flop.

JohnnyV123

May 24th, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^

I know many of us have used Fred Jackson hyperbole to describe the job the Michigan staff has done recruiting so far but my jaw will drop if we are able to land these guys.

From all that I've read in these interviews it seems like their natural inclination is to not pick Michigan. However, since we have gone after them so hard I feel like it has given us a good chance. This joint visit is going to be very important I would love to hear what they say after it.

In this highlight video Stanford may not have blazing speed (not bad either) but I agree with him when he says he's good about getting out of his breaks. Shows some quick change of direction after catching the ball.

I Miss Bursley

May 24th, 2011 at 3:45 PM ^

for doing this, but:

"DWAYNE: Michigan is a big time program and for them to be recruiting me I feel great about it. For them to be recruiting me as hard as they are that's what's doing it for me. At first I wasn't too interested in Michigan, but now I'm starting to grow on Michigan."

Most innuendos ever?

rockydude

May 25th, 2011 at 10:15 PM ^

that if we got these two, the Ohio floodgates could open? Dunn, Wormley, whoever might also jump on the bandwagon if the guys that they had been going to camps and all-star games with forever were also in the program. Seems like we might only be that one or two Ohio commits away from cracking it open . . .