Early enrollees won’t stand on ceremony
On Wednesday morning, Hallandale High School will hold a National Signing Day ceremony, but three of its top seniors from this season won’t be there.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley and receivers Joshua Hammond and Demari Simpkins are among 10 football standouts in Broward and Palm Beach counties who have enrolled in college early; Hammond is at University of Florida while Huntley and Simpkins are at Utah.
Though this isn’t a new dynamic, it has become more frequent.
“Everybody wants to go to school and play ball. ... It’s a big transition from high school to college,” said Hallandale coach Dameon Jones, who watched Hammond, Huntley and Simpkins sign their letters of intent in a December ceremony. “They wanted to get that jump, get there earlier to get their feet wet and give them an opportunity or a chance to play early.”
In South Florida — considered one of the nation’s top talent bases — five players made plans to enroll early last year and that figure doubled this season.
Other early enrolees this year include Flanagan linebacker Devin Bush Jr. (Michigan), Deerfield Beach receiver Cavin Ridley (Georgia), Fort Lauderdale linebacker Dallas Jeanty (Wisconsin), Palm Beach Gardens defensive back Devin Stud stil l(Notre Dame), Dwyer receiver Isaiah Johnson (Washington State), Santaluces linebacker Zach McCloud (Miami) and Pahokee cornerback McArthur Burnett (Florida).
Enrolling in school early gives players an edge in the ultra-competitive world of college football, allowing them more time to acclimate to campus and added practice time in the spring.
“If a kid is ready to understand the demands that are going to take place as far as time-management skills and being able to handle a college academic load, then I think that helps getting them there early,” Chaminade-Madonna coach Jason Milgrom said. “And from a football standpoint, they get to play spring football, which puts them ahead of the curve.”
Doug Socha, the Oxbridge football coach and former American Heritagecoach, offered a similar sentiment. “I think the biggest thing is [the player] gets acclimated as a student,” Socha said. “Then he gets an extra spring football.”
But the decision to enroll early can be complicated, and there is a balancing act in leaving high school early.
“I think they’re kids. I think they miss out on a lot of great things that high school has to offer you, like going to the senior prom and graduating with their class,” Milgrom said. “I think kids should be kids at some point.”
Socha pointed to Oxbridge running back and Miami commit Travis Homer, who will sign Wednesday and enroll in the summer.
“I don’t know if a 17-year-old kid should enroll at college at the University of Miami is my original opinion. But it goes case by case,” Socha said. “He’s mature enough that he could handle it, but I think that’s a drawback. And then you look at what he’s going to miss out on as far as his senior year. He’s going to miss his senior prom potentially, walking with all of his classmates.”
Socha added, “I’m torn, because I know what the benefits are, but at the end of the day if the kid can miss out on five to six months of memories that could last a lifetime.”
Still, enrolling early offers some valuable benefits. Jones saidhe spoke to his trio of early enrollees last week and noted that they’re doing well.
“They’re bright kids,” he said. “They’ve got the ropes, they’ve got the hang of it now.”