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Recruiting: ECU lands "combine phenom"

By Sammy Batten

Jun 19, 2008

Referring to Torrance Hunt as a “combine phenom’’ isn’t a put down.

It does, however, accurately describe how Hunt went from a generally unknown in recruiting circles to a major prospect in a span of about two months.

“I won’t say he was off the radar,’’ Hunt’s coach at Durham’s Jordan High School, Mike Briggs, said. “Teams told us they liked what they saw of him on film. But after they watched him run in the combines, the interest in him shot through the roof.’’

East Carolina became the lucky program to land an oral commitment from the 5-foot-7, 170-pound dynamo on Sunday, one week after attending the Pirates one-day prospect camp. It was after Hunt returned from that appearance in Greenville that he received his first scholarship offer from the Pirates.

Hunt subsequently cancelled scheduled trips to the summer camps at North Carolina and N.C. State after reaching his decision.

According to Briggs, it was a performance by Hunt during a Nike Combine held in Baltimore, Md., in April that first caught the attention of the Pirates and other schools.

Hunt had enjoyed a strong junior year at Jordan, his first on the varsity. He earned All-Pac-6 Conference honors at defensive back by making 71 tackles, five interceptions and breaking up 14 passes.

A head-turning effort

But in Baltimore, Hunt stunned the combine staff when he was clocked at 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Asked to run the sprint again, Hunt turned in an even better time of 4.29 seconds.

The staff asked Hunt to run a third time after he completed the other physical tests at the combine for video purposes. Incredibly, he produced yet another sensational time of 4.25 seconds.

“Once the word got out about that, we had a lot of recruiters stop by,’’ Briggs said.

Although Hunt played strictly on defense at Jordan last season, ECU has recruited him as an offensive athlete who could play wide receiver and return kicks.

Briggs believes Hunt’s toughness and his speed will make him a success at ECU, no matter where he plays. He cited a play Hunt made last year as an example.

“He was backed off the line and playing a cover three (deep zone),’’ Briggs said. “The team threw a little pass in the flats. Torrance was a good five to 10 yards off the play and he was backpedaling. They threw the pass and before the receiver could turn up and make a yard, Torrance came up and made the tackle.

“That’s the thing about him. He’s a pretty good football player overall, in addition to the fact he’s an athlete. He’s not afraid to play the game of football.’’

Hunt is the third player to make a pledge to ECU, joining Bartlett Yancey defensive tackle Michael Brooks and Seventy-First linebacker Lamar McLendon.

Deacs hit Florida, again

Wake Forest has added an eighth player to its recruiting class from a familiar place — Florida.

A third Floridian gave the Deacons an oral commitment last weekend as Plant City’s Duran Lowe chose Wake over an offer from South Florida.

Lowe was used primarily at safety as a junior. The 5-11, 212-pounder was named Plant City’s co-defensive player of the year with linebacker teammate Denzel Drone. Lowe will play a variety of spots as a senior, including running back, safety and linebacker.

The Deacons, however, have recruited Lowe to play inside linebacker.

The commitment from Lowe could also help Wake Forest land Drone, a 6-2, 215-pounder who is also being recruited by Kentucky and South Florida.

Staff writer Sammy Batten can be reached at battens@fayobserver.com or 486-3534.