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Tracking the Stars of the Future

Football Recruiting Report
Wednesday, January 18, 2006

By Sammy Batten

2006 Thumbnails   •   2005 Thumbnails   •   2005 Report Card

2005 LISTS:   East Carolina   •   C-USA   •   Carolinas

Speedy Bear sports all-purpose résumé

©2006 Bonesville.net

If you’ve never heard of Daryl Reynolds, you probably didn’t see New Bern High School play football in 2005. Because if you had seen the Bears play, you couldn’t have missed Reynolds.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder rarely left the field for a New Bern squad that finished 13-3 and reached the state 4-AA finals for the third time in four years. Reynolds started at wide receiver on offense, cornerback on defense and returned punts and kickoffs. About the only rest Reynolds got during a game was when it was finished.

He’ll bring that versatility to Greenville next fall after making a verbal commitment to ECU head coach Skip Holtz last month.

Reynolds spent three seasons on the varsity squad at New Bern coached by former ECU football letterman Chip Williams. He was a reserve as a sophomore before moving into the starting lineup at receiver the following season.

As a two-way senior starter, Reynolds' 18 pass deflections and six interceptions — returning two of them 50 or more yards for touchdowns — on defense, and 34 receptions for 667 yards and eight touchdowns heading into the state finals. He added a 27-yard touchdown catch and a 65-yard interception return for a score in that game.

The performance wasn’t surprising to Williams, who has watched Reynolds develop from a raw, talented sophomore through simple hard work.

“Most of the time now, especially in 4-A football, a lot of kids show up with talent,’’ Williams said. “But if they don’t work on it and improve steadily, they get passed by.

“You could see Daryl has that talent when he first came to us. But he’s worked hard at making the most of that talent.’’

Williams said Reynolds also impressed football scouts because of his talents in another sport, track, where he excels as a hurdler. East Carolina was the only NCAA Division I-A school to offer Reynolds, although many were interested.

“I think a lot of interest from some of the schools came about because of track,’’ Williams said. “They knew he was a pretty good skill player, but in this day and time it pays to have another hook to get the interest of colleges. Track is usually one that gets their interest.

“Daryl finished fifth in the (state) high hurdles last year and I believe he was eighth in the 300. He had a great indoor season. He also played basketball last year, but as soon as basketball was over he went to the nationals in Baltimore and finished 12th.’’

Speed is one reason Williams expects the Pirates to play Reynolds at cornerback.

“I was talking to the defensive backs coach at East Carolina and he was saying the best corner he ever had was also a hurdler, so the two play hand-in-hand,’’ Williams said. “He’s also a great return man. I think maybe after ECU gets him where he needs to be as a corner they may use him as a return man.

“We also thought he was a pretty good wide receiver. In the state championship game against (Charlotte) Independence, he made a great one-handed, over-the-shoulder catch that was very impressive. He’s just an explosive athlete.’’

Reynolds is the second secondary prospect committed to ECU’s recruiting Class of 2006. He joins Dekota Marshall from Southwest Onslow High in Jacksonville, who could play safety or cornerback.

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02/23/2007 02:37:24 PM

 

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