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David Robinson (#50, posterizing Gerald Wilkins) was always one of my favorite basketball
players, and now his son is going to play for Notre Dame |
It’s always interesting to me to see the kids of pro athletes and celebrities grow up (see last year’s edition). What do the children of the privileged choose to do with their lives? Well, at least for these few athletes, they have chosen to pursue college football careers:
Keith Byars II – RB – Boca Raton (FL) Boca Raton: Byars is a 5’10”, 205 lb. running back who picked Purdue over offers from Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Rutgers, and Vanderbilt, among others. The elder Byars was an Ohio State Buckeye who went on to a successful career as a running back/fullback/tight end – now commonly referred to as an H-back – with the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. He ended his career with 3,109 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, but his bigger impact was in the passing game, where he had 610 catches for 5,661 yards and 31 touchdowns. He won a Super Bowl with the Patriots after the 1997 season and then spent a year with the Jets before retiring.
Berkley Edwards – RB – Chelsea (MI) Chelsea: Edwards is a 5’9″, 185 lb. running back who picked Minnesota over offers from Cal and numerous Mid-American Conference teams. As a senior this past season, he had 234 carries for 1,394 yards and 21 touchdowns. His father Stan played running back at Michigan before continuing his career with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and Houston Oilers. He ended his career after the 1987 season with a total of 149 carries for 533 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 52 catches for 436 yards and 1 touchdown. Berkley’s older brother is former Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who has played for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks.
Torii Hunter, Jr. – WR – Prosper (TX) Prosper: Hunter is a 6’0″, 172 lb. receiver who chose Notre Dame over offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, and West Virginia, among others. As a senior this past season, he had 71 catches for 1,235 yards and 14 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he broke his femur during practices for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The elder Hunter was a first round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 1993. He has played 16 seasons in the major leagues, first with the Twins and then with the Los Angeles Angels; this off-season he was acquired by the Detroit Tigers. His lifetime numbers include 1,986 hits, 297 homeruns, 1,143 runs batted in, 186 stolen bases, and a career batting average of .277. He’s a five-time all-star and a nine-time Gold Glove winner.
Ray Lewis III – RB – Lake Mary (FL) Lake Mary Prep: Lewis is a 5’10”, 192 lb. back who committed to Miami last March. As a junior in 2011, he had 177 carries for 2,312 yards and 29 touchdowns. Lewis played in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl. His father Ray was a first round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 and is likely Hall of Fame-bound as a middle linebacker. He ended his career on Sunday night by winning a second Super Bowl; his career statistics include 1,336 total tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions, and 3 touchdowns.
Jonathan McCrary – QB – Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove: McCrary is a 6’4″, 200 lb. quarterback who picked Vanderbilt over offers from Florida State, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. As a senior in 2012, he completed 203/270 passes for 2,927 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions; he also ran 45 times for 317 yards and 7 touchdowns. His father Greg McCrary was a backup tight end for the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers from 1975 to 1981, totaling 22 catches for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Corey Robinson – WR – San Antonio (TX) Christian: Robinson is a 6’4″, 195 lb. receiver who picked Notre Dame over offers from Iowa and Kansas, among others. As a senior in 2012, he had 67 catches for 1,414 yards and 20 touchdowns. His father David Robinson was a 7’1″, 235 lb. basketball player who was the #1 overall pick out of Navy in 1987. He played his entire career for the San Antonio Spurs and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. The elder Robinson’s career accomplishments include 20,790 points (21.1 per game), 10,497 rebounds (10.6 per game), and a career field goal percentage of .518. He won NBA Championships in 1999 and 2003, his final year in the league.
Shane Tripucka – P – Allen (TX) Allen: Tripucka is a 6’3″, 210 lb. prospect with a lone offer from Sam Houston State. However, Rutgers has shown recent interest, as offers to specialists frequently come late in the process. Tripucka was selected for the Under Armour All-America Game. His uncle Kelly was a #12 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons out of Notre Dame in 1981; he led Notre Dame in scoring during each of his four seasons. In a ten-year career with the Pistons, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets, he averaged 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists; Kelly was a two-time NBA all-star. Shane’s brother Travis was recently signed by the New York Jets as a long snapper after playing college football at UMass.
