By Steve Patterson
Ed Hazelett has a good friend
already going to Ohio
State in basketball
prospect Walter Offutt. Hazelett and Offutt played basketball together until
Offutt was injured this season. Hazelett wants to play both sports at college.
He feels in football his best attribute is his leadership. “My best attribute
as a football player is being a leader because it takes a lot of character to
do that.” He explained to us.
Warren
Central has been a powerhouse the last couple of years and Hazelett enjoyed
going undefeated. “The highlight of my football career has been going
undefeated and being ranked 3rd in the country.” He told us. For a
tight-end/wide receiver, being on a run first team does have the disadvantage
of limiting your touches. “I had 18 catches and 2 touchdowns. I would have more
but we don’t throw the ball.”
Hazelett
has been on campus in Columbus
to see the new facilities and enjoyed the experience. “I have not attended a
camp yet but I have been taken on tours of their facilities (Ohio State)
and I have been very impressed.” He reported. Offutt is encouraging Hazelett to
take a good look at the Buckeyes.
Recruiting
is heating up for the athletic big man and when he gets chances to look at
programs he looks at academics first. “First is education when I am looking at
colleges. Then tradition and just a good place where I and my family think I
will be comfortable.” A number of schools have shown interest so far. “I have
been getting interest from schools such as LSU, USC, Cincinnati,
IU, BC, Ohio State, Michigan
State, Louisville
and that’s about it.” Hazelett told us. He currently has offers from Arkansas, Cincinnati,
Kentucky and UCLA.
And finally
the two qualities that will put a team over the top for his commitment is the
graduation rate and the winning percentage of the football team. “What I like
the most is that they graduate a lot of their players and they help them get to
the next level, (yeah) and winning doesn’t make them look to bad.”