Detroits Vance is a bad man
CLEVELAND - Football drills without pads isn't exactly the preferred habitat for Detroit Cass Tech safety prospect Demetric Vance, but he managed to continue his ascent as one of the top prospects in the Midwest with a good showing at Rivals Camp Series event at Cleveland Plainfield High School.
In an environment that doesn't allow hitting and challenges DBs to cover shifty receivers in space with no help from secondary mates, Vance stood his ground well against a host of talented WRs and TEs. And if they were allowed to wear pads and hit, that's when Vance's true value would have shown. Instead, football observers will have to wait till the autumn for that show. But college recruiters might be looking at a committed prospect by then.
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"I'm planning to decide in August," Vance said of his college decision. "I have Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State and Michigan right now. No order."
Vance caught the eye of Spartan coaching with a terrific outing as a wide receiver at last year's one-day camp at Michigan State. Then Vance moved to safety early last season out of team necessities and uncovered additional talent.
"When I saw him play safety, I was like, 'Forget it. I don't even want you playing wide receiver any more,'" said Detroit Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher. "He's just a bad man at safety.
"He had offers at receivers, first. He began playing safety last fall because we needed somebody that could play the ball. We kept searching and trying people out there, and we put him out there."
And Vance (6-2, 195) absolute lit people up.
"People love the way he attacks the football and how he covers the field," Wilcher said. "He is very precise, has good pursuit angles, he's a vicious hitter and he's a ball hawk, too. He's a great tackler. He has the size you need at safety as somebody that can drop down there and play the cutback. Good height, long arms.
"Everybody likes him as a free safety now," Wilcher added. "He covers the field. I've just never seen a kid that covers the field like that. And he knows how to play the lanes, and that's really important. He knows how to cover the lanes because he wants to come downhill and get into the mix. And then he has the ball skills."
Vance is ranked the No. 13 player in Michigan, but has the potential to earn top five consideration. He's a three-star recruit who sizzles with four star talent.
"I feel more comfortable at safety," Vance said. "So it's been pretty cool. I like to hit."
Vance was at the Green-White Game on Saturday. Spartan commitment Messiah DeWeaver and other MSU verbals encouraged Vance to join them.
During camp reps on Sunday, DeWeaver shouted across the field to Vance at one point, "You going green, bro?" Vance smiled in response.
What does Vance like about MSU?
"The coaching staff, the environment, the fans, everything about it," Vance said. "I just feel real comfortable."
Vance plans to camp at the Sound Mind Sound Body event in Detroit, and hopes to camp at USC, UCLA and Miami.
Nebraska, USC, NC State, Minnesota and Tennessee are among those trying to get involved.
"A lot of schools like his style," Wilcher said. "The most important thing is they like his range and his height.
"For him, it's all about getting better and protecting your starting spot."
Protecting his spot?
"We have some sophomores that are on the rise," Wilcher said. "Willie Mitchell, Donald Williams are a couple of sophomores (defensive backs). They are coming along so fast it's ridiculous."
Wilcher estimates he has 15 sophomores (class of 2017) who will become scholarship players.
"I didn't bring all of them (to the RCS Camp)," he said. "The only 10th graders I brought had to have at least a 3.2 GPA. Most of them were around 3.8."
That includes 2017 offensive tackle Jordan Reid. Reid showed a powerful punch on Sunday in Cleveland.
"Jordan can run," Wilcher said. "He has all types of speed, and size. His father is 6-9. He's 6-5. He played tight end last year and played 240. He is going to be a bad man, too."