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FOOTBALL RECRUITING: More D1 commits on deck for Southfield, Billingslea and Brady heading to the MAC
SOUTHFIELD – The Bluejays made it a combo this week and they weren’t at the local McDonald’s drive-thru.
It was on the college-football recruiting trail.
Head coach Tim Conley’s gridiron program at Southfield High School sent a pair of star players to the Division I level, its No. 3 and No. 4 commits of the offseason so far.
The Mid-American Conference snagged them both.
On Monday, wide receiver Jordan Billingslea committed to Western Michigan and then on Friday, quarterback Jalen Brady committed to Bowling Green.
Billingslea (5-foot-9, 170 pounds) is a speedster in the slot and Brady (6-foot-0, 205 pound), a smart, strong-armed field general that knows how to run an offense with consistency and confidence.
They’ve each come on like gangbusters since last season ended, garnering increased interest by recruiters after impressive showings at a series of camps and 7-on-7 tournaments.
Brady selected Bowling Green over Cincinnati and Kent State.
He joins Southfield’s football team for his senior year, after throwing for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns at Grand Ledge as a junior in 2012.
Interestingly, the two could have easily wound up teammates in college, since Billingslea chose Western Michigan over Bowling Green and joining Brady in Ohio.
With Brady and Billingslea, along with a vast array of other weapons, leading the way, the Bluejays offense has the opportunity to be quite prolific this fall. Besides Billingslea, Brady will be connecting with other talented college recruits like Jacob Studdard, Ray Buford, Dior Johnson, Rayquan (Rocky) Carter and Devonte Alfred in the passing game.
Southfield is stacked with Division I-college stock across the board, representing both sides of the pigskin.
All-state defensive end Lawrence Marshall (Michigan) and offensive lineman Chukes Okorafor (Western Michigan) each accepted scholarships back in the spring.
Marshall’s much-ballyhooed counterpart in the trenches spearheading Southfield’s pass-rush attack, Malik McDowell, is the state’s top college recruit on defense.
Like Brady, McDowell (6-foot-7, 305-pounds) is a much-welcomed add-on for the Bluejays in 2013. While Brady arrived at Southfield in January, McDowell just enrolled a couple weeks ago following three seasons competing in the Catholic League at Detroit Loyola.
Expected to be in the race for a state title in Division 2, Southfield opens the upcoming season in a highly-anticipated showdown with two-time defending Division 1 state-champion, Detroit Cass Tech, at Wayne State’s Adams Field in the Prep Kickoff Classic.
The number of players on Southfield’s roster that hold college-scholarship offers is currently at close to a dozen (11) and possibly rising.
Speculation points to McDowell being ready to commit soon
