High School Sports

Just the thought of football season serves as enough reason for high school fans to debate over the best in the state.

As far as most-prized high school football recruits go, Lufkin's JaMarcus McFarland holds perhaps the undisputed top tag in the Lone Star State entering the 2008 campaign.

And the supporting case for his nomination stretches as long as the list of quarterbacks, offensive linemen and running backs he figures to attack on the regular this fall.

Smarts. McFarland makes straight As, and owns a grade-point average of over 92.

Size. He stands 6-3 and weighs 280, most of it muscle.

Strength. The defensive tackle owns a max bench-press well over 400 pounds.

Tradition. He plays for a program with a refuted track record at producing Sunday football players recently. And longtime Lufkin coach John Outlaw, who watched the majority of the ones before, puts McFarland in the same category as those weekend players.

"He's got it all," Outlaw said, "the full package."

The nation seems to believe likewise.

Rivals.com ranks McFarland as the No. 3 recruit in the entire nation, the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country, and the top recruit in all of Texas to start the year.

Earlier in the summer, the

New York Times even published a lengthy article on the phenom, touching on his ability to hold down a part-time job, maintain excellent grades and stand out on the gridiron.

Outlaw credited McFarland for "the way he carries himself," to explain the media frenzy. The top three schools in the running for his services rate among the nation's best -- Oklahoma, LSU and Texas.

"He commands attention," Outlaw said. "He's a nice kid, but he's a no-nonsense (type)."

McFarland stood out the first day he stepped foot on Lufkin's sprawling campus. But, with Lufkin loaded, as usual -- the Panthers went 14-1 that year and made the state semifinals for the third time in four seasons -- Outlaw opted to wait a year to unleash his defensive tackle.

Lufkin went 11-1 with McFarland playing a key role as a sophomore and 9-2 last year when the then-junior recorded 67 tackles, 18 stops for a loss and six sacks.

"When he was a freshman he was a man among boys," Outlaw said. "He's really a mature person."

While recruiters and reporters flock to McFarland because of his ability on the defensive line, his all-around smarts hint at promising potential beyond high school. According to Outlaw, McFarland wants to be a civil engineer, and if he desired, could succeed a number of other ways outside football.

"If he doesn't ever take a snap he could be a lawyer, doctor, whatever he wants to be," Outlaw said. "He's smart. It obviously (helps on the field). Football's a reaction sport, but you have to have common sense and thinking ability."

The intangibles give McFarland a leg up on those talented, but lacking in other areas. For all the Dez Bryants, Jorvorskie Lanes and Reggie McNeals Lufkin has produced, several other hyped products have not been able to capitalize on their abilities due to whatever reasons.

"I've been blessed," Outlaw said of the group of players he's coached recently. "God gave a lot of people a lot of ability. A lot of it's character quite honestly (which separates the good from the great)."

This decade alone, Lufkin owns a 93-15 mark, highlighted by a state championship in 2001 and three appearances in the final four afterward, making the Panthers one of Texas' elite.

It took great players to get the Panthers to those heights, and Outlaw includes his latest star among the select company. Just two seasons ago, Lufkin enlisted a handful of players in the NFL at once. Terrence Kiel, whom Outlaw called "one of the most ferocious I've ever coached," recently died after spending four years in the NFL.

Reggie McNeal, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, plays in the Canadian Football League while Rex Hadnot (Cleveland Browns, center) and Don Muhlbach (Detroit Lions, long snapper) continue to enjoy life in the NFL, the same place Outlaw sees McFarland headed.

"There's no question about it," Outlaw said about whether McFarland belonged in the same sentence with the aforementioned names. "You think about it, the last five years we've had a lot of high-profile offensive guys. You take Jorvorskie, Dez, they scored touchdowns. But we've also had some great defensive players.

"I think he'll be there quick, but he's one of those that won't leave early. He's going to graduate. That's just him ... he doesn't ever talk about NFL."

He may not have to. If he continues the same course, everyone else -- college and pro scouts included -- will simply just keep talking about him.

LUFKIN’S JaMarcus McFarland is the highest-rated recruit in the state of Texas, according to Rivals.com.
(Courtesy Photo)