The South Florida high school football season ended three weeks ago, but there’s an opportunity for more local players to improve their chances to play at the next level.
MRE (Major Recruiting Exposure) is hosting a showcase on January 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Ives Estates Park in North Miami. The event is for players from 10th-12th grade looking to stand out in front of college coaches. In addition, NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens will attend and speak to the players.
“It’s great for the kids and the community because someone like Terrell Owens can inspire the youth,” Ernesto Munguia, founder of MRE Recruiting, said.
Last year, the showcase had a huge turnout, as over 100 players attended, including North Dakota signee Makai Lovett, former American Heritage linebacker Jaheim Webb and former Immaculata-La Salle linebacker Lafonzo Ruffin Jr. School’s such as St. Thomas University, Southern University, Livingstone College, Advanced Prep Academy, ASA Miami and Southern Nazarene University took part in evaluating the players. Four-time Pro Bowler Brian Orakpo also spoke to the players about the recruitment process.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many schools, including Division I programs, will be unable to attend due to the ongoing recruiting dead period — which ends on April 15. Nonetheless, Munguia is determined to get the players all the help they need to garner a college scholarship.
“As of right now, there are four schools confirmed — Florida Memorial, Ave Maria, ASA Miami and St. Thomas University — the rest are going to let me know,” Munguia said. “For the schools that can’t make it, the D-I’s and other D-II’s, they want a spreadsheet with the names of the prospects.”
Furthermore, Munguia is making safety the priority, as masks will be required, with hand sanitizer stations and temperature checks in place.
“We’ll be taking maximum precaution and want to follow all the protocols in order to ensure a safe event,” he said.
The showcase will feature drills that “college coaches look for in potential recruits,” Munguia said. There will be a bench press, station drills for each position and one-on-ones. In the end, they’ll give out MVP awards.
The showcase is $40 if you pre-register online and $50 if you pay at the event. 305 Sports will provide live updates and evaluation notes at the showcase.
For more information, contact Ernesto Munguia.
