FYI....
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Imagine you're 17 years old and Nebraska coach Bo Pellini calls your home one night asking to talk to you.
The next night it's Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Or USC coach Lane Kiffin. Then Arizona State's Dennis Erickson is on the line.
"It's pretty awesome but it's a little weird that all these grown men are calling me every day," said Scottsdale Saguaro offensive lineman Cyrus Hobbi, who is ranked among the top two guards in the country by most scouting services. "They're kind of at my feet."
Now imagine you're in the dentist's office having your teeth cleaned, there's a sharp object scraping the pearly whites, and the dentist is asking you about your recent recruiting trip to Nebraska.
"I'm like, 'I can't really talk, my mouth is wide open,' " Hobbi said. "But that's the way it is. I get bombarded every day."
Being an elite high school football player has its blessings. Lots of them. Hobbi has his choice of where to play college ball next season. Virtually every major program in the country covets his services. That - and a free education - will make a young man swoon.
"I feel blessed," Hobbi said. "I didn't think I was as good as these other coaches say I am."
Without playing a game, Hobbi already has had a taste of big-time college football. He went on his recruiting trip to Nebraska the weekend the Cornhuskers played Big 12 rival Texas, and he walked onto the field as 85,000 red-clad Huskers' fans were going crazy.
"That was pretty sweet," he said. "I was standing next to some other recruits and they kept elbowing me and saying, 'Are you going to commit?' "
If there's a downside to impending fame, that's it. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Hobbi, who coach John Sanders calls the best offensive lineman in school history, has no idea what university will get his letter-of-intent.
That only encourages everyone from friends, teachers, perfect strangers and dentists to offer their opinion.
"There's no question you can be overwhelmed," Sanders said. "He's 17 years old and the biggest names in college football want him."
Sanders has tried to quiet the insanity by acting as Hobbi's middle-man. He takes calls from coaches and will make the senior off-limits if he feels the attention is just too much. He also told Hobbi not to take any more recruiting trips until after the state championship game on Dec. 4.
"He knows coach Sanders loves him but that he also loves big gold balls handed out on Dec. 4," Sanders said with a laugh. "I get calls from coaches saying, 'We'd love to have Cyrus this weekend' and I'll say, 'Well, I'd love to win a gold ball on Dec. 4, so have a nice day. He's not going anywhere right now.' "
For the record, Hobbi has yet to even pick his five finalists. He's taken trips to Nebraska and Oregon State and made unofficial visits to California, USC, UCLA and Michigan. He's interested in the University of Washington, and Erickson would love to have him at ASU.
One factor: Hobbi may pursue a theater major, so that could favor USC, whose School of Cinematic Arts is highly regarded.
Hobbi is so serious about acting that he's planning to play a role in a school production of a Shakespeare play next month.
I'm guessing that in his day, Shakespeare didn't have many 6-foot-4, 285-pound actors who could bench-press 400 pounds.
Hobbi said he'll likely pick a college during the Under Armour All-America game on Jan. 5. But he promises he won't tease any coaches by picking up their school cap and then tossing it aside.
"That's not respectful," he said.
He better smile nicely, though.
His dentist will be watching.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/pre...bbi-debates-college-choice.html#ixzz14nzGpNPl
