Colleges covet Pirates' Moffett
FSU, Miami in hunt for star linebacker
BY BARBARA CAYWOOD
FLORIDA TODAY
PALM BAY -- Neefy Moffett confounds opponents, dazzles college coaches, causes recruiting analysts to gush . . . and makes his mama very, very nervous.
Palm Bay High linebacker Geneath "Neefy" Moffett. Image © 2004, Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY
The bruising 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker may be the latest in Palm Bay High's rich pipeline to big-time college football, but to Zina Hollis, the third of her three football-playing sons is just a big, talented, intelligent and clumsy 16-year-old kid.
"I stay nervous when they all play, but more so with Neefy than the others because he's such a klutz," Hollis said. "On the football field is as fast as he ever moves. He's very slow and laid-back. I could stand behind him yelling through a bullhorn and he would still move at only one speed."
Surely, mom is kidding.
Can she be talking about the same guy who can shred an offense with his quick moves, his 4.5-second 40-yard dash speed and his 39-inch vertical jump?
Can she mean the same guy who causes his own coaches to alter plays in practice?
Can this be the same guy who's received scholarship offers this offseason not only from reigning national co-champions Southern Cal and LSU, but from Miami, Florida State, Texas, Ohio State and Georgia Tech, as well?
Moffett first appeared on recruiters' radar screen four years ago when the college scouts were hanging around Palm Bay's spring practice trying to curry favor with Reggie Nelson and Joe Cohen, who eventually both signed with Florida. Their interest really peaked when the 13-year-old, 6-1, 200-pound freshman had three sacks, nine tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the Pirates' spring game.
"That's when I first realized I was dominating, that I could rush the quarterback," Moffett said. "I thought I was a better basketball player back then. I didn't even play varsity football as a freshman. I mostly played sandlot growing up, nothing organized."
After that spring game, Pirates coaches realized Moffett's potential, too. He's been a starter ever since.
Playing defensive end the past two years, Moffett has been a pure menace to opposing backfields. Sometimes, he even vexed his own offense in practice.
"As a defensive end, Neefy eliminates a lot of stuff on the offensive side of the ball," Palm Bay coach Dan Burke said. "If we're running first-team offense against first-team defense in practice, the offense can't freely call plays with him over there. You have to plan for his presence.
"Of course, it remains to be seen what he'll do at (inside) linebacker. The plan is for him to make more plays from sideline to sideline instead of just half of the field. At end, everybody was just checking away from his side."
Well, not always.
As a sophomore, Moffett had 22 sacks and 108 tackles. Last season, he had 16 sacks and 96 tackles.
"He dominates," said Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "There are few players who can disrupt a game and dominate like he does. He has a great nose for the ball."
Tons of letters
Just like former Pirates Cohen, Nelson, Mike Degory, Xavier Carter and the late James McGriff before him, Moffett is learning the pluses and minuses of big-time recruiting.
"Pee Wee (Carter) told me to commit early because all the recruiters would get on my nerves," Moffett said. "But I'm gonna wait until signing day. So far, it's been all right because they can't call yet so it's nothing but letters. I don't get caught up in all those letters. The handwritten ones are the only important ones. "
There are plenty of letters, handwritten and typed.
"I don't even get any mail anymore," Hollis said, "but Neefy gets a box full every day. It's setting in with me these people are really hounding my son. It's something I'm gradually accepting."
Neefy's older brothers, Ronaie Maye and Dontaie Moffett, both played college football, but neither was recruited on the same grand scale.
Of course, neither of them had baby brother's size, either.
"He didn't get too big until seventh or eighth grade," mom said. "Then he just blew up and left both of them behind."
The new position
Most college programs are projecting Moffett as a linebacker, his preferred position.
"I like it better because I can be in on more plays," the Pirates' defensive captain said. "I get to see everything and I get to run around and they can't run from me. I'm trying to get like Reggie (Nelson). He was a leader by everything he did and I think that was all natural. I guess I'll have to pray to see if I can get like him."
Recruiters like Moffett for who he is right now. He said the program that wins his signature on a letter of intent will be determined by the coaches and the location, not to mention reputation.
"I've got to check out the coaches and make sure they don't mess over me," he said. "Then I'm going to look at the environment and climate because I don't like cold weather. And, I will not go to a losing team. I don't like to lose. I know wherever I go, I will get a good education."
Moffett's mom will leave the decision up to him.
"I'll have my input, but I'm going to stand back and let him decide," she said. "I want him to go where it's best for him. My only concern is he not go too far away."
Meanwhile, Hollis said her job is to keep her talented son in reality. Apparently, she's doing a pretty good job making sure his ego stays intact.
"It makes me feel good when people tell me I'm good, but I don't let it get to me," he said. "What I'm interested in right now is helping my team win a championship this year. I've got until February 2 to make up my mind about college."
