BRIAN CUSHING
Brian Cushing is the embodiment of the 21st-century football recruit.
Cushing, a 6-4, 220-pound positional hybrid who is alternately the biggest safety and fastest linebacker and defensive end in New Jersey, has two off-field obsessions.
He's a workout warrior devoted to sculpting the perfect football physique, and he's an Internet junkie who can't tear himself away from the various recruiting websites that have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The 2003 First Team All-State selection became enraged in the off-season by chat room claims that his speed had been greatly exaggerated, and he couldn't ignore it. So even though he was already widely considered a top-50 national recruit and his coach advised him against it, Cushing decided to put his reputation on the line at the Elite College Combine at the Meadowlands in May.
"He is a little nuts," Bergen Catholic coach Fred Stengel said. "If you have a bad 40 time and everybody sees it, your stock goes down. But he's so competitive that he said, 'I'm going to show everybody what I can do.'
"I told him he had nothing to prove, plus his ankle was hurt, so he was taking a risk. But he didn't care, he was going to show everybody what he can do."
What Cushing did on a tender ankle was run a 4.51 -- the fastest time posted by any player at any of the three positions he will line up at this fall.
"I just wanted to let everyone know that I was confident in what I could do and wouldn't back down from any challenges," Cushing said. "Besides, there were a couple more offers I wanted. USC was my big one, and they offered after that, and so did Oklahoma and Miami."
He's still not completely satisfied, though.
"I want an offer from Texas," he said.
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