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#28 Jarvis Leverett |
Position: Running Back Previous College: None Projection: Redshirt Status: On Scholarship |
Jarvis Leverett (b. April 21, 1994) was listed as the eighth-best running back in Texas by The Houston Chronicle.
He also was named to the newspaper's Texas Top 100 list last season.
He was a bit of a steal for us because most schools backed off during his junior year. He had amassed 349 yards and five TDs in three games when he tore his ACL and missed the rest of that season. In his own words:
After I tore my ACL, I was done last year. I'm all healed up and my stats are picking up this year each week as I get used to being back on the field. I get more comfortable with my knee and think about it less all the time.
I'm better each week. Our first game I don't think I had 30 yards. This past week, I had over 130.
Well, he bounced back in a big way. In a three-game stretch, he had 500 rushing yards and five touchdowns as a senior at Cypress Lakes High School.
Our persistence in recruiting him even as other schools took to ignoring him paid off:
I went to their football camp in July and the coaching staff really liked me I guess. I just felt comfortable when I was there and I enjoyed myself. I believe that is where I fit best. They have been showing me love all along and I just decided to go ahead and commit.
It is the only offer I had. In addition to K-State, I was talking with Colorado, Texas Tech and Purdue. But Kansas State has been the dominant one all along. I'm locked in on Kansas State. I don't have any plans to look for anything else.
Winning tough games like (Miami) is the way you're supposed to do it. Playing tough and not giving up, that's a good way to do it. I want to be part of that. They fought hard and got the win.
Leverett also was named the school's MVP in track as a sophomore, when he was a member of the district-qualifying 4x100 meter relay team, so there's some speed there in addition to his power.
Expect him to redshirt in 2012, but after that, he potentially could develop into the type of power back we haven't had since Daniel Thomas, which is precisely what we'll need after the graduation of Collin Klein.