Calvert Hall DB Adrian Amos has many options
Donald Davis still remembers the 5-foot-4, 145-pound quarterback for the Overlea youth football program flying down the field and leaving a trail of defenders in his wake.
The Calvert Hall coach thought he might have found his quarterback of the future, but that pint-sized youth player eventually grew into a 6-foot, 198-pound defensive back. Adrian Amos, a rising senior for the Cardinals, is now one of the most heavily recruited football prospects in Baltimore.
“Physically, he’s grown leaps and bounds,” Davis said. “Coming in he was a kid that had a great skill set. He tore it up in youth football. He was small, but he was a football player. His ball skills are outstanding and he’s been very flexible and willing to learn. He was a quick, athletic, undersized QB. Then he morphed into something totally different.”
Amos played quarterback – and some slot receiver – for Calvert Hall’s junior varsity as a freshman. But Davis approached Amos with a position switch before his sophomore year.
“People still ask me today why I don’t play quarterback for Calvert Hall,” Amos said. “But I found something I was better at. The team [doesn’t] really need me at quarterback. But a lot of people knew me from rec. When I came to Calvert Hall, going into my freshman year, I played a lot of offense. Coach told me that if I wanted to play varsity sophomore year, I’d have to play DB. So I changed what I usually played, learned DB and I earned a starting spot my sophomore year.”
Amos intercepted six passes as a sophomore, but was still an unknown prospect to college recruiters. That changed during his junior year, as he grew into his current size and earned an invite to the U.S. Army All-American Game junior combine in San Antonio. Davis said college coaches were impressed by his toughness.
“He’s physical. That’s really what jumps out to guys on film, is how physical of a DB he is,” Davis said. “A lot of DBs aren’t as physical. They rely on speed, they can run or they’ve got nice ball skills. He’s a kid who has great ball skills who will come down and lower the boom.”
Amos’ summer has been spent traveling up and down the East Coast for camps and combines. He’s made appearances at Connecticut, Maryland, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Temple, Virginia and West Virginia. The Huskies, Owls and Mountaineers, respectively, have offered scholarships based on Amos’ camp performances.
“I basically like all the places that have offered me so far,” Amos said. “But UConn stood out when I went to their school. I basically like everything about it. … I know [freshman quarterback] Leon Kinnard [Loyola] that goes to UConn. And with West Virginia, I played against [sophomore running back-wide receiver] Tavon Austin [Dunbar] and [sophomore safety] Terence Garvin [Loyola].”
UConn and West Virginia are recruiting Amos as a free safety, while South Carolina, Temple and Boston College – which Amos will visit later this summer – are recruiting him as a cornerback. The Huskies coaches have told Amos he “might be able to compete for a spot” as a freshman.
Amos plans on taking his official visits this fall, and doesn’t expect to make a decision until after his senior season.
“[Recruiting is] enjoyable. Sometimes it gets tiring, going to all these camps this summer, but it’s good,” Amos said. “I’m getting a lot of [interest] and I’m going to college for free now. It’s worth it.”
Baltimore Sun photo of Adrian Amos (2) by Jed Kirschbaum / Nov. 29, 2009
Comments
YEAH HALL!! Good luck Adrian
Posted by: Go Cards | July 22, 2010 2:20 PM
Like to see him at WVU. Have a lot of secondary graduating this year so he might be able to play right away based on his skill sets.
Posted by: dada1 | July 22, 2010 2:23 PM
Good to finally see Calvert Hall football finally getting some recognition again after the dark ages. The Class of 02 was the last one to do anything but I think coach Davis finally has the Cards back on track.
Posted by: Dan | July 22, 2010 3:49 PM