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Caught up with Brooks 2019 DB Joel Barrows on playing 7on7 for the first time with HEROH, the early stages of his recruiting and I also go head coach Ben McCall’s thoughts on Barrows.

Joel Barrows

Cornerback/Safety
Brooks College Prep
Chicago, IL
GPA: 3.28/4.00
Commitment status: Undecided
Twitter: @joereloaded12

Ht: 6’3″
Wt: 188 lbs
Class: 2019

LPI: Tell me about what you’ve been doing this season to take your game to the next level. Also, do you play any other sports in the offseason or do you play 7on7?

JB: Well the season prior to this one, we lost a lot of seniors, so I knew I had to step up as a leader. This motivated me to improve my technique and become more vocal and focused so I could influence my team to push themselves and strive to be better. In the offseason I run track, wrestle, and this year I am substituting baseball to play 7on7 with HEROH, which will drastically improve my football skills.

LPI: What are your greatest strengths on the field?

JB: I believe one of my greatest attributes on the field is the passion I play with, along with my communication. When I am on the field it doesn’t matter who my opponent is, I naturally strive to give 110% effort everytime.

LPI: You currently don’t have any offers. What schools have you been in touch with?

JB: NIU, Western Michigan, University of South Dakota, South Dakota State, Ball State and Western Illinois.

LPI: Do you have any planned visits set? If so, where at?

JB: Currently I do not have any planned visits.

LPI: Who are some of your teammates or training partners that you believe can play at the next level, but have gone overlooked by college coaches?

JB:

Jordan Cason: He is one of our senior linebackers. His work ethic influenced me to be the leader I am today. He is a natural leader that has been underrated and overlooked for his talent.

John Diaz: He is our other junior cornerback. He tends to be overlooked because of his size, but he has a lot of useful talent that can project to the next level.

Darrin Cotton: This is our starting quarterback. He has a cannon with great decision making skills, along with a 6’5 frame. For his size and talent he should have way more looks.

Reginald Willis: He is our other senior linebacker. He is by far one of the hardest hitters I have come across. He also has a great work ethic which I believe would be very useful at the next level.

Coach’s Corner

Brooks Head Coach Ben McCall on Barrows on and off the field

“Joel has started for me for the last two years and continues to make strides. He is a very hard working kid and has played through pain for us. He never quits and has the athleticism and body to play major D1 football. He has excellent footwork as a DB and soft hands as a receiver while being able go get it in a crowd. Great character and a really good student”