[GoRU]

baltimoresun.com - Recruiting Report: Checking in with Emmanuel Yeager

After a sophomore season in which Emmanuel Yeager threw for 1,930 yards and 18 touchdowns, and rushed for 350 yards and six scores, the Ballou (D.C.) quarterback measured in at 6 feet, 176 pounds during an offseason combine.

But between then and now, Yeager sprouted two inches, and added nearly 20 pounds to his frame, thanks to late nights in the weight room, eating four times a day, and following Ballou coach Moses Ware’s advice to just “lift, lift, lift.”

Yeager’s current 6-foot-2, 195-pound size, in addition to a successful junior season and a couple of standout combine performances this spring have elevated his recruiting profile. Yeager, who sports offers from Pittsburgh and Richmond, spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his recruitment.

What are your impressions of Pittsburgh?

[Former Terps wide receivers] coach [Bryan] Bossard is now at Pitt and I’m pretty familiar with him. [Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks] coach [Matt] Cavanaugh, is a great position coach. His offense is pretty similar to what we do at Ballou. They do a lot of things from play-action, have a strong running game that sets up the pass. They have a great running back in LeSean McCoy.

What other schools are recruiting you?

Tennessee, they were recruiting me since my 10th-grade year. Their interest has escalated along with Alabama, Syracuse and also Illinois, UVa. ... I’m pretty much just keeping my options open. Also Nebraska, I called and tried to touch base with [offensive coordinator and quarterbacks] coach Shawn Watson. They’ve been showing a lot of interest as of late. Actually, they’ve shown more interest than Tennessee. It’s probably Pittsburgh, Richmond, UVa, Nebraska and Syracuse.

Where does Maryland factor in to your recruitment?

Coach [James] Franklin told me that being a scholarship player for the University of Maryland, your film has to be evaluated at a 35. He told me they had me at a 38. Maryland’s pretty high on my list, but I’m sort of in limbo because I don’t know where I stand. I like their campus, it’s not really far away from home at all, but I don’t really know where I stand. ... My film was evaluated very high and I’m just waiting to see, to tell you the truth.

How would you describe your game?

We run a spread offense, a lot of run-and-gun. It’s a no-huddle offense. I have a strong knowledge for the game; a lot of poise to throw the ball under duress. I would label myself as a dual threat. If the play breaks down, I can make a play with my legs as well as my arm.

What do you have on tap for the rest of the spring?

On May 8 I’m attending the Elite Combine in New Jersey, and I’m going to be attending the Nike Combine at Penn State, and I will be making some trips to Maryland to get a more in-depth experience with Coach Franklin and observe his coaching style. I’ll also be going to Syracuse, North Carolina and Illinois for summer camps.