Bradwell's two-sport star Elyjah Thurmon draws big-time recruiting interest in football
He's established himself as one of the top football/basketball combination athletes in the state of Georgia, and Bradwell Institute senior Elyjah Thurmon enters his senior season with a host of Power Five football programs clamoring for his services.
The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder's versatility extends to the football field where the offensive lineman's skillset allows him to excel at any position. Last season, he was at left tackle for the Tigers — but this year he'll be starting at center.
Big-time college programs have taken notice as Thurmon has 21 offers on the table. Clemson was the latest to offer last week, and his sheet includes Florida, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Missouri, Duke, UCF and Georgia Southern.
He said he is going to take one more visit this summer before narrowing his list to a top six.
"Dealing with recruiting keeps you busy," Thurmon said. "I'm getting up early every day for workouts and practices and then I have coaches hitting me up on my phone wanting to get in touch. It's a lot. It's kind of draining and it's a roller coaster, but I'm blessed to be in this position."
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Thurmon is also a force for the Tiger basketball team, which won the Region 1-5A tournament last season. He was named the Region MVP after averaging 16.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. He said his styles of play on the football field and the basketball court overlap.
"In football, I play athletic, I get off the ball fast and I'm mean," Thurmon said. "And I can pick things up fast. I have a good football IQ. In basketball, I'm the same way. I like to do the dirty work. I'm tough inside and get those rebounds trying to get the double-doubles. I think playing both sports helps me in the other, especially with the footwork you need on the offensive line and playing in the post."
Tiger coach Deshon Brock said Thurmon is a great player to work with and a natural leader.
"Elyjah is like a consummate pro on and off the field," Brock said. "He plays physical. He's like a dog out there, but he's also very cerebral. He is an excellent student and that carries over to the field where he controls the offensive line for us, calling out adjustments and changing things on the fly. You don't get that combination of the physical aspect and intelligence very often. And he's a great teammate who is always looking our for his guys."
Thurmon also excels in the classroom, where he maintains a 4.2 GPA. He wants to major in mechanical engineering or sports medicine when he gets to college.
But he has one more year of high school football, and he's focused on making it a special one.
"We want to improve as a team — win some more games and make a playoff run this year," Thurmon said.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Two-sport Bradwell star Elyjah Thurmon drawing Power 5 football offers
