Football Recruiting: Mitchell Sets New SPARQ Record
By Brian Spaen
On the first day at The Opening, Oregon football offers for 2013, Mike Mitchell and Alvin Kamara, recorded terrific numbers during SPARQ Testing. Mitchell ended up with the highest rating, setting records to become the SPARQ national champion.
A 40-yard dash time of 4.45 seconds clinched the title for Mitchell with a 154.47 rating, a new record under SPARQ testing. It was the final of five different tests the outside linebacker from Texas took. To put it in perspective, NFL players such as Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush finished SPARQ testing with 96.92 and 93.38, respectively.
SPARQ is an acronym for speed, power, agility, reaction, and quickness. The other four tests in the event are the kneeling power ball toss, agility shuttle, beep test, and the vertical jump. For more information on SPARQ or their relationship with Nike, click here.
Mitchell also had a 40.3-inch vertical jump during testing, also aiding him to the incredibly high rating.
Some of Kamara’s highlights included a 39.1-inch vertical, a 4.55-second 40-yard dash, and a 4.28-second shuttle. Kamara is a running back from Georgia.
There are some that question how much to put into the ratings. According to an unnamed source with the Sporting News, the athlete “had a 10-percent chance of playing Division I football,” despite already committing to a school.
Both Mitchell and Kamara are four-star prospects on most recruiting services. 247Sports lists Kamara as an all-purpose back and the top recruit in that position. Rivals has Mitchell ranked at fifth in the outside linebacker position, the best ranking of any of the services.
Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Autzen Zoo, follow the site on Facebook and Twitter. Read his other work on the lacrosse blog, Watson Talk Lacrosse.