FAYETTEVILLE — As one of the nation’s best 2020 defensive backs and an Arkansas recruiting target, Broken Arrow, Okla., standout Myles Slusher (6-0, 180) brings the total package to the field.
He did that Friday morning when head coach and former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman David Alexander’s Tigers and 17 other teams began competition in the two-day Southwest Classic Elite 7-on-7.
“Besides just the God-given stuff - the height, the speed and the ball skills - it’s just his work ethic,” Alexander said. “He works like a guy that just wants to be great. We have to hold him back because he wants to go run on the sand hills or catch passes.
“He is wanting to work twice a day right now in early July, which as a coach you are really excited about because you want a kid that goes out there and loves it, but we don’t even start practice for another three weeks, so let’s do what we have to do to make sure we are ready for August 6 when we have our first practice and get ready for our first game August 24th.”
Slusher has offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Michigan, LSU, Texas, Baylor, Nevada and Arkansas State so far.
He made the trip over to check out Arkansas on Feb. 24th when the Razorback staff hosted a junior day and has stayed in contact with Arkansas assistants Mark Smith and Barry Lunney Jr.
“I liked the facilities and the coaches showed so much love while I was there,” Slusher said Friday morning after a game at Fayetteville High. “Coach Smith and Coach Lunney are my main recruiters. They are outstanding guys, really down to earth and keep it real.”
Alexander noted that Slusher has stayed humble and kept his recruiting under control to this point.
“He understands that it is going to be crazy,” Alexander said. “He understands that he is going to have people pulling on him, but he has two great parents that have coached him up and that humbleness comes from his parents. We have had some highly recruited kids come through Broken Arrow, so we are also giving him some pointers and as much advice as we can.”
Slusher, whose team was 3-1 through pool play through early Friday afternoon, is in no hurry to make a decision and instead is focused on improving his craft.
“I try not focus on recruiting too much,” Slusher said. “I definitely am focused on just having an outstanding junior year. I feel I did decent my sophomore year, but I think I can continue to improve on my football knowledge.
“I feel good about my physicality. I like being physical and I think I have a high football IQ.”
He noted there will be a few factors that play into his decision.
“It’s going to end up being the school where I feel most at home at, the environment and how I feel the vibe is around there,” Slusher said. “I really don’t have any timetable right now.”
Slusher, 2020 offensive lineman and Andrew Raym, TCU linebacker commit Zach Marcheselli and North Texas defensive line pledge Demeco Roland head up a Tigers team that finished 7-5 last season after losing to Tulsa Union in the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs.
Ryam (6-5, 305), a former Oklahoma commit who was a Max Preps sophomore All-American last season, Slusher and Marcheselli all have been offered by Arkansas.
“I think we have a good team coming back and can win state,” Slusher said. “Everybody is all in. We buy in and everybody is grinding just trying to get better.”
Alexander is very optimistic about the 2018 season.
“The outlook on the season is that we should have a very good football team,” Alexander said. “This is the most kids I have had on a roster that are getting recruited by Division I schools…We have quite a few in the 2020 class. We are rotating quarterbacks trying to find that guy, but in almost every other spot on the field we have a returning starter.”
“We think we are going to be very good,” Alexander said. “But we start the season off with Tulsa Union - who is ranked 46th in the country - Mansfield (Texas) Legacy, who went four rounds in the Class 6A playoffs last year.
“Then we play Owasso, who is ranked 20th in the country and we play Jenks. So, yes, sure, we are going to ease into it. We are going to concentrate on getting better those first few games and be ready for Jenks, which is our first district game.”