I went over to Fort Myers last Friday night to watch Dunbar High's 17-8 win over North Fort Myers. We went to watch Shawn Russ, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete. The talented defensive back holds offers from some of the premier programs in the country. After watching him live, and then going back and re-watching the film, Russ did not disappoint. He displayed all the tools you want to see in a Power 5 defensive back. If he plays like he did on Friday night, coaches will be pursuing Russ.
What we like about Russ
He is very active on the football field. He led the team in tackles. Russ is constantly around the football. He has very good instincts. You will see him come over and make plays that many other safeties don’t make. Russ showed off his physicality on one play as a back came running through the line of scrimmage and Russ put his shoulder pads right into the back's chest and sent him backwards. When he hits a ball carrier they go backwards. What we like about Russ most is his athletic ability. When he played on offense and Dunbar got him the football, Russ scored a 40- or 50-yard touchdown.
What Russ needs to work on
Russ is a safety. When you recruit defensive backs you would like for them to be able to play multiple positions in the secondary. Russ is probably more of an in-the-box safety. He has good range but can he play free safety at the next level? Can he play corner at the next level? There is always that concern with a prospect like Harris — if that one position does not work out where do you put him?
Final thoughts
Russ is a very good football player. We watched him live and then re-watched the tape of him. He was all over the field. He is very active on the defensive side of the football. He was the best player on the Dunbar football team. He stood out when it mattered most. He is a prospect we feel can be very productive at the next level. The question is how good can Russ be at the next level?
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