'15 LB FL Cecil Cherry (former Vol commit)

I remember being a young kid watching AW play. It literally put me in fear. I played QB as a kid, and I remember seeing some of his hits and thinking. "I hope to God I never get hit like that." We need CC to play ball like that.
 
Al Wilson hit a Henry County rb so hard in high school it knocked his facemask off and knocked him out cold. True story.
 
Wilson was feared in High School.

Yes you were scared for the other kids that had to play against him. I would venture to say he scared the crap out of several in college and pros.

I hate Al Wilson comparisons because he is one of those you only see once a decade if at all with that talent, leadership and that emotionally fire.
 
Wilson, Little and Noch Noch were the scariest UT players I've seen.. I thought kevin Simon was gonna be up there too..
 
Yes you were scared for the other kids that had to play against him. I would venture to say he scared the crap out of several in college and pros.

I hate Al Wilson comparisons because he is one of those you only see once a decade if at all with that talent, leadership and that emotionally fire.

I played high school football when Al Wilson did. Trust me, everyone knew who he was.
 
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Wilson, Little and Noch Noch were the scariest UT players I've seen.. I thought kevin Simon was gonna be up there too..

that LB unit was NASTY!!! We had E-Mo too, Eric Westmoreland.

K Simon was never the same after breaking his ankle. (In HS, IIRC.) A 5* that never lived up to the hype under Fulmer.
 
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that LB unit was NASTY!!! We had E-Mo too, Eric Westmoreland.

K Simon was never the same after breaking his ankle. (In HS, IIRC.) A 5* that never lived up to the hype under Fulmer.

It wasn't just a broken ankle KS had a severe knee injury in the HS Army AA game, reconstructive ankle surgery his freshman year, another knee surgery in the spring of his sophomore year (but still led the team in tackles and made 2nd team All SEC). Junior year blew out another knee against Florida and had season ending surgery. After all that he still got drafted.

Not sure you would call his career not living up to the hype.
 
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It wasn't just a broken ankle KS had a severe knee injury in the HS Army AA game, reconstructive ankle surgery his freshman year, another knee surgery in the spring of his sophomore year (but still led the team in tackles and made 2nd team All SEC). Junior year blew out another knee against Florida and had season ending surgery. After all that he still got drafted.

Not sure you would call his career not living up to the hype.

+1. If Kevin would have stayed healthy he would have been an All American. He wasn't a bust by any means.
 
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he def fought thru tons of injuries as you mentioned. But I think of a 5* player as a future 1sr round draft pick. He had a productive college career but a non existent pro career due to his injuries & wear/tear on his body. Yes he was drafted but in the later rounds. Wilson was drafted in the 1st round, towards the end of the round I think 32 cause Broncos won SB that year.

I hoped Simon would have the type of career Jerod Mayo is having. Both pretty similar comparisons coming out of HS.
 
he def fought thru tons of injuries as you mentioned. But I think of a 5* player as a future 1sr round draft pick. He had a productive college career but a non existent pro career due to his injuries & wear/tear on his body. Yes he was drafted but in the later rounds. Wilson was drafted in the 1st round, towards the end of the round I think 32 cause Broncos won SB that year.

I hoped Simon would have the type of career Jerod Mayo is having. Both pretty similar comparisons coming out of HS.
If he was healthy, imo, he would have been better than Mayo. No way of knowing though.

Straight talent, Simon was one of the best outta high school we've had here
 
If he was healthy, imo, he would have been better than Mayo. No way of knowing though.

Straight talent, Simon was one of the best outta high school we've had here

This x1000. I would have LOVED to see what a healthy Simon could have done in his career. He was a straight up beast coming out of HS. His junior year at UT was only a glimpse at the player he could have been. I was at the 10-6 win at Miami that year and remember he played a great game. He was all over the field and had a big INT in the second quarter. He was definitely a special talent.
 
It wasn't just a broken ankle KS had a severe knee injury in the HS Army AA game, reconstructive ankle surgery his freshman year, another knee surgery in the spring of his sophomore year (but still led the team in tackles and made 2nd team All SEC). Junior year blew out another knee against Florida and had season ending surgery. After all that he still got drafted.

If I was a football player, I would simply refuse to play in any exhibition game like the Army All-American game or the Pro Bowl. The risk of a career-altering injury on any given play is simply too great to waste on a game that doesn't mean anything.
 
If I was a football player, I would simply refuse to play in any exhibition game like the Army All-American game or the Pro Bowl. The risk of a career-altering injury on any given play is simply too great to waste on a game that doesn't mean anything.

But if you are a high school all-american type of player, you live to play football, and most of these players aren't afraid of forearming a moving truck, much less getting injured. It is a national stage to showcase their talent. I understand your point, but I think you bring a different perspective that most players don't/wouldn't share.
 
Next Fall will mark a new opportunity for Frostproof, Florida linebacker and Tennessee commitment Cecil Cherry. The soon to be senior plans on being a big-time leader.

"I just have to show the guys how to do the right things," Cherry said. "I want to lead vocally and by example like being on time and doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I want to be at the first of the line in drills and show the other guys."



Cherry loves contact. When you bring up the thought of lighting an opponent up, his demeanor and voice changes. He gets excited and he isn't shy to tell you about his passion.

"I love to hit," Cherry said. "I think about somethings that go on in life and football allows me to take my frustrations out in a good way. I love that feeling when I get a big hit on someone. There is nothing like it. When you hit that running back or receiver, it makes them not want to come back through that hole

-VQ
 
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