Name: Christian Brooks
High School: Centreville (Clifton VA)
Height/Weight: 6-5, 230
Ranking: Rivals 2*, 247 3*, ESPN 3*
Additional Offers: California, Miami, Pittsburgh, & Vanderbilt among others
The Skinny:
Recruiting rankings are never and will never be an exact science. Having said that, how the heck did Rivals rank Centreville defensive end Christian Brooks so low? Based on his offer list and his body of work, Brooks does not appear to fit the mold of the traditional 2-star. Rankings aside, Brooks fills a big-time need in the defense, and has the frame to grow into a nice prospect on the outside.
Taking a look at the film above, Brooks has a terrific initial burst off the line of scrimmage. The first step combined with a few well-timed jumps made Brooks a feared pass rusher at Centreville High School. Brooks displays great tackling technique and uses his hands well to stop ball carriers in their tracks. Like fellow 2016 signee Osiris Crutchfield, Books lined up at both tackle and 'end in high school, thanks to both of them being pretty much the biggest players on the field. Based on his current frame, Brooks is a defensive end all the way at the college level, and will need to adjust his body to fit the position.
With Brooks coming in a little undersized, even for a weak side DE, expect the talented defender to redshirt in 2016. Brooks' brother Caleb Brooks is a big-time prospect for 2017, and the new Virginia staff would love to have the Brooks brothers wreaking havoc on opposing offenses for years to come.