ORLANDO – The senior season for a high school football player should be a celebration of an outstanding career.
Miami Palmetto High School running back Jaamal Berry thought his party would be cut short because of a pair of injuries – a broken wrist which required surgery early in the season and then a high ankle sprain which caused him to miss games near the end of the regular season.
When the 5-11, 190-pound Berry, who has been timed in the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds, got the go-ahead to participate in his team’s four final games, the Ohio State commitment realized what a blessing it was to be back.
“It was really hard,” Berry said about sitting on the sidelines during his team’s games. “There were a lot of things that made me feel like if I was playing, I could have made a big difference. Just watching my teammates out there playing without me was tough.”
Despite his depression, Berry kept his head high. He couldn’t change his circumstances, so he decided to help his team any way he could.
“I was helping out the team all the time,” Berry said. “I was working with all of our running backs and showing them different moves on the sideline. I was definitely like a coach when I was injured.”
The frustration of missing over half of his senior season is somewhat eased by his participation in the Under Armour All-America Game. It has offered him the chance to show he is an elite running back in the country, and he has spent this week proving it against the best defensive talent from across the country.
“It felt good to play against top competition,” Berry said. “It’s completely different from playing in my hometown, even in All-Star games. It wasn’t too bad to get the feeling back of playing with pads on.”
Berry has already committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes, so this week isn’t overwhelming for him with other players trying to recruit him. He is instead spending time regaining confidence in his ankle. The reason for his commitment to the Buckeyes was based completely on comfort. The players and coaches made him feeling like a Buckeye the moment he walked on campus.
“I’ve been up there three times,” Berry said. “I just feel at home there. I know a few people up there who are teammates. Everyone is just family up there. There’s a lot of tradition in the school. Plus, I have a chance to play as a freshman.”
Chris “Beanie” Wells is putting up stellar numbers at running back for Ohio State, and many believe he will be one of the top two running backs taken if he decides to leave school for the NFL. The appeal to replace a great running back is part of the reason Berry likes his opportunity at Ohio State.
“That wasn’t going to make my decision, but it was definitely a big plus,” Berry said. “Playing as a freshman and getting my name out there would help me in the future and further my goal of getting into the NFL.”
Despite his commitment to Ohio State, Berry will take two more visits before signing his national letter of intent on Feb. 4. He will visit Florida and Ole Miss at some point in January, but both dates are yet to be decided.
“I’ve been to Florida already and I really liked it,” Berry said. “I’m going there to make sure that I made the right decision with my college choice. It’s going to be right before Signing Day, and I just want to check it out again.”
The Florida coaches have not given up hope that Berry will be a Gator, despite his commitment to the Buckeyes.
“I talk to coach (Urban) Meyer through e-mail and coach (Kenny) Carter on the phone,” Berry said. “Lately my phone has been messed up so I haven’t talked to them. But they’re all nice guys. Coach Carter came over for their in-home visit and we had dinner with him. He and all the Florida coaches are all just down-to-earth people.”