Star Cross on UCF

At 6'4”, 250-pounds, Izaan Cross of Flowery Branch high school is rated amongst the best defensive ends in the Class of 2009, and for good reason. Cross, who ran a 4.7 second 40-yard dash and benches 325 pounds, combines speed and athleticism, which has enabled him to terrorize opponents since he started playing football in sixth grade.

Cross is currently rated in the top 20 at his position and is looking to move up. He has already received several offers from elite BCS schools, but is also strongly considering the University of Central Florida as a place to continue his stellar football and academic career.

UCF is one of four teams that have offered a scholarship to Cross, and the other schools include Georgia Tech, Oklahoma and South Carolina. "The teams that have shown interest early on will definitely have an advantage. It shows that they will stick it out and are really interested in me," Cross told Inside Knights.

Aside from the school's that have offered him scholarships, Cross has also received a lot of interest from Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State and North Carolina State. There are several major factors that Cross will look for in a college, with one of those being location. "I'd like for my parents to be able to come and watch me a lot."

Cross says he'll also look for a school that can offer him immediate playing time and has a strong academic history, but ultimately it will be a gut feeling that will sway Cross. "I've talked to guys who have played at the next level, and they say that right when you walk on campus, you know if that school is for you."

Georgia Tech and Georgia have both hosted Cross already, and while he enjoyed his Georgia visit, he was very impressed with the Yellow Jackets, which might not be good for UCF. "Georgia Tech was the first campus I ever visited, so that has really stuck in my mind."

Orlando still has a good chance at being a final destination for Cross. "UCF is a great up and coming program, and Coach [Brent] Key was the first coach I talked to." Also in favor for UCF are the several relationships Cross' coaches have with UCF. "My Defensive End coach played football with Coach Key, they are good friends. My coach also played at Georgia Tech for Coach O'Leary, and said that there isn't a better coach around."

Cross couldn't find any negative aspects with the Knights, but did hint towards the level of competition he would see in the Conference USA as being a slight deterrent. However, Cross did seem very interested in the prospect of playing for UCF.

A two sports athlete, Cross seems to have a good head on his shoulders and seemingly thrives at everything he does. He is a very successful basketball player, but when asked if he'd play in college, Cross joked that he might be too small. Cross has an impressive 3.0 GPA and took the SAT in March and is awaiting his score.

Last season Cross logged just three sacks, but after watching just a minute of film, it was evident why his total was so low. "I was double teamed a majority of the time last year and most teams ran away from me." Cross is hoping that he can log double-digit sacks in 2008 and also sees more success for Flowery Branch, which will have a very talented overall team according to Cross.

Cross considers himself a solid pass-rusher, whose best aspect is his quickness. While he has great speed for a player of his size, Cross does think that he can improve his technique as a pass-rusher overall before he gets to the next level.

"The speed of the game will really increase and the guys I will face will also be a lot bigger, those are two aspects I'll need to prepare for." Cross must also brace himself for less double teams, something he is looking forward to. "Not having two guys coming at you all the time is definitely nice to think about."

There are a lot of determinants that will weigh into Cross' decision when picking a college, and things will certainly change a lot by next February, but Cross will be a valuable aspect to any college he attends, both on and off the field. UCF is a front runner along with several other schools who are vying for Cross' services, and they will likely pursue the prolific end even more as next season approaches.