Elizabeth LB Jesiah West drawing comparisons to former Knight Khaseem Greene | Could have FBS future

Posted August 20, 2018 at 06:10 AM | Updated August 20, 2018 at 06:10 AM

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Todderick Hunt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

By Todderick Hunt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Elizabeth (N.J.) senior linebacker Jesiah West loves to run and hit. Add that to his great length and athleticism, as he stands 6-4, 210 pounds, and you have a player well on his way to an FBS future. West is raw and has some development left to do, mostly because he'd prioritized basketball up to this point in his high school career. But he's now submerged in football and looks to forge a future playing the gridiron sport. Based on the physical tools and skill-set he's displayed during summer scrimmages, West has a chance.

He's coached by Jamil Jackson, who played at Rutgers in the early nineties. Jackson believes West has been his best player for the past two years, despite basketball and injuries getting in the way. He says West is three inches taller, but similar to Khaseem Greene, who also played at Rutgers before ascending to a four-year NFL career. Find out more about the late blooming defender below.

Which schools are reaching out?

West has received interest from college coaches to play both basketball and football at the next level. However, there are two main football programs standing out going into his final high school campaign, though they have yet to offer. And West has ties to each of them.

“I’ve heard from Rutgers and I talked to Boston College a little bit," West said, "but most of the time when coaches were looking for me, I was playing AAU basketball.”

Rutgers picks up the scent

West has been tentatively involved with Rutgers for a while -- a school hoping to add another linebacker to this class. His team (the Minutemen) visited the school for a game early in his high school career, and he attended the Scarlet-White game this spring. And now that he's had a productive start to the preseason, the staff is reaching back out.

"I heard from coach Matt Hewitt (Sunday)," said West. "He told me to send him my highlights from last year and my scrimmage from Friday (St. John Vianney).”

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