Braden River’s Deshaun Fenwick is finally getting recruiting attention

Deshaun Fenwick has naturally flown under the radar as part of Braden River’s potent and deep offenses the past two seasons. He split time in the backfield with Raymond Thomas and Jaylin Austin for most of last year, and even fell behind Dexter Hodo on the depth chart when Thomas suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury. This fall, Fenwick was once again behind Thomas and spent a major chunk of his time at wide receiver.

But as college coaches passed through Braden River practices, each one raved about Fenwick’s potential. Each one, however, left without extending a scholarship offer to the junior.

It finally changed Wednesday when Ohio University recruiting coordinator Brian Haines stopped by Braden River High School. He raved to head coach Curt Bradley about Fenwick and then stood puzzled when he learned the running back didn’t have any offers. And then he became the first to pull the trigger, giving Fenwick his first offer only weeks after the end of his junior season.

“It was so frustrating,” Bradley said. “My mouth finally dropped and obviously you get a huge smile because it’s well-deserved. The kid’s put in so much hard work over the past two years.”

Even in his limited role, Fenwick shined. He finished fourth in Manatee County in rushing yards — Thomas was one of the three ahead of him — and was the Pirates’ second leading receiver.

The varied skillset doesn’t necessarily seem obvious for a 6-foot-3, 208-pound athlete, who piles up most of his rushing yards as a downhill-running power back, yet he became one of the most well-rounded offensive players in the area.

Fenwick knew he could be relegated to just being part of a rotation again this fall if he didn’t commit to adding variety to his game. Offensive coordinator Eric Sanders knew this, too. He wanted to find ways to use Thomas and Fenwick simultaneously. The result was Fenwick turning into one of the county’s most unique weapons.

“I had worked really hard to get t othe point I was. I wasn’t trying to be just part of the rotation again,” Fenwick said. “We were just going to be that much better.”

Fenwick’s future role at Braden River could be more regimented. With Thomas graduating in the spring, Fenwick should finally be entrenched as the Pirates’ top running back. He easily crossed the 1,000-yard all-purpose mark this fall and with a full season as the top option his rise should continue.

“He’ll be the focal point of the offense, obviously,” Bradley said.

News and nuggets:

• Joshua Booker picked up his first offer since the spring on Wednesday, when Austin Peay became the third Division I program to extend a scholarship offer. Booker, who was the Hurricanes’ top running back this year and ran for 598 yards during an injury-plagued season, previously picked up offers from South Florida and Western Kentucky after a breakout sophomore season at Sarasota High. The Governors are the first Football Championship Subdivision school to offer the junior.
• Josh Stevens emerged as Saint Stephen’s top offensive lineman during the fall and now the senior is drawing Division I interest. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound tackle has an official visit set with FCS Georgetown, where Falcons head coach Tod Creneti previously served as an assistant coach, after a season which earned him first team All-Sunshine State Athletic Conference honors.
• Peyton Vining could give Saint Stephen’s a pair of Division I-bound seniors. The wide receiver and linebacker is planning an official visit to Holy Cross, another FCS school, and has an offer to be a preferred walk-on at FCS Chattanooga.
• Some of Manatee County’s under-the-radar defensive standouts are finally drawing interest, with New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college in Roswell, dipping into a favorite county to extend offers. New Mexico Military, a frequent JUCO destination for area players, offered Braden River’s Deqwunn McCobb and Demetrius Lawson and Palmetto’s Desmine Ross last week. The offers are the first for McCobb, a defensive lineman, and Ross, a defensive back. Lawson, another defensive back, also has been offered by Tulane and Western Kentucky.

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Braden River’s Deshaun Fenwick is finally getting recruiting attention."