Braden River’s Knowledge McDaniel is Manatee County’s top uncommitted prospect

While Tyrone Collins was being wooed to a commitment at Missouri, Knowledge McDaniel was there to witness the Tigers’ overtures firsthand.

McDaniel visited Columbia, Mo., for a summer camp at the same time Collins was taking the unofficial visit during which he wound up verbally committing. At Mizzou, McDaniel lived one end of the recruiting spectrum — the coaching staff wanted to watch him in person and ended up offering — and watched his Braden River High School teammate at the other.

Everything Missouri did impressed him.

“I see why he committed because it was real nice. The atmosphere was good, like how he would live and stuff,” McDaniel said. “They really had it planned out and it was only his unofficial. His official is going to be crazy.”

The Tigers will have a long list to compete with, though, in their efforts to land McDaniel, who has plenty of colleges interested as he prepares for his junior season with the Pirates. Thirteen schools have already reached out to offer, including four from the Southeastern Conference and four from the Atlantic Coast Conference. He’s the most-coveted junior in Manatee County and, with Braden River’s top three senior prospects already committed, he’s the Pirates’ top uncommitted prospect.

McDaniel spent most of his summer building on a strong debut season with the Braden River varsity team. Originally a running back with the Pirates’ junior varsity team as a freshman, McDaniel earned the bump to varsity for his sophomore year and primarily slid out to wide receiver with Raymond Thomas and Deshaun Fenwick getting most of the touches from the backfield. McDaniel finished the season with 18 catches for 250 yards and four touchdowns, plus another 92 yards on the ground while averaging more than 5 yards per carry.

McDaniel’s summer consisted of 7-on-7 football with Adrian McPherson’s Air5 team. McDaniel spent time with the program’s U15 and U18 teams, and helped Air5 net a pair of Top 5 finishes at national tournaments. He was able to further hone himself as a wide receiver even as college coaches recruit him at his natural position.

“They see me as a running back. I don’t really get how because most of my film is receiver,” McDaniel said. “I like receiver and stuff, but running back is fine, too. I’m just really natural at running back because that was my little league position.”

McDaniel’s role in the Braden River offense should only expand this year before he likely becomes the focal point during his senior season.

Thomas, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2016, has graduated as has wide receiver Taj Speight, one of four players who finished with more receiving yards than McDaniel. Collins, who was another of the receivers more productive than McDaniel, will miss at least half the season while he recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The 5-foot-10, 208-pound McDaniel will move around in Braden River’s offense, which will provide a chance to showcase himself in a variety of roles.

“I’ll be more outside and then in than running back,” McDaniel said. “I’ll get my running back touches, but it will be more after receiver.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Braden River’s Knowledge McDaniel is Manatee County’s top uncommitted prospect."