Elite 2020 DE Sav'ell Smalls Talks Early Washington Interest, Recruitment
PORTLAND (OR) – Nearly six months ago Sav’ell Smalls held zero scholarship offers and had yet to play a snap of high school football. Now, heading into June with seven FBS schools on his list and dozens more to come, Smalls remains driven and focused on what got him to this point.
“It’s no pressure for me because I know I put in the work,” Smalls told Rivals.com recently on balancing his recruitment with life for the next four years. “I know I deserve everything I get and I know I work harder than the person next to me.”
At 6-foot-4 and 240-pounds, Smalls has been training with Rise Football Academy during the off-season to prepare himself for his freshman season at Garfield High School (Seattle, Washington).
During 7v7 tournaments he plays mostly with the freshman team, with his size an advantageous mismatch when Smalls plays as a tight end. During some of the Rise practices Smalls has enjoyed getting to play on offense, with 2019 four-star quarterback Dylan Morris having an easy target to find on any play.
However, the elite recruit for the class of 2020 will make his money at defensive end. The first school to offer Smalls, the in-state Washington Huskies, offered him at DE with others including USC and Michigan following suit.
But none of that matters to Smalls.
“I work like I don’t have any talent,” Smalls said. “I go to the weight room two times a day. Just working like I have zero offers, I work like I’m the worst person on the field. I think if you start letting it get to you, you’ll become soft. That’s not me.”
This summer he will visit the University of Alabama on July 15-18 for the Crimson Tide’s football camp in Tuscaloosa. Originally, Smalls said he hadn’t planned on making any camps this summer but felt that it was a chance he couldn’t pass up.
“I know it’s going to be a competition there and I want to go against the best,” Smalls said. “They say down south have better football players, so I’m going to go down there and show what the Pacific Northwest has.”
With the NCAA rules limiting contact between freshmen and sophomore recruits and college coaches, Smalls said he hasn’t had the chance to talk with many coaches. This spring Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC and UCLA have offered following the Huskies last December.
During the 2016 season Smalls was able to visit UW for several home games, in addition to meeting with head coach Chris Petersen and other coaches during his visits. Having that experience already has helped the Huskies early in the recruiting process for Smalls.
“I saw all the preseason hype on Washington, but to actually see it transition to the field that was great,” Smalls said. “Going up there and building a connection with [defensive line] Coach [Ikaika] Malloe and Coach K[wiatkowski] and Coach Pete, it’s been really good.”
Smalls said he anticipates making several trips to UW over the next few years, with the location playing a key role in his interest in the Huskies.