Player Profile: Penn Trafford RB Manny Simpson
by Wade Perry
Posted May 20, 2011 5:02 pm
class of 2012, Manny Simpson, Penn Trafford
Nobody has been covering high school football prospects in the Western Pennsylvania area quite like FinestPreps!
We’ve been highlighting prospects in that area more than any other in the country!
Today–we dive back into our bread-and-butter once again as we have another gifted prospect from the Keystone State!
This player is blessed with a punishing running style and is a member of the 2012 recruiting class.
Who’s the top notch running back you should be looking out for?
That would be none other than Penn Trafford (Harrsion City, Pennsylvania) running back Manny Simpson.
If there is one word I could use to describe Simpson’s running style–it would be punishing!
The 5’11, 200 pounder uses his tremendous size to bowl over defenders in the open field.
Simpson is excellent at making the first tackler miss–whether it be by shrugging them off or lowering his shoulder into them and knocking them to the turf.
He’s certainly not a “homerun-hitting” tailback but that’s not to say he can’t rip off big chunks of yards from time to time.
In his highlights below–you will see the play against McKeesport in which he takes a kickoff at the one yard line, dashes right up the middle of the coverage unit, and races 99 yards for the touchdown return.
He lacks breakaway speed but Simpson is a guy that’s going to get you the tough yards betweeen the tackles every time.
The Harrison City, Pa. native excels in short yardage situations and around the goal line–when he’s allowed to use his punishing running style to bulldoze his way into the end zone.
There’s several plays in his highlights when he’s seen laying bruising hits on defenders.
Last year he rushed for 1,235 yards and 13 touchdowns on 208 carries (5.94 yards per carry).
The talented tailback has an excellent nose for the end zone and is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the goal line.
A lot of times getting in the end zone is a matter of will power and toughness and there’s no question Simpson is oozing with an endless amount of both traits.
He’s seen on several plays during his highlight tape–reaching the end zone on the second effort, churning his legs, and grinding his way to paydirt!
There’s another example in his highlight package when he hauls in a pass at the 13 yard line and there’s two defenders close to him as he approaches the goal line.
One defender is waiting right on the goal line to make sure he doesn’t get in.
Simpson races down the sideline to the three yard line before he shows the defender that he has other plans in mind!
He leaps in the air and jumps over the defender, landing in the end zone for the touchdown.
Simply put–when the punishing running back is anywhere near the goal line–he will not be denied!
Another part about Simpson is he shows he’s excellent at catching screen passes and utilizing his blockers in space.
As a junior, he hauled in nine catches for 122 yards (12.33 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
Currently he doesn’t have any scholarship offers but Simpson is drawing interest from a variety of Division I-A programs such as: Akron, Cincinnati, Kent State, Michigan State, Pitt, Penn State, and Temple.
One of the best short yardage running backs in the 2012 recruiting class with great size (5’11, 205 lbs.)–look for the recruiting process to heat up for this punishing runner sometime in the future!
Wade Peery is the senior writer for FinestPreps.com. He can be reached by e-mail at wadepeery@yahoo.com. All comments and feedback are welcome.
Check out the junior highlights of Manny Simpson below–courtesy of FinestPreps.com!
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class of 2012, Manny Simpson, Penn Trafford