Recruiting Interest Coming from Everywhere for LA Valley JUCO LB Chad Thornton

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

National Signing Day is a national event for diehard college football fans, but it is also the culmination of a stressful time for college coaches and recruits. The minutes, hours, and days leading up to the ink going on the papers of letters of intent across the country are filled with hand wringing and uncertainty about who will go where and which player will get what offer. For Los Angeles Valley JUCO sophomore linebacker Chad Thornton, it is the best and worst of times.

All Thornton wants to do is continue playing football. It is as simple as that. Thornton is more than deserving of continuing on to a four-year college. The 6’0”, 230 pound, talent helped lead the Monarchs to a 9-2 record in 2015 that included a 42-27 win over San Bernardino in the Golden State Bowl. Along the way the former Virginia high school talent (Battlefield) had roughly 50 tackles, five tackles for a loss, a pass breakup, and one forced fumble.

Colleges see the talent, speed (4.5), and strength (bench 350, squat 505) Thornton can bring to the field. Charleston Southern, James Madison, Indiana State, Tuskegee, Eastern New Mexico, and Lane College are all pushing hard. More interest should be coming his way but the notion that a JUCO player cannot come in over the summer but has to be a midterm enrollee has stumped progress on that front.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with Thornton in the middle of the craziness to get his last thoughts on his sophomore season at LA Valley College and a recruiting news update.

Interview

Chad, you had a very productive season for LA Valley. As you start prepping for a move to the next level, what are your strengths on the field at linebacker?

“I’d say I move well in space. I get from A to B quick. I use my speed to be a versatile player on the field and I’m a good open field tackler.”

What do you do better, defend the run or drop back in coverage?

“I feel as though I’m good at both but if I had to choose I’d say I’m better at dropping back in coverage. I can always play the run. Not many linebackers can get back to cover the pass. I’m better at covering the pass than most.”

From your freshman year to your sophomore year, what were your biggest areas of growth at linebacker?

“I better understood what I need to do in each game. I was reading my keys was so much better – it was night and day. I understand the game better now which allows me to play faster. I don’t have to think about it I can just react and go.”

What was your best game last season and why?

“My best game – I’d say was against West LA (won 46-20). That was the last game of our regular season. I think I was doing a lot of things right. I was involved in 4-5 tackles on special teams, I had a pass breakup, and had a bunch of tackles in the game. I was using my ability at a max value. I was involved everywhere in the game and letting my athletic ability take over.”

Which schools are showing heavy interest in you right now?

“A lot of schools but some are up in the air. I almost came to the point of quitting football over the recruiting process. It is frustrating. Charleston Southern, James Madison, Indiana State, Tuskegee, Eastern New Mexico, and Lane College are all in play.”

This may be redundant from one of my previous questions, but what type of feedback have you received from these colleges about your game?

“A lot of it was the same as before. They like how I come up and hit. They think I move well. Stuff like that. A few have said I was explosive. That’s usually what I get. They want to see what I can continue to do and try to get me down there to play.”

I’ll get you out of here on this one. When a team signs you on National Signing Day, what kind of player are they getting?

“I think I’m a complete player. I’m driven and hardworking. I’m the type of guy who will be there for his teammates and fellow students. I want to see everyone do well. Not just people in sports but in my classes too. I want the guy next to me in my English course to get an A and do well. The girl next to me in my science class, I want her to get an A too, not just another athlete at the school. I want to be someone that is there for everyone. I want to surround myself with good people and play the game. I think the program that gets me is getting a team leader and someone they can count on and depend on.”

Chad, thanks for your time today and good luck with the recruiting process the rest of the way.

“Thank you.”

To see Chad Thornton’s JUCO highlight reel via Hudl click the link.

Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Chad Thornton during an interview at LA Valley College.

Photo credit: LA Valley College journalism department; No. 37 Chad Thornton gets the tackle.