2008 High School Football Guide - Sam McGuffie, Class 5A Texas Phenom

A new highschool football player out of Houston, Texas has been compared to the likes of New Orleans Saints running back, Reggie Bush. Sam McGuffie is your classic new generation phenom. He has the kind of talent you can't teach and a cocky attitude to back up his game. He's a 6-foot, 185-pound, star running back out of Cy-Fair Highschool. There hasn't been a more exciting high school football star in Houston since Vince Young.

The only words to describe him are '' human highlight reel''. One of his most memorable highlights came versus rival Cy-Creek, where he leaped over a defensive back en route to a touchdown. He scored seven touchdowns that game. He would go on to score 44 touchdowns in the season, setting Houston's all-time Single-Season Yardage record as a junior, and winning Houston's Offensive Player of the Year.

Even though he carried the ball 350 times his junior season and only fumbled twice, many scouts question if he can carry the load in college at running back. Yet, McGuffie doesn't care what position he plays, just as long as he gets his shot.

"Since we don't have an abundance of athletes, I stay at running back. But when I go to college, I'll play anything - DB. I can kick. I can do punt return or kick return. I can do a little of everything. I'm an all-purpose guy. I'll play offense, defense, it doesn't matter." -McGuffie

With a 41 inch vertical and benchpress max at 355lbs, McGuffie's a self proclaimed ''freak athlete''. Along with being one of the best highschool football players in the nation, he's also one of the best highschool track stars in the country. He has one of the best SPARQ ratings in the country among his peers. A SPARQ rating consists of these tests: vertical jump, standing broad jump, 10-yard dash, 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, L-drill, bench press, 5kg Power Ball throw and two vision/reaction tests.