4-Star Greensboro Defender Brings It
It didn't take long for Brelin Faison-Walden to earn the reputation as a fierce hitter. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Greensboro (NC) Grimsley defender, viewed as a cross between and outside linebacker and strong safety, recorded 137 total tackles and five sacks as a sophomore.
Faison-Walden, who's rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com, followed that up with a strong junior campaign, including three fumble recoveries and two interceptions from the defensive side of the ball to earn Second Team All-Conference accolades. Ever since, he's been a name on the rise.
To no surprise, this tackling machine models his game after Kam Chancellor, a Pro Bowl safety with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.
“I like his physicality. I just want to hit someone," Faison-Walden said earlier this spring. "I like his physicality."
Recruiters have noticed the Chancellor-like qualities about Faison-Walden. He's up to 20-plus offers with a list that features Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, Penn State and many more.
“It’s good. I’m just letting it take its course, enjoying this ride and focusing on 7 on 7 and spring ball. In the summer time is when it’ll start picking up and I’ll start going places," Faison-Walden said.
"Everybody is pretty much equal, but I like the big schools, the Michigan’s, the Alabama’s.”
Playing in North Carolina though, there's a certain appeal about the Tar Heels, though.
“UNC is close to home. I like it. Everybody’s honest. It’s somewhere I’d love to go back to and see how it goes in the future," Faison-Walden told THI.
Conversations with defensive coordinator Gene Chizik about how he'd fit in their system have also gone considerably well.
“He just pretty much said the basics. That I’m a good player, how they want me at UNC, what they saw on film, what their past positions did, how they'd teach me to play it and see if I feel comfortable in it," Faison-Walden added.
Having that option to play for a program basically in his own backyard that's coming off one of its best seasons in program history helps and is something he figures to weigh heavily as he goes through the decision-making process
“It does. It shows that it’s good at home, but you have to look at everything before you make a decision," acknowledged Faison-Walden.
While Faison-Walden has the physical tools to be a linebacker, most schools arae recruiting him to play safety and in nickel packages where he can cover the slot, he indicated. Ultimately, there's no preference to him.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll play whatever the coaches want me to do. As long as I’m hitting something, it doesn’t matter," he said, noting the attributes that he believes he can bring to the table.
“Physicality of course, my play recognition, smarts for the game and just my passion.”
There are a few factors that will stand out for Faison-Walden in the coming weeks and month as his recruitment winds down.
“The relationships with the coaches, a place where it’s a family environment and the campus. I’m pretty still building those relationships, but I have a pretty good relationship with the coaching staff at Penn State," Faison-Walden stated.
"Obviously I have to feel comfortable wherever I’m going. Wherever I fit in at and feel most comfortable with myself.”
What's his timetable to commit look like at this point?
“We’re aiming for October because I can take official [visits] after September 1st," he answered. "I don’t know what schools yet, but I’ll take every weekend in September and the first weekend in October and likely decide close to that time.”
Besides being excited about picking a school when that time comes, Faison-Walden is looking forward to turning things around at Grimsley under a new regime before heading off to the next level.
“We were 2-8 last season, but we have a new coaching staff," he noted. "Everybody’s working hard in the weight room, so it’s looking like better things are to come.”
Matthew Hatfield has covered football and basketball since 2004 for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a staff writer for Tar Heel Illustrated. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10 AM on ESPN Radio 94.1, plus watch him on the Cox 11 Sports Report.