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Name: Chris Slayton
Position: Defensive End
Year: Freshman
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 265
Hometown: University Park, Ill.
High School: Crete-Monee
2013 Stats: Won the IHSA 6A State Championship and was Second Team All-Chicago after racking up 45 tackles, six TFLs and nine sacks.
2014 Projections: Don't be surprised if Slayton sees the field in 2014, since it appears he's simply got too much talent to keep him off the field (and coaches fell that way too).
How'd He Get Here: Major conference schools like Illinois, Michigan State, Kansas and Miami (among others) all tried, but they couldn't get Chris in the fold. Fred Reed and Tim Daoust got the win here for the Orange coaching staff.
What'd Recruiting Sites Say: Three stars, and the 20th-best recruit in Illinois, according to Rivals.
Money Quote: Slayton's no glory boy, says his high school coach, John Konecki:
"He does a good job in the classroom and busts his behind in the weight room. He is real down to earth and doesn’t need a thousand Twitter followers; that isn’t his thing. He is just a pleasure to be around."
Links Of Wonder: Chris's high school's name, "Crete-Monee" would appear to have some resemblance to "get money" if you want to go that route (I want to go that route). That gets me thinking of Lil' Wayne's "Get Money." College John says hello, everyone!
Twitterfeed: See? His coach was right. He doesn't even need ONE follower.
Tweets Of Wonder: The intensity with which Scott Shafer waits by a fax machine is likely worth the price of admission:
Everything has gone according to plan for #Syracuse. Coaches are just waiting on DE Chris Slayton's LOI to be faxed, per @McAllisterScout.
— Orange Fizz (@OrangeFizz) February 5, 2014
What Does Shafer Daoust Think Of Him: He sees him as a guy who'll have every opportunity to see the field. And while this may seem directed at all freshman, it's mostly directed at Slayton, Kayton Samuels and Jalen Harvey:
"All freshmen, I tell them to prepare to come in and play, and I think it changes the way they approach things."
Interesting Nugget O'Interest: Slayton was the final player to sign for Syracuse on National Signing Day, which is an interesting nugget o'interest, no?
Let's Get A Good Look Atcha: Yeah, high school highlights!!!