We have before sheepishly admitted, regarding our AP All-State vote cast this year, that we missed on Antonio Abren. Lest you forget, we wrote about it in an article entitled “Antonio Abren, here’s one All-State LB we all missed…(we weren’t the only ones).”
If you will recall, we recounted then that “We have done some digging and have discovered Antonio Abren, from Christian County High School, collected 145 total tackles this past season, 57 of which were solos. Abren had 15 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 4 fumbles recovered; one of which was scooped up and returned 99 yards for a score (a school record).”
These were statistics we didn’t have when we nominated for the All-State team. We cover high school football in Kentucky 24/7, year-round, and statistics (even where unpublished on the KHSAA website) are within our capability of discovery, so we will own this mistake.
Then again, a ton of programs missed on this prospect…that is until Murray State jump in and added him at the 11th hour to its next year’s roster. Abren, whose on-field production is prodigious, to say the least, is a FBS, power-5 frame.
Antonio, who was selected to the Louisville vs. The Rest (and Best) of Kentucky game, as the above picture with his HC, Steve Lovelace, reflects, is 6-3 and weighs 200-pounds. Abren has a 41-inch vertical leap and an 84-inch wingspan, making him (perhaps) the longest player in Kentucky’s 2019 class of football prospects.
Antonio has been timed as low as 4.6 in the 40-yard sprint. KPGFootball believes, owing to his vertical leap, his time, when trained to undertake the sprint correctly, may be well lower.
A well known strength and conditioning coach, Doug Dupont, in an article published and linked here, noted there were studies of record which investigated the correlation between sprint times and verticals. The body of research, though certainly incomplete, still suggests there is a correlation and that college football programs are validated in using vertical leap tests as a tool in assessing sprinting speed.
By the vertical leap test, Abren may prove (one-day) to be the fastest member of the Kentucky 2019 prospect class. We realize that is saying a lot but we certainly believe him to have the most vertical explosion in the class. Is there any Kentucky high school football prospect out there who has a vertical leap exceeding Abren’s 41-inches?
How many college programs, at any level of play, can boast of adding a specimen like Abren? Especially one who possesses the athleticism he does together with his frame particularly in light of his length?
To recap, the Racers have been able to make a late add to its incoming class of a LB in Abren who played 5A football just an hour or so from its campus. This LB had 145 tackles as a senior, 15 TFLs, 3 QB sacks, and 4 fumbles recovered one of which was returned for a school record 99-yard scoop and score. He’s 6-3, weighs 200-pounds, has a 41-inch vertical, an 84-inch wingspan, and has been timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash.
We realize we have said all of the above earlier in the article but it is worthy of reiteration. Oh yeah (before we forget), his 40-time, according to his vertical, would indicate he’s much faster than 4.6-seconds over 40-yards. Good luck running at this guy. Good luck trying to run away from this guy. Good luck passing over this guy. We are glad Murray State isn’t coming up on any of our future schedules.
Racer fans, KPGFootball would have to call this a very good day for the Murray State football program! KPGFootball believes you should be really excited about this unbelievably, freakishly-athletic, and framed-out addition for your defensive second-level. Heck, for that matter, think what he may be able to accomplish with some well-added weight and then slotted to come screaming off your defensive flank. With Antonio’s height, length, and speed he would make quite a pass-rush specialist. We’d be super excited were he coming to play for us.
Reporting for KPGFootball, this is Fletcher Long, reminding all of you ballers out there to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE.
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