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In the News
All-Metro
Defense
FIRST TEAM
Line: Armond
Armstead, Pleasant
Grove, Sr.
Area's No. 1 recruit
played the part,
leading upstart
program with 77
tackles and 7.5
sacks despite double
teams; also strong
on the offensive
line.
read more
The Bee's Final High School Football
Poll
The
Bee's final 2007 Top
20 high school
football poll, with
first-place votes in
parentheses,
records, total
points based on 20
points for a
first-place vote
through one point
for a 20th-place
vote, and previous
ranking:
Offensive Player
of the Year:
Williams shines on
and off the field
 The first thing one notices about Deonte Williams away from the playing field is his smile, broad and engaging – a sparkling row of gold teeth.
His "grill" has nothing to do with dental necessity. Williams wears it to catch people's eyes, a shining example of his free spirit.
On the field, though, what people saw this season was a yardage-gobbling runner who found the end zone again and again for Pleasant Grove High School, earning recognition as The Bee's 2007 Offensive Player of the Year. read more
The Trojans had a bevy of official
visitors this weekend;
including Tyron Smith, Chris Polk,
Armond Armstead, Drew McAllister, Wes
Horton and UCLA commitment Derrick
Coleman.
One player who is no stranger to the
Southern California campus is Elk Grove
(CA.) Pleasant Grove HS defensive
lineman Armond Armstead. This was not
Armstead’s first trip to USC, but his
official visit gave him a chance to see
aspects of the program he was previously
unavailable to.
“It was cool,” Armond said of his trip.
“We went to the practices, ate and went
out at night. I thought it was fun, the
practices were pretty tempo.”
“Mondo” has only seen one other school
practice, and immediately noticed the
difference between the two programs and
their approach on the practice field.
“They (USC) were the first practices I
went to,” he said. “The practices were
definitely more active, and it was a lot
less sitting around than Cal’s practices
were.”
The majority of visitors in this weekend
are current USC commitments, and
Armstead got a chance to hang out with a
few future teammates.
read story
Mondo
meets with Pete
With a senior season
that included 90 tackles, 11 sacks, and
League Player of the Year and All-City
First-Team honors, Armond Armstead had
the proverbial cherry on top of his
season when University of Southern
California head coach Pete Carroll
showed up for an in-home visit.
"Overall the night and the conversations
we had were good," Armstead, from Elk
Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove, said
about their evening, which also included
Coach Rocky Seto. "We ate and we talked
about admissions, the expectations and
academics.
"And how hard I'm going to have to work,
and some of the help I'm going to be
getting. Opportunities the college
offers beyond just football, like job
opportunities."
Carroll wasn't there so much for
recruiting, but to solidify Armstead's
verbal commitment that he made to USC in
early July and to also get him prepared
for playing football at the next level.
"Just SC, that's my school," Armstead,
when asked if he was hosting any other
coaches, said. "I'm going to stick with
it. I'm taking my official visit (to USC)
this weekend.
read story
Prep notes: Carroll Comes to Visit
Armstead
USC's
Carroll comes to town – USC football
coach Pete Carroll was in Elk Grove to
visit Pleasant Grove High School
defensive lineman Armond Armstead on
Wednesday.
read story
Armstead
Ready for Visit
The Trojans have stockpiled their 2008 recruiting class
with talent on the offensive side of the ball, and will
now look to focus their recruiting efforts primarily on
defense, where they have just four commitments to date.
One current player committed to play on the defensive
side of the ball at USC is Elk Grove (CA.) Pleasant
Grove HS defensive lineman Armond Armstead. Armstead,
whose athleticism is extremely rare for his size (6’5,
290 lbs.), is coming fresh off a senior season that saw
him rack up some monster numbers.
“I had around 100 tackles,” said Armstead. “I had 11
sacks on the year, and I was just a lot more confident
out there on the field.”
Things have been relatively quiet around the Armstead
household, although Wednesday saw USC head coach Pete
Carroll make his way up north.
“Coach Carroll came in tonight for an in-home visit,”
said Armstead. “He was just talking to me about my
academics, and making sure I am keeping on top of that.
He was just letting me know the kind of expectations
they had for me, and how they think I can play early.”
Armstead has been the topic of many debates surrounding
which side of the ball he will eventually play at the
college level, something coach Carroll already has
planned out. read story
Little is
Pleasant about size of Napa’s playoff foe
Pleasant
Grove’s football team has one thing that Napa
doesn’t and that is size.
Eagles star lineman Armond Armstead stands at a
staggering 6 feet, 6 inches and weighs in at 284
pounds. The rest of their linemen aren’t quite as
huge as the senior, who’s already committed to USC,
but they still tower over most of the Indians’
linemen.
“They’re
a very big, physical team,” Indians head coach Troy
Mott said. “They do a lot of good things offensively
and defensively. It’s going to be a challenge, but
we expect it to be at this time of the year.
Nothing’s going to come easy. The first thing you’ll
see on Friday night is how big they are. That’s the
most impressive thing.”
read more
 Duo
leads Napa past Eagles
The Pleasant Grove Eagles had
made a nice practice of coming from behind throughout
the year but found the hole too big to climb out of in a
38-20 loss to the visiting Napa Indians in the
Sac-Joaquin Section Division I quarterfinals.
The visiting Indians, paced by their potent duo of Jake
Croxdale and John Boyett, built a 30-6 lead at one point
and held off a late surge by the Eagles to advance to
the semifinals to face Elk Grove.
read more
Boys
Basketball Preview: The Bee's Preseason Top 20
17.
Pleasant Grove (9-18) The Eagles
have the talent but will be in the
brutal Delta River League. Senior
guard Xavier Thames averaged 17.6
points last season and 6-6,
280-pound Armond Armstead is a
monstrous defender and rebounder.
read more
Offense
consistency key for Pleasant Grove
If you casually glanced at the
statistics from Pleasant Grove’s 28-14 win over Davis in
the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Division I playoffs
last Friday, one might be surprised that the Eagles
managed only 56 yards of offense and held the ball for
less than 10 minutes in the second half.
The Eagles’ second half woes obscured an amazing second
quarter. After trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, the
Pleasant Grove offense found its feet and responded by
scoring 21 consecutive points to grab a 21-14 lead at
halftime.
read more
 Ugly
or not, Pleasant Grove survives first-round scare
The Pleasant Grove Eagles
showed the same resiliency they had all season Friday
night, rebounding from a 14-0 second-quarter deficit to
defeat the Davis Blue Devils 28-14 in the first round of
the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.
The win means the Eagles now host Napa at
Sheldon-Pleasant Grove Community Stadium this Friday.
Napa defeated Franklin 35-10 to advance.
read more
Pleasant Grove Claims First
League Title
“It’s pretty exciting,”
Pleasant Grove head coach Joe Cattolico said of his team
finishing first in the Delta River League, after ending
last season in the bottom half of the conference with a
5-5 overall record and winning only one league game. “I
think we had some high expectations of our football team
but we surprised a lot of people.”
Pleasant Grove won its first league championship in only
its second year as a varsity program and first with
seniors on its roster.
read story
Pleasant Grove's Armstead has become a blue-chip
prospect
 Armond
Armstead went from relative obscurity to national
recognition. He says he has 10 scholarship offers,
including from Nebraska, Texas A&M, Washington and USC.
Pleasant Grove High School defensive end
Armond Armstead picked himself up off the grass, stared at
offensive lineman Allen Carroll from McClymonds in Oakland
and yelled, "Bring it on."
Armstead had to issue the challenge. He
was on his back because he slipped during a one-on-one
drill with Carroll, considered one of the top high school
offensive linemen in the country.
Taking advantage of Armstead's misstep,
the 6-foot-4, 286-pound Carroll wrestled the 6-5,
290-pound Armstead to the ground, standing over his fallen
opponent in front of players and college coaches in the
Nike Camp at Stanford on May 17.
"He got in my face, yelling like he was
all that," Armstead said. "But what I really didn't like
was him standing over me and talking trash."
On three of the next four plays, Armstead
powered past Carroll. Those college coaches took note, and
Armstead's stock immediately climbed.
"I had to let them (scouts) know I was
from Pleasant Grove in Elk Grove and not the one in
Texarkana, Texas, or Pleasant Grove, Utah," Armstead said.
Since then, Armstead has gone from a
relatively unknown high school player to a highly regarded
college prospect. Rivals.com, the noted online assessor of
talent, ranks the senior-to-be the 17th-best defensive
tackle in the nation and the 22nd-best player in the
state.
read entire story
Deonte Williams: The
E-Ticket
Elk Grove Pleasant Grove is
more than Armond Armstead, as Deonte "Bling" Williams
has been able to show this year, running for one of the
best marks in the state...
read story
Pleasant Grove clinches
first-ever playoff berth
The Pleasant Grove Eagles just
seem to keep winning when the odds appear to be stacked
against them.
The latest big victory for the young program came on
Friday night, when they battled back from a 20-10 fourth
quarter deficit to secure a crucial 24-20 win at home
against league rival Folsom.
The win propels the Eagles to an 8-1 record, 4-0 in
league. The loss dropped Folsom to 5-4 and 2-2 in
league. Next up for the Eagles is crosstown rival
Monterey Trail.
read story
 Hope Comes Alive At
Pleasant Grove HS
Fresh
off a big win over Jesuit HS of Carmichael, Pleasant Grove
HS in Elk Grove is quickly going from new school on the
block to a force to be reckoned with...
Pleasant Grove High School is a new school, 2 ½ years old,
in the Elk Grove unified School District. Many of the
sports writers in the Sacramento area have called Pleasant
Grove High School’s win over power house Jesuit High
School an upset.
read story
Armond Armstead Selected to Play
in the All American Bowl in Miami
The game will be played January 4th at the Orange Bowl in
Miami and televised live on Fox Sports and will also be
replayed 12 times including the day before the Super Bowl.
Not only is the entire staffs of both teams made up of
veteran NFL coaches, but we also have
instruction-experienced NFL players like Cris Carter who
articulate their positions as well as any coaches we've
seen, and they relate to our all-Americans incredibly
well. Having such high caliber staffs gives the boys
tremendous exposure and unbeatable networks as they head
off to college.
Deonte Williams runs to prominence at Pleasant Grove
They held "Bling Day" on campus not long
ago as part of Homecoming Week at Pleasant Grove High
School. It came as no real surprise that the guy who goes
by "Bling" garnered the most guffaws and high-fives.
Take a bow, Deonte Williams. The decorated
senior tailback sparkles in every way. On some days, when
the mood strikes, you will notice his "grill," a mouth
full of gold teeth, not because he needs the fixtures but
because, shoot, they look rather cool.
read story
GSP
Player Profile:
Armond Armstead
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove defensive tackle Armond
Armstead is headed to USC next year, but in the meantime,
he's helping the Eagles varsity football program make a
name for itself as it continues to develop as a program...read more
Two-A-Days 2007
High School Football Previews
Pleasant Grove
Delta River League: No. 4
Pleasant Grove senior Armond Armstead stood over his
teammate, lending out a hand helping to get him back up on
his feet.
The defensive lineman tried to shake off Armstead’s hit
but it was obvious he was rattled as he wobbled back to
his spot during the Eagles’ afternoon practice.
It was only a scrimmage but the 6-foot-5, 290-pound senior
defensive and offensive lineman mowed over anythingthat
got in his way with no regard to who he was facing.
Although he’s verbally committed to the USC, Armstead is
dedicated to this season.
“I just want to help my team be the best we can be,” said
Armstead, who received 12 offers from other universities
before selecting the preseason No. 1 team in the country.
read more
Prep football preview: Top 25 players to watch
1. Armond Armstead... Pleasant Grove, DT,
6-4, 290, Sr., USC
Considered the area's top national recruit
after a strong performance in offseason combines, he'll
use his basketball agility to be one of the top pass
rushers/tacklers.
read more
California Preseason 2007 All-State Team....
A look at the preseason all-California team for the class
of 2008, with several of the nation's premier players
being selected...
read more
California 2008 Preseason Rankings: DTs
2.
Armond Armstead, Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove-
USC
Few players in the Golden State had as good a spring as
Armstead did.
read more
 Armond
Armstead Commit Diary
Armond Armstead gave a
verbal commit to USC recently and he let WeAreSC follow
him with a camera on his announcement day to document the
event.
Click here for video diary with Armond Armstead
....
Discuss In Forums
2008 Football Rankings
College hopefuls filled their offseason schedule with
scouting combines and camps to be measured, timed and
evaluated. As the dust settles during this quiet period of
August, we pause in anticipation of the upcoming football
season to take a look at the Top 40 prospects in ... read
more
 Future
Impact: Armstead
When USC recruits linemen, versatility is an important
characteristic to possess. Last year USC signed two
players near Signing Day who certainly had that quality;
Trey Henderson, and Christian Tupou. This recruiting year
has been no different for USC, and their latest commitment
Armond Armstead from Elk Grove (Calif.) proves it.
read story
The Latest:
Rivals100 Rising Stars
In six years, Pete Carroll has turned USC
into a national recruiting power, but little did he know
that his Rising Star Camp would have the power to affect
national recruiting rankings. What was built as an arena
for...read
story
Videography:
Armstead Commits
Monday night was all about football in the Sacramento
suburb of Elk Grove. With friends and family by his side,
Pleasant Grove (Calif.) defensive tackle
Armond Armstead became USC's 12th verbal
commitment of the 2008 class. While Armstead's commitment
to SC was expected, we decided to present his pledge in a
new and unexpected way.
Videography Feature |
Armstead talks about his commitment
Pleasant Grove's Armstead verbally
 commits to USC
From relatively unknown and unheralded to
arguably the top football recruit in the Sacramento area.
That is the story of Armond Armstead.
read more
Armstead verbally commits to USC
Citizen Sports Writer - Most 17-year old
teenage boys are scared to get “tied down.” Most can’t
decide on what they want to be in life, let alone what
they want to do in the next five minutes.
Luckily for Guss and Christa Armstead,
their son Armond is not like most 17-year olds. This past
Monday at the Table 260 restaurant in Elk Grove, Armond
announced that he will be attending the University of
Southern California following his upcoming senior year at
Pleasant Grove.
read more
Click on the link below to view Fox News Coverage.
Making choices in style
 More
athletes' college announcements are made at festive
events.
It's one thing to celebrate after signing
a scholarship offer. It's another thing to party after
giving a verbal commitment.
But such is the case in college-football
recruiting, where more prospects are announcing their
college choice in a festive way.
The last example is Pleasant Grove High
School's Armond Armstead. Rated a top-250 national recruit
by Rivals.com, the 6-foot-6, 280-pound defensive tackle
will makes his announcement at his favorite restaurant,
Table 260, today in Elk Grove. parties.
read story
110%
Armond Armstead, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound
three-star defensive tackle/end from Pleasant Grove High
School in Elk Grove, Calif., announced his decision to
attend USC Monday
night as planned at the Table 260 Restaurant in Elk Grove,
Calif.
read story
Armstead Ready for Announcement
 Elk
Grove (CA.) Pleasant Grove HS defensive lineman Armond
Armstead is ready to make his commitment, and USC fans
will not have to wait much longer to hear where the
four-star defensive tackle is headed.
“I’m going to announce my decision on
Monday, July 30th,” said Armstead. “It (the announcement)
will be at 7 PM at Table 260, which is one of my favorite
restaurants. Its going to be family, friends, people from
my past and some my pop-warner coaches.”
Armstead is less then two weeks away from
his scheduled announcement, and he has already created a
tentative top six schools he will choose from.
read story
Nike Camp MVP
Pleasant Grove defensive end
Armond Armstead was one of the fastest rising
recruits in Northern California prior to the Palo Alto
Nike Camp this past weekend. Now, after earning our
camp MVP honors, Armstead could be in line for the No.
1 ranking in the 2008 football rankings next week.
read story
260, Here We Come!
Although Armond Armstead denies he is 100
percent sure, USC is clearly the team to beat. "I really
like the coaching staff at USC," he said. "They are really
intense, but cool. They haven't lied to me and I feel like
they are all really trustworthy. My recruiting coach is
Rocky Seto (secondary) and we have a great relationship.
He's a Christian guy like me and we have a lot in
common..."
Armond Armstead, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound
three-star defensive tackle/end from Pleasant Grove High
School in Elk Grove, Calif., still plans on announcing his
decision on Monday, July 30 at Table 260 (one of his
favorite restaurants) around 7:00 pm.
read story
Armstead Down to Six
 Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove
defensive line prospect
Armond Armstead is considering just six schools when
he makes decision on July 30th. Who are the rising 2008
standout's final half-dozen teams? Five of the teams
reside in the Pac-10, with Big 12 program Texas A&M
staying in the hunt.
The other schools on Armstead's list
include Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, USC, and
Oregon. With regards to UCLA and Cal, Armstead stated he
would consider them if they offered over the next two
weeks but can't right now because they have yet to offer
him.
"I can't commit without an offer, you know, so that's how
it is there," Armstead said. "I've got a big decision in
front of me with just the schools I'm still considering.
It is gong to be busy here late."
With Armstead looking to play his final AAU basketball
event in Las Vegas next week, and over half of the
school's on his list unvisited, busy probably isn't the
word that fits Armstead's upcoming schedule. He is going
to attempt to visit Texas A&M, both Arizona schools, plus
Oregon, all by his set decision date, which corresponds
with his birthday.
"We want to hit Texas A&M, Oregon, and Arizona and Arizona
State before Armond decides," Armond's father, Guss
stated. "That's the goal, and it'd be the best way to know
exactly what all the schools represent."
That's essentially how the Armstead's have handled the
recruiting process. They've attacked it, competing at
various camps while visiting a number of schools, all
while keeping the process positive. By scheduling visits
early in the summer over different weekends, they've also
been able to keep time free during the middle of the week
so that Guss can continue to train the numerous NBA,
college, and high school prospects he handles, and Armond
can build up his physique, strength, and emerging DE
skills. Armstead is currently benching 295, squats 450 and
cleans 280. He has recorded a very impressive 30.5-inch
vertical. He now stands 6-foot-6, 295-pounds, and
dominated the individual camps he's participated in this
summer with his blend of size, speed and power.
Armstead performs at Rising Stars camp
The camp circuit
is a perfect way for prospects to improve their stock, and
one player who has taken full advantage of the summer
camps is defensive tackle Armond Armstead out of Pleasant
Grove HS in Elk Grove (CA)....
The tone was set
for the second day of camp with the one on one line drills
and nobody helped get that started more than Armond
Armstead. The big defensive tackle from Sacramento
knew that he was coming down to the camp with the
possibility of a scholarship offer in hand if he performed
well enough and a tweaked back earlier in the week wasn’t
going to slow him down. On his first rep, Armond got
physical with Daniel Campbell, the big OL from
Texas, and Campbell clearly wasn’t ready for that level of
intensity.
read entire story
Armstead Adds Another Offer
Recently designated as one of the
country's Top 5 most rising prospects in the 2008 class,
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove high school defensive
lineman
Armond Armstead could be on the verge of a Top 50
national ranking. Today, the big man from the Sacramento
area added another significant offer to his portfolio.
Which school threw their hat in the
Armstead sweepstakes?
"Oregon just offered this morning," said Armond's father,
Guss, one of the most respected NBA, college, and high
school basketball trainers on the west coast. "Coach
Campbell has had a lot of other things going on, but he
said he'd get back with us, and he sure did."
"Oregon is a school that Armond likes a lot, so there
could be a match there. They are a great school with a
terrific program."
Along with USC, Washington, Texas A&M, and both Arizona
and Arizona State, the Ducks making an official offer to
Armstead will certainly make his scheduled July 30th
decision that much tougher. Although the Trojans offer
stood tall to the Pleasant Grove standout, Oregon has
arguably the best facilities in the Pac-10. When you
combine the fact that they could offer Armstead ample
early playing time, and are pursuing him as hard as any
school late in his decision process, Oregon has as much
chance as anyone.
UCLA, Michigan, and Cal all continue to recruit Armstead,
but have yet to offer.
2008 Cal Defensive
Big Board
Two years after bringing in twin 4-star defensive tackles
Derrick Hill and Mike Costanzo, the Bears
are back recruiting DT's in the 2008 class. Perhaps nobody
in Northern California has looked more promising than Elk
Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove prospect Armond Armstead.
He's performed well at every camp, has shown incredible
brute strength, and has even added 30-pounds since
basketball season ended. Now 6-foot-6, 295-pounds,
Armstead has surfaced as a 4-star talent in his own right.
Another immediate impact player at DT is Torrance (Calif.)
El Camino CC standout Justin Thompson. A potential
5-star prospect and early Miami pledge is a ferocious
run-stuffer who gets off the line as quick as any prospect
nationally. The Bears top target though right now appears
to be Redmond (Wash.) 3-star DT Trevor Guyton.
read story
Huskers might get visit from Cali DT
Nebraska is looking to grab a few players from California
this year and this defensive tackle might be close to the
top of that short list. He has the size, speed and
strength that you want in a defensive tackle. So far, he
has only taken a couple of visits to some schools, but
Nebraska might be a school that he sees later this summer.
read story
Five on the rise
Several prospects around the nation
are finding that their stock is on the rise as a result of
their performances at recent camps and combines. We take a
look at five players who are really coming on in the class
of 2008. Watch for the recruiting battles to heat up and a
potential rise in the rankings for these prospects.
Armond
Armstead ,
DT, Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant
Armstead in action
After impressing at the Palo Alto NIKE Training Camp,
Armstead went out and had a great performance at USC's
Rising Senior Camp. He couldn't be stopped in any of the
defensive drills, in one-on-ones, and he even worked out
some at offensive guard. By the time he was done, Armstead
impressed the USC coaches enough to walk away with a much
coveted Trojan offer after the camp. - Jeremy Crabtree
read entire story
More Offers Coming
|
Cali's Armstead
an Imposing Force
Brian Cook, RDC Recruiting Analyst
 Name:
Armond Armstead
Pleasant Grove High School
Elk Grove, CA
Height: 6-6
Weight: 290
Primary position: Defensive end
Secondary position: Defensive tackle
Stats: During his junior season, Armstead
amassed 79 total tackles (47 assisted and 32 solo) and 9
sacks. Armstead runs the 40 in 4.8, benches 310, squats
close to 6 bills, and has a 33 inch vertical leap.
Other sports: Armstead plays hoops and is ranked 31st in
the state of California for his astute work on the court.
At power forward, Armstead is an imposing force that is
big, physical, and an excellent shot-blocker.
Last season Armstead led his team in rebounds and blocks.
Two days ago Armstead was doing a photo shoot with the
photographer for the Fresno Bee newspaper and Armond
shattered the backboard during a shot of a slamdunk.
Strengths: Obviously, Armstead is an
extremely recruitable athlete athlete that could play
either football or hoops at the next level, but the
gridiron is calling his name. Armtead is just a dominating
specimen on the field; he's about the same size and weight
as the late Reggie White -- White was just physical, big
and fast. Armstead has a high ceiling with his super-quick
feet and tremendous first step. Not to mention the fact
that he has long arms and a preponderance to get after the
QB.
Armstead is the type of player that can't be blocked
one-on-one that has just begun to scratch the surface of
his potential.
Recruiting: Right now Armstead has
numerous offers; Arizona, Arizona State, Nevada, San Diego
State, Nebraska, Fresno State, and Washington. UCLA and
USC are also beginning to get more in the mix but haven't
yet offered.
Armstead attended Washington's junior day
earlier in the spring and says he got a lot out of that
experience. For one thing, Armstead already knows Husky
Dashon Matthews real well, and he has established a very
good relationship with the Husky coaches.
"I spoke to Coach Willingham and Coach
Simmons about a week ago", Armstead said, "I really like
them -- they're real good coaches. When I was there (in
Seattle) I had a chance to sit down with Coach Willingham
and talk for awhile...he talked more about life than
football."
Armstead's father, Gus said that's one of
the reasons his son is so interested in Washington, "Coach
Willingham does everything on the up and up and he's
upfront -- it's not just about football."
Armond also spoke about Randy Hart and the
fact that Hart has been with the program through thick and
thin for 18 years. Another facet to the Washington visit
was that Gus Armstead knows both Paul Fortier and Cameron
Dollar and met with the two coaches when they attended
Washington's junior day.
Gus remarked, "Washington most definitely
has a serious shot (at landing Armond). Right now, I would
say USC and Washington are his top 2 schools. He'll be
making his decision on August 3rd."
Why August 3rd?
"That's his birthday", Gus said.
Pleasant Grove's Armstead has become a blue-chip
prospect
Armond
Armstead went from relative obscurity to national
recognition. He says he has 10 scholarship offers,
including from Nebraska, Texas A&M, Washington and USC.
Pleasant Grove High School defensive end
Armond Armstead picked himself up off the grass, stared at
offensive lineman Allen Carroll from McClymonds in Oakland
and yelled, "Bring it on."
Armstead had to issue the challenge. He
was on his back because he slipped during a one-on-one
drill with Carroll, considered one of the top high school
offensive linemen in the country.
Taking advantage of Armstead's misstep,
the 6-foot-4, 286-pound Carroll wrestled the 6-5,
290-pound Armstead to the ground, standing over his fallen
opponent in front of players and college coaches in the
Nike Camp at Stanford on May 17.
"He got in my face, yelling like he was
all that," Armstead said. "But what I really didn't like
was him standing over me and talking trash."
On three of the next four plays, Armstead
powered past Carroll. Those college coaches took note, and
Armstead's stock immediately climbed.
"I had to let them (scouts) know I was
from Pleasant Grove in Elk Grove and not the one in
Texarkana, Texas, or Pleasant Grove, Utah," Armstead said.
Since then, Armstead has gone from a
relatively unknown high school player to a highly regarded
college prospect. Rivals.com, the noted online assessor of
talent, ranks the senior-to-be the 17th-best defensive
tackle in the nation and the 22nd-best player in the
state.
read entire story
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 "Coach
Nick Holt (USC defensive coordinator) and coach David
Watson (defensive line) said they really like me and think
that I could play for USC (the Trojans are recruiting him
for defense)," Armond Armstead said after attending the
Trojans "Rising Stars" camp June 22-23. "They said they
just need to convince the head coach (Pete Carroll)..."
Armond Armstead, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound
three-star defensive tackle/tight end from Pleasant Grove
High School in Elk Grove, Calif., finished his junior
season with 79 tackles and five sacks. He benches 290
pounds, squats 390 and has a 30.5-inch vertical jump.
"I'm very athletic," Armstead said. "I
play basketball too and that has helped my movement a lot.
I'm also a lot stronger than most guys, so I can either
overpower or outmaneuver
read entire story
 Things
starting to heat up for Armstead
After watching just a few minutes of Elk
Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove athlete
Armond Armstead work out at the NorCal NIKE Camp a
few weeks ago, there was no question he possessed the kind
of upside few have in the state this year. We expected
offers to roll in for the talented lineman following the
camp and that is now beginning to happen.
read story
USC Line Camp recap
The most
impressive big man on the defensive side of the ball was
Armond Armstead from Pleasant Grove. He is listed at 6-5,
290 and he carries that size pretty well. He’s not afraid
to get in the middle of the line and mix it up with some
good pass rushing skills. With defensive tackles being so
hard to find, you have to imagine that Armond will
continue to receive interest from the SC staff.
read story
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2008 FB Prospect Preview
Washington finally pulls trigger on Armstead
Armond Armstead is the hottest prospect in all
of California right now. Before the Nike Camp, Armstead
had a few offers from mediocre programs. After dominating
every opponent, Armstead has garnered offers from many
schools around the country. Washington has always been on
his list of favorites and has finally offered Armstead.
read story
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Six prospects on the horizon
 Prospect:
Armstead is simply a monster who plays the game of
football with massive contact. That ability earned him a
nod in the Rivals250. Possessing the size to play Div. 1
football immediately, Armstead projects at any number of
positions. His basketball background makes him much more
mobile than most guys 287 pounds, so he could play
anywhere from tight end to defensive tackle. Most
evaluators see him as a defensive end, and he's picked up
8 offers – from Nevada to Nebraska – as a DE. Both Cal and
UCLA like Armstead as a DT, and though he's open to
playing the spot, would prefer the end. Nonetheless, the
kid is the first phenomenal talent from new Pleasant Grove
high school.
read story
Armstead gets
Trojan offer
Pleasant Grove (CA.) Elk Grove HS defensive lineman Armond
Armstead received the news he was waiting for Wednesday
when he officially received an offer from the University
of Southern California.
“Coach Seto talked to my dad today and let him know that
they were offering me,” he said. “Then me and coach Seto
talked on my way home from practice and he let me know
that they were offering me.”
read entire story
Armstead Continues to Dominate
 Armond
Armstead has continued to climb the rankings. A
few months ago, Armstead had only two offers. With a
dominating performance at the NIKE camp, Armstead has
watched his offers triple. "It took a while to get things
rolling, but now it is really picking up. I have about ten
offers or so and the season hasn't even started," said
Armstead.
read entire story
Armstead Unofficially
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove defensive tackle Armond
Armstead is bearing the fruits of his labor. After
attending two camps at USC and the Palo Alto NIKE Camp,
Armstead has done all he can do to impress the...
read entire story
Armstead Rises
on USC Wish List
With
a very impressive performance at last weekend’s linemen
camp held at USC, Elk Grove (CA.) Pleasant Grove HS
defensive tackle Armond Armstead could be
inching his way closer to an eventual scholarship offer
from the Trojans. Armstead already has an impressive list
of scholarship offers, but will make a return trip to the
University of Southern California next weekend for the
Rising Stars Camp in hopes of earning one more.
Armstead Ready to Put on Some Miles
Measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 290-pounds,
Armond Armstead is an imposing figure on either
side of the line of scrimmage. Its on the defensive side,
however, where the prospect out of Elk Grove (Calif.)
Pleasant Grove hopes to make his mark in college. Several
Division I schools seem more than willing to give him that
opportunity, including a couple of programs from the Big
12 conference.
read story
Two
Days, Two Camps
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove two way
lineman
Armond Armstead spent the whole weekend in Los
Angeles this past weekend.
Armstead took unofficial visits to USC and
UCLA on Friday and then attended each schools one day camp
Saturday and Sunday.
Armstead, 6-foot-6, 290-pounds, is one of the fastest
rising prospects out West after a monster showing at the
NorCal NIKE Camp. The lineman worked out with the
defensive linemen and dominated the camp with his blend of
size, speed and power.
The lineman played tight end and defensive end a year ago
but likely projects best as a defensive tackle or
offensive tackle. Armstead has made no secret for his
affinity to the defensive side of the ball but his upside
as a future left tackle is very hard to miss.
As for this past weekend, Armstead said he loved his time
in Los Angeles and could be hearing about a possible offer
from both schools within the week.
read story
Armstead Proves His Point At UCLA Camp
ELk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove defensive
tackle Armond Armstead (6-5, 290), went to the UCLA camp
to specifically show he can play on the defensive line,
and he said he thought proved his point to the Bruin
coaching staff, so he now waits for the Bruins to offer...
In a somewhat down year for defensive tackles in the West, Elk Grove
(Calif.) Pleasant Grove’s Armond Armstead (6-5, 290) is
making a case against that.
After having a noteworthy showing at the Nike Camp in Palo
Alto, Armstead picked up five more offers, three from the
Pac-10 and two from the Big 12.
read story
Armond ? The Manchild? Armstead
"It was a good experience. I was a bit
nervous about going up against the top talent but once I
got out there, I felt at home," said Armstead. Armstead
dominated the one on ones and has hit the recruiting radar
full speed. Many recruiting gurus are calling him the
number one prospect in Northern California now.
"I was already used to the drills. My trainer Greg
prepared me well. Armstead did particularly well in the
one on ones, dominating top prospect
Allen Carroll. "It was good to go up against him. He
pushed me to my limits and brought the best out of me,"
said Armstead. Carroll and Armstead went at it several
times. There was an incident where Carroll began talking
smack to Armstead. Armstead than quickly lined up and
finished Carroll off with a swift move to the inside.
read entire article
Armond Armstead is finishing his
junior year
at Pleasant Grove but just
getting warmed up for football. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound
defensive end graded out as the day's top performer among
Northern California prospects, according to
NorCalpreps.com. He was explosive and unblockable.
Armstead already has received scholarship offers from
Fresno State and Nevada, with the Pacific-10 Conference in
hot pursuit and Tennessee now on board.
Nike
Camp: Top 10 Performers...
The stars were
stars for the most part Saturday at the Nike Camp in Palo
Alto, but there were also surprises who emerged by the
afternoon. With a good balance of talent across the board,
the 2008 Northern California football class is rounding
into form heading into summer. Who proved to be the best
at Stanford though?
1.
Armond Armstead, DE, Pleasant Grove
Armstead was in top form from the very beginning Saturday
at Stanford and carried it all the way through an
impressive round of one-on-one work. The 6-foot-6, 265
pound prospect showed his quickness off the ball and
ability to engage a lineman and move him around. Armstead
especially shined against McClymonds' offensive tackle
Allen Carroll, who he beat with a hard inside move and a
pure bull rush. Look for Armstead to be one of the highest
rated prospects in his class.
 The Hammer Drops...
Elk Grove (Calif.)
Pleasant Grove defensive end prospect
Armond Armstead took the NIKE Palo Alto Camp by storm
Saturday afternoon, proving to many what those in the
Sacramento region already knew; the 6-foot-5, 280-pound
standout is one of the nation's top defensive end
recruits. BearTerritory
spoke with 'The Hammer at the combine after his
performance.
"I really enjoyed the
competition – the one-one-ones especially – as that will
help me improve my game even more," Armstead said.
"I was really prepared, as my trainer Greg Howard has been
setting me up 30-minutes a day doing the same drills
basically," Armstead added. "He has a contract with SPARQ,
so it was the same equipment. I knew exactly what it was
going to be like."
It didn't take long for Armstead to prove he not only
belonged at the camp, but that he was going to steal the
show. While close friend and fellow Sacramento (Calif.)
native Inderkum defensive tackle
Greg Grimes was named the MVP at the DE position,
Armstead simply lit the camp up with bull-rush after
bull-rush. Things Picking Up for Armstead
The last time we spoke to
Armond Armstead was during Junior Day at the University of
Washington. The Armsteads confirmed that the visit was
productive and that they were clearly impressed.
"Washington has definitely made a great impression. They are a
top choice for Armond," said his father Gus.
read entire story
DE/TE Prospect
Armond Armstead
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove DE/TE Armond Armstead is
holding three offers as the evaluation period is set to begin,
but he's hoping that the Pac-10 is where he ends up playing
his college ball... read entire story
Armstead Back
From Berkley...
Quickly
establishing himself as one of the hottest prep prospects in
Northern California's 2008 class, Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant
Grove defensive end
Armond Armstead continued his unofficial visits this
weekend with a quick trip to Berkeley. BearTerritory caught up
with the talented two-sport prospect after the visit.
read entire story
Home Cookin': Big-time
talent is in the foothills
On the
recruiting trail... At
6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Armond Armstead of Pleasant Grove is
one of the area's hottest football recruits. The defensive end
was regularly double-teamed last fall. Armstead has had early
football scholarship offers from Fresno State, Nevada and San
Diego State. He just returned from a visit from Cal.
Washington, Oregon State and Michigan have also shown interest
(should he go to Michigan, he could follow in the footsteps of
former Oak Ridge bruiser Tyler Ecker, who now eyes an NFL
future).
read entire story
Bulldogs Offer Armstead
 Fresno
State made another offer on Monday and once again the player
is from the Sacramento area. The mammoth defensive end now has
three offers on the table and a number of high-profile
programs may be close behind.
 Elk
Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove defensive end
Armond Armstead is big and strong and looks the part of a
DI defensive end. RedWaveReport.com caught up with Armond and
his father on Tuesday morning and discussed his options.
"They offered him yesterday and said they would be sending
something in the mail," father Guss Armstead said. "We are
going to go down and meet with the coaches. We are going to
call down there today and set something up. I have always been
a Fresno State fan so we are going to check them out."
read entire article
Armstead talks about
Husky junior day.
Things Picking Up for Armstead
by Cleodis Floyd
The last time we spoke to
Armond Armstead was during Junior Day at the University of
Washington. The Armsteads confirmed that the visit was
productive and that they were clearly impressed.
"Washington has definitely made a great impression. They are a
top choice for Armond," said his father Gus.
Armond has not received an offer
from Washington yet but the interest remains mutual.
"Washington has continued to contact me. I have friends who
already play at Washington and friends who have recently
committed to Washington," said Armond. Armond has hinted that
he would someday love to wear the purple and gold.
At 6-foot 6 and 270 pounds, Armstead has college coaches
drooling out of their mouths. Some new schools have entered
the picture and Armstead's stock continues to rise. "Nebraska,
Oregon, OSU, Cal and Nevada have entered the picture," he
said. Armond currently holds two offers from San Diego State
and Fresno State.
Armond has been working out hard to get into top condition. "I
have added almost ten pounds in muscle mass. I am still
playing basketball but I am converting to my football workouts
now. I will be ready for the combine," said Armond. He is
referring to the Stanford NIKE combine that takes place in
May.
Armond has toured the campuses of Cal, Washington, SDSU and
Stanford. Many schools are recruiting Armond to play defensive
end or tight end. Another possibility has recently arisen for
Armond. Being that Armond has a huge frame with a basketball
background, Armond has the potential to be a legit NFL
prospect as an offensive tackle. His long arms, quick feet and
tall frame will allow college coaches to experiment with him
at several different positions.
Armond Armstead is an imposing
threat on the football field, as well as on the hardwood.
Armond will be taking his SAT next weekend. We will keep you
updated on this hot prospect.
Introducing Armond Armstead...
Talk
about it in
The NCP Insider The Sacramento region in Northern
California continues to be a hot-spot for college coaches.
While the area certainly has the talent, the media coverage is
limited due to the amazing growth in the territory. New high
schools seem to pop up annually in the area. One of the more
talented prospects who caught our eye as well as the
University of California early on in the 2008 class is Elk
Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove Defensive End
Armond Armstead. Armstead is one of Sacramento's top 2008
prospects. read entire article
Pleasant Grove's Armstead
named All Delta River League.
Pleasant Junior Power Forward Armond Armstead who lead the
Delta River League in rebounding and field goal percentages
was named to the All Delta River League.
The Citizen looks at the best players in the
Delta Valley and River conferences
pdf
Armstead receiving Pac-10 attention
October, 2006
His physical attributes and talent have
attracted feelers from Washington, Cal, Stanford and UCLA.
Armstead had double-figure tackles against Florin and Sheldon
and also is mobile enough to be used at fullback.
Next Factors announces Johnson to ABCD
June, 2006
Armstead's play was consistent the entire
weekend. A wide body, who knows how to push his weight around,
Armstead was effective in the paint scoring down low.
Armstead talks about Husky junior
day.
Armond Armstead
is one of the most coveted prospects on the west coast. His
stock continues to soar and the Huskies are in hot pursuit.
Armond was able to attend Junior Day at the University of
Washington along with his father Gus Armstead. The Armsteads
shared their junior day experience with us......"Washington is definitely a top choice, if not the top
choice," said Gus Armstead. "We really enjoyed meeting with
all of the coaches. Coach Randy Hart has been there for over
twenty years. We were really impressed," he said...... Armond is an intriguing prospect.
read entire article
The Citizen looks at the best
players in the Delta Valley and River conferences.....Offensive/
defensive Line: Armond Armstead, Pleasant Grove: Armstead is only
a junior and is playing both ways for the Eagles. He is solid on
the offensive line and has 30 tackles on defense for a surprising
4-2 Pleasant Grove squad.
View PDF
Pleasant Grove wins this neighborhood
showdown....By
Tim Casey
They moved to Elk Grove for the affordable housing, a different
lifestyle, and to make an impact on children and a community.
Before their 35th birthdays, T.J. Ewing and Joe Cattolico each
had nearly a decade of experience and already accomplished what
coaches dream about. They had won championships, and helped kids
get to college. But they wanted another challenge.
Read entire article.
Next Factors
announces Johnson to ABCD.... by Lee Hubbard
Armond Armstead, 6-5 So. CF, Pleasant Valley -
Armstead's play was consistent the entire weekend. A wide
body, who knows how to push his weight around, Armstead was
effective in the paint scoring down low. He also has the
ability to hit the mid-range jumper and he has a non-stop
motor. Armstead has a nose for the ball as he either grabbed
the rebound himself or kept the ball in play.
Read entire article.
Armstead receiving Pac-10
attention
Armond Armstead is 6-foot-5, 250
pounds, and a junior defensive end/tight end/offensive lineman
at Pleasant Grove High School.
His physical attributes and
talent have attracted feelers from Washington, Cal, Stanford and
UCLA. Armstead had double-figure tackles against Florin and
Sheldon and also is mobile enough to be used at fullback.
His athletic year will not end
when the football season is over. Armstead figures to be a vital
player on the school's basketball team.
Read entire article.
FCP Sacramento Showcase....While
Williams's upside looks bright, the player of the game was
Armond Armstead, a 6-foot-5 inch power forward from Pleasant
Grove High who will remind people of Jai Lewis of George Mason,
a recent NCAA final four team. Armstead's play was a huge factor
for the White Squad, which defeated the Black Squad. Armstead is
a lefty who has a nice jump hook and he has all of the
fundamental post moves needed in the paint. He is also a
relentless rebounder who hit the glass hard to make plays for
his team. Read entire article.
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