Jacques Patrick, right, takes a handoff from Blake Barnett during The Opening football event in Oregon.
Photo: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
As we get ready for the ALL-USA football team at the end of the season, we periodically will check on how American Family Insurance ALL-USA candidates are doing. This week, a look at running back Jacques Patrick of Timber Creek (Orlando).
Wow factor: The 6-2, 230-pound senior ran for 305 yards and five touchdowns in a 50-20 defeat of Boone (Orlando) last week. The week before, in a 24-13 loss Dr. Phillips (Orlando), the No. 1 team in the state Class 8A rankings, Patrick had 143 yards and a touchdown. Unlike some backs who play in smaller classifications, Patrick’s team goes against the largest schools in the state every week.
Recruiting rankings: No. 2 running back with Rivals.com, No. 3 by ESPN/Scouts.com and 247Sports.com, No. 5 by Signingday.com, No. 7 by Scouts.com
Coach’s take: “He’s a big, physical back who can also run away from people. He hop-stepped a kid in the hole last week, then landed on his feet and burst into a full sprint. Boone thought they had a good plan last week and put nine on the front line. We blocked a body on a body and once he got to the next level, you don’t catch him. With him, we’re going to run the ball this year. I’d be stupid not to.” – Timber Creek coach Jim Buckridge.
On video: Unlike some big backs, he makes sure to run with a forward lean. Many of his big runs begin with him running over or through somebody and then breaking away with his speed.
Career statistics: He has 5,839 yards and 73 touchdowns in just over three seasons.
Recruiting craziness: He has more than 50 offers and said he will announce his decision on Oct. 27, the birthday of his younger brother, Peter Hayes. Speaking of his younger brother, the Seminoles and Ohio State have already extended an offer to Hayes, who is in the eighth grade.
“I look at (the recruiting attention) as a blessing,” Patrick said. “I would rather have coaches calling me than coaches not calling me. It gets annoying when they call you during the week. I am pretty busy as it as. I am in school, I have football practice and I am taking online classes to graduate early.”
Patrick said the funniest thing about his recruiting is when he made a visit to FSU and saw a fan wearing a T-shirt with Patrick’s likeness.
Leaning: He recently had a visit to Ohio State but most recruiting services show him as a likely Florida State signee, followed closely by Alabama.
Football connection: His older brother, Javonte Seabury, is a freshman wide receiver at Western Michigan.