Player Preview: Izayah Cummings

On3 imageby:Adam Luckett12/11/19

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(Photo: © @IzayahCummings)

Our player preview series rolls on and we are now just one week away from early signing day. People are getting excited with coaches on the road and new details emerging nearly daily. After touching on two Michigan prospects earlier this week, it’s time to learn about a big fish that Vince Marrow pulled out of Louisville.

Background

Izayah Cummings is a three-star recruit that is ranked as a top-10 prospect in the state of Kentucky in a loaded recruiting class. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver had plenty of suitors and the party started when Cincinnati offered the wideout during his sophomore season. Many others would soon follow.

Cummings had listed offers from Purdue, Duke, Louisville, Virginia, Mizzou, Indiana, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt. During the recruiting process, he took unofficial visits to Wisconsin and Ohio State. In June, he decided to finally make it official with a unique recruitment video.

After the visit, there was an additional visit or two to Louisville sprinkled in but very little drama or worry of a flip. Cummings made a few trips up to Lexington during the season and was hanging with the coaches and Beau Allen this past Sunday following Male’s state championship loss to Trinity.

The Football Player

The first thing that jumps out at you when you see Izayah Cummings play football is the positional size he brings to the table. Cummings is what you want in a prototypical outside receiver (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) and is excellent in jump ball situations. It is very easy to see that he has a basketball background as he high points the football and shields off defenders with his body. In his junior season, he made two huge catches on the road in the playoffs against St. X in jump ball opportunities on Male’s way to a state title. He is often a vertical threat who recorded over 1,000 receiving yards as a senior and had a combined 23 receiving touchdowns the last two years of high school ball.

The best part of his game may just be what he brings in the blocking department. Male used Cummings all over the field and often times as a tight end to strengthen their run blocking at the point of attack. It is very clear that he likes to block and is able to constantly get movement against high school defensive ends and linebackers. The pass game hasn’t always been there, but Kentucky has gotten some excellent blocking from the wideouts the last two seasons and Cummings certainly fits that mold.

Right now he struggles to create separation on routes and has a long way to go as a route runner. However, it should not surprise anyone if he plays right away as a true freshman. His blocking and catch radius could cover up some flaws that must be ironed out in the long run. He could develop into a top notch red zone threat down the road thanks to his catch radius and ability to create throwing lanes despite tight coverage. The size, leaping ability, and physicality he possesses makes him a high floor prospect at the college level.

Injuries have been an issue in the past so you just have to hope that those don’t pop up the next four or five seasons.

Impact

Louisville Male High School has long been a factory for the University of Louisville with multiple athletes across all sports staying home and playing for the Red Team. It has been a long time since Kentucky went to Preston Highway and Durrett Lane and landed a prospect. Izayah Cummings was a player the new staff at Louisville highly sought after and Vince Marrow was able to go in and pull off a huge recruiting win in enemy territory.

We’ve seen a newfound determination to get into Louisville and recruit the state’s biggest metropolitan area hard with Marrow taking over the recruiting responsibilities within the city limits. The early returns have been great with Kentucky landing six players from six different high schools in the last two recruiting hauls. None bigger than getting Cummings out of one of the best football programs in the state. With Louisville in transition, UK has cashed in and is beginning to build pipelines and strong relationships at multiple high schools.

Izayah Cummings will join fellow Louisville native Tae Tae Crumes is the wide receiver room next season and he will give position coach Michael Smith a big bodied wideout with a special set of skills. He could be in the mix for snaps right away.

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2024-03-28