Sierra C.C. Wide Receiver Courtney Gardner Talks Recruiting

Courtney Gardner is a name college football fans need to know. As Josh Newberg recently reported, the 'Noles offered the JUCO receiver. He has over 14 offers, from some big name schools like LSU, Auburn and Arkansas. Gardner is a big-bodied wide receiver at 6'3 and 215 pounds, while also having outstanding speed running a reported 4.37 40-yard dash. Simply put, he is a physical specimen. Originally from Louisiana, Gardner moved to Reno, Nevada where he went on to play football at Hug High School. He was a multiple sport athlete who dominated in track as a long jumper, winning the 4A-state meet with a 23'5.5" mark. He's now at Sierra Community College in Rocklin, California

I caught up with Courtney Gardner and asked him about his recruitment. Update:Courtney sent me a text that FSU coaches are visiting him today at school. Follow me on twitter for reports on Courtney and other Florida State targets. https://twitter.com/MichaelatTN

How did you first learn about your FSU offer?

I was talking to Florida State's Offensive Coordinator (James Coley) and Florida State Wide Receiver Coach Lawrence Dawsey.

Do you have any plans to visit(official visit) FSU after this offer?

Yes, I will be there next Friday. (December 16th)

Do you have a favorite school at the moment, or a top list of schools?

Yes, Arkansas is my top school since they've been recruiting me the longest. Florida State is in the top 3.

What officials do you have planned?

I have Florida State on the 16th, and Arkansas is this week or the first week in January.

Do you have a date set yet to make a decision on your college choice?

I don't have a date set for my decision. I will be taking all five of my official visits before deciding on a school

What are you looking for in a offense?

I'm looking to see how they use their playmakers. It doesn't have to be a pass happy offense as long as they get the ball to their playmakers.

What player would you compare your game to?

Well at the college level I think Clemson's Sammy Watkins. In the NFL my game resembles A.J. Green and Julio Jones.

Will you be early enrolling or arriving in the summer?

I will be coming in June.

Gardner was a 1st team all conference selection after having 61 catches for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Special thanks to Courtney Gardner for the interview.

Continue reading for a scouting report on Courtney Gardner and his ridiculous highlights.

Here is a breakdown of Courtney Gardner from my evaluation of his film:

The first thing you notice about Gardner is he is a man among boys in what is one of the top JUCO leagues in the country (Valley Conference). Extremely explosive and fluid for a size receiver, Gardner resembles Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. Shows he can outrun players with BCS speed(:31 second mark in film). Gardner's size and speed make him a legitimate deep threat at the next level. Looks like he is running angry when he catches the ball. Shows this same aggression when blocking. Does a great job of making the first man miss. Shows the ability to make the acrobatic catch and does a good job of attacking the football while it's in the air. Gardner will out-muscle smaller corners and run away from bigger ones. Has the potential to become one of the top vertical threats in the country next year, and don't be surprised if he is also used as a kick returner. Physically, he's good enough to crack any starting lineup in the country. The sky is the limit for Gardner.

Sophomore film:

More sophomore film of Gardner here

Courtney doing combine drills in high school

Courtney_Gardner WR 4.38 40-yard BIG Physical Athlete (via southerntechwildcats)