Yes Sir, Mells Keeps Piling Up Offers After De-Committing from UW
It's as if the only college football program that knew about Sir Mells for the longest time was the University of Washington.
Then someone sent out fliers or highlight reels or glitzy resumes on his behalf.
It seems like everyone knows all about this 3-star defensive tackle in the class of 2022 from Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada, which sits on the outskirts of Las Vegas.
Since he de-committed from the Huskies last week, Mells has posted a new scholarship offer nearly every few hours.
He's up to 15 or so.
He's the new kid in town, so to speak.
It's hard to say why Mells didn't receive all of this attention before.
And why all of a sudden now?
Is it because the Huskies rubber-stamped him as solid prospect?
His offer list keeps multiplying.
There's Michigan, Maryland, Central Michigan, Fresno State, San Jose State, and, this one's a puzzler, Florida A&M.
After breaking up with the Huskies, he's flirting now with USC, Arizona, Oregon and Oregon State, sharing himself with multiple Pac-12 suitors.
Where were these recruiters last fall?
Outside of the few diehard UW fans who feel it's the kid's duty or moral obligation to report to Seattle because he said he would, no one really spites Mells for looking around.
Many factors enter into play here, especially since he announced on Thanksgiving day that he was going steady with Jimmy Lake's program.
Husky defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and all of his folksy charm left for Texas.
Yet in the accompanying video, Mells cited the then UW defensive-line coach Ikaika Malloe, now guiding the linebackers, as a great recruiter.
Players like Mells in Nevada didn't get a fall football season because of pandemic restrictions and Liberty games are just being scheduled right now for this week or beyond. He hasn't played in one since 2019, his sophomore year at Liberty.
There's been almost no chance to audition.
He last attended a position camp last fall.
He's been left to post this video of him working at Les Schwab.
OK, working out in front of someone's house.
Or truck stop.
What stings for Husky recruitniks is Mells and his Liberty teammates Anthony Jones and Germie Bernard made a big show of committing together to Washington and publicly celebrating it.
It was a fun little story, heart-warming even.
Then Jones, an edge rusher or tight end, jumped ship, too.
Only Bernard, the highest-rated recruit of this trio and a wide receiver, still intends to join Jimmy Lake's program in a year and a half.
Let's also plays devil's advocate.
While each of these Liberty players appear sufficiently talented, grabbing three from the same high school seemed like overkill.
Mells, while apparently quick and strong, also didn't look all that fit in his videos, but that's what college weight coaches are for.
The kid deserves to go where he wants and have a nice career, maybe use that catchy name of his and license it to his benefit.
The Huskies, looking high and low, should be able to find another defensive-line recruit somewhere. There's got to be another one out there.
Maybe a 4-star recruit. Maybe another promising 3-star.
Everybody will be happy once this recruiting cycle, and the pandemic, are distant memories.
Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven
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