Su’a Cravens was unprepared for the harsh realities of college football when he arrived at USC.
During an appearance on the “Momentum” podcast, the former Washington defensive back talked about how he arrived at USC ready to set the world on fire as a major recruit out of high school. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
There was just one problem. He didn’t really understand the talent gap between college football players and high school stars.
“I’m in for a rude awakening,” Cravens explained when talking about how he was repeatedly cooked by future NFL receivers during his first practice. You can watch his full comments below.
Trial by fire for @iammsuzy at USC pic.twitter.com/tJKjxsXj89
— Momentum (@momentumpod) February 27, 2022
His comments sum it up pretty well. There is an outrageous talent gap between guys who play at major college programs and even five-star high school recruits.
You’re talking about men who have spent years in a college training program with the best nutrition and weight coaches on the planet going up against teenagers.
Even if you’re a phenom, odds are high there is going to be a rough transition period. Look at how many highly touted quarterback recruits need a year or two before they’re ready to jump into the starting role.
The talent gap between a starter at a school like Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Wisconsin or Michigan and a high school kid is hard to even put in words. Again, when you’ve spent three years in a college training program going up against other men in practice every day, you quickly grow as a player.
When you’re a teenager fresh out of high school, you almost certainly don’t have the tools to compete physically.
Props to Cravens for keep it real and being honest because he’s 100% correct.