Class of ’13 corner Boaz Joseph is impressive because he‚Äôs a born pass defender who plays with intelligence. Watch his highlights and you‚Äôll see that he understands the goal of the secondary as a unit on every play, never losing sight of the ball and delivering helmet-jarring hits.
After a breakout junior season at Cypress Bay HS (Weston, FL) with 5 interceptions, Joseph went from an under-the-radar corner with a single offer from Wisconsin to a highly sought after player.He started getting looks from Florida State and Miami and collected offers from Syracuse, Kentucky, Indiana, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Pitt, Rutgers, Marshall, Memphis, Minnesota, and Tulane.
Joseph packs a serious punch for a guy who stands just 6‚Äô1‚Äù and weighs 190 lbs. With a 4.5 40-yard dash, he‚Äôs got speed as well and it’s no surprise he’s had a successful track career for Cypress Bay as well. On the gridiron, the combination of speed and power make him invaluable because he‚Äôs able to move between corner and safety depending on the play called and the defensive formation.
A versatile, hard-hitting, 3-star corner who also happens to be naturally good at both man and zone coverage? It’s no wonder his stock has risen so much over the summer. SU’s pass defense finds itself a little light on depth entering the season as we discussed on Fizz Radio this past week.
With the Orange¬†heading to the ACC,¬†impact players like¬†Joseph would be huge in matching up against more powerful passing attacks in ’13.
But latest indications point to Joseph in a very cozy bed with UK. After the Cats offered two of Joseph’s teammates (both of which did not choose UK), Kentucky may be looking to cash in on Joseph. He has played the process very close to the vest, but he makes it no secret that Kentucky has been after him relentlessly. He’s responding to the love by taking his first unofficial visit there.
“I enjoyed the time I spent at UK with Joker Phillips.”
SU may not be the front-runner to land Joseph, but he may still be a long way from making a decision. The Fizz’s attempts to get in touch with his coach were left unanswered. For now, no news is good news; the Orange definitely has some time left to bargain.
The advertisements are there: SU will play road games regularly in Joseph’s home state starting next year, and with current members of the Syracuse secondary¬†dropping from the program mysteriously, there is plenty of open competition for playing time.
You can hear Marrone on the phone with Joseph now. Hey, Boaz. How would you like major playing time immediately and to compete against your buddies from FSU and Miami on national TV?
With a shaky pass defense from ’11, Orange Nation would hope his answer is:¬†Sounds good to me.
Posted: Jake Moskowitz
