By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
Northwood High School has a couple of talented Class of 2023 players in defensive tackle/nose guard Ted Jamison and defensive end Ta’Derius Collins. Each has incredible grades and athletic ability for the next level and help make up one of the most gifted defensive lines in all of Louisiana, not just North Louisiana.
When I watched Northwood play in 2020, I saw these two on the field and thought, ‘Wow! They have a great future.’ Saw them again in 2021 and again said, ‘Wow! These guys have really become big-time players.’
Now that they’re headed toward their senior years, I am really excited to see the finished product of two guys I have watched on film for three years getting bigger, stronger and faster every year. (Credit to the coaches at Northwood, also.)
Let’s start with talented big guy, defensive tackle Ted Jamison, who is 5-11, and weighs a well- built 305 pounds with great feet, strong and active side-to-side making tackles. Nimble feet for a big man is golden for a college coach because even though he’s 5-11, he’s ‘different’ and I think can play not only defensive tackle in college, but also play nose guard at the next level with his good feet and power.
What I also liked about Jamison is he played the whole season and the whole game on both sides of the football in 2021 as an offensive lineman and defensive lineman to help the team win games. In 2022 the coaches are trying to keep him mostly on the defensive line, and it’s scary to think how good he can be this fall if he has some mid-game rest. Jamison also benches an impressive 315 pounds and squats over 600 pounds — can you say WOW?!
Head coach Austin Brown says Jamison will be the biggest surprise coming from his program.
“Ted is one of the strongest players in our program,” said Brown. “His strength translates to the field. He will be the biggest surprise for Northwood that no one knows about in 2022. Received two offers just off practice film.”
If I could draw up what a big-time FBS defensive end looks like in high school for college, it would be Ta’Derius Collins. This kid is built like a starting defensive end in the SEC. It really is scary how good this kid can become in college.
He’s a chiseled 6-4, 250, lean and long enough to be over 275 easy and still look lean. He runs an improved 4.79 in the 40 going into the fall of his senior season. I think he’s LSU-good to sign and start one day, but we shall see how it all turns out.
I also like how he plays full throttle like Jamison on the field and every year has learned the game and improved as a player. I started seeing him play way back in the 2020 season. Collins, like a lot of the linemen for Northwood, has had to play some offense because of a lack of depth, but he might get to play more defense, and only that, in 2022 if the team can avoid injuries.
Coach Brown sees Collins as a top-200 recruit in the fall.
“Ta’Derius Collins is a mold of what SEC defensive ends look like,” said Brown. “Grew up playing point guard in basketball and wide receiver in football, so his athleticism is off the charts. Physicalness is on tape and colleges recognized it and offered this spring. He will be a national 200 recruit in the fall.”
Notes on Ted Jamison: He has a 4.2 GPA in the classroom and a 27 on the ACT.
Jamison had seven tackles for loss in 2021 and played only a few snaps on the defensive line.
His dad played sports at Northwood and graduated in 2000. His godfather Richard Collier, who went to Northwood and Valdosta State, played for the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars.
He would “love to have a double major in business and engineering,” he said.
His favorite colleges: “My top two have been Louisiana Tech and Arkansas at Monticello. They are both great schools that are recruiting me. I currently have offers from Centenary College head coach Byron Dawson and head coach Drew Maddox at Louisiana Christian.”
Notes on Ta’Derius Collins: His hobbies are “Besides football, they’re lifting weights, or just working out period, and basketball. I say working out because who doesn’t wanna get better at what they love to do? And I’d say basketball because I think my basketball ability has got a lot to do with how I move in football.”
He would like to major in general health kinesiology.
Collins has a 2.8 GPA in the classroom and an ACT score of 28.
When it comes to his future college plans, he says, “I am open to all colleges and will narrow it down by football season.”
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com
