Paul Lucas ... the next Marvin Bracy?

It was a relatively normal day at Showalter Field in Winter Park back in May of 2010 for the FHSAA Class 4A Track & Field finals. Well, until the sun started to go down, and sophomore Marvin Bracy blazed a time of 10.19 seconds in the 100 meters. It would have been a state meet record, had the time been wind-legal. In any case, Bracy's time caught the attention of track followers from coast-to-coast. Despite the fact he had yet to suit up in a varsity football game, Bracy's speed also caught the attention of football coaches all over the country as well that night.

After going through the recruiting process, Bracy committed in July of 2011 to play football and run track at Florida State. He redshirted as a freshman on the gridiron last fall in Tallahassee. But on the track, Bracy lived up to expectations. After just one year at FSU, Bracy elected to go pro in track this spring and forgo his remaining eligibility without playing a down of football. Such is the risk when recruiting a player with that much track speed.

Bracy isn't the only track star to become a highly-recruited football prospect, of course. He followed closely on the heels of Jeff Demps, who ran the fastest prep 100m time in history, before going on to a successful career as a football player and sprinted at the University of Florida (winning a national championship in both sports). Levonte "Kermit" Whitfield, a cousin of Bracy, also decided to attend FSU after a decorated prep track career.

Last night's nationally-televised battle between Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) might have been the coming-out party for another track star as well. Mountain Pointe junior Paul Lucas rushed for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns – on only eight carries – in a 28-21 upset win for the Pride on the road over the No. 21 team in the country, according to the USA Today rankings.

Like Bracy, Lucas had very little impact on the varsity squad during his first two seasons. But if last night's contest was any indication, Lucas (5-11, 175) is going to have a huge impact moving forward. In the spring, Lucas won the Arizona Div. I state title in the 100 meters by blazing a time of 10.44 seconds, edging out rival Devon Allen, who signed with Oregon in February, and is expected to make an early impact for the Ducks this fall as a freshman. 

Lucas' time, it should be added, was the fifth fastest in Arizona prep track & field history. Again, he's only a sophomore.

With his impressive debut on the gridiron last night, Lucas has served notice that he's the next big-time track star to take the prep football world by storm. I expect he could set off another wild recruiting battle, as the state of Arizona continues to produce blue-chippers at an increasingly common rate.

Here's a highlight of Lucas' exploits on the track from the spring, where he blazed a time of 10.66 seconds in the 100 meters: