4-star OT Ziyare Addison breaks down recruitment, aiming for August commitment

Tampa Sumner four-star offensive tackle Ziyare Addison has had a long road to get where he is in his career. He prides himself in being a ‘worker’ — owing his work ethic to his mother and the rest of his family for pushing him to be the best.

The result of that hard work is beginning to show.

One of the most sought-after offensive tackle prospects in the country, Addison has received offers from a number of the nation’s top football programs. Despite heading into just his third season at the position, the 6-foot-5, 280-pound Addison has plenty of tools for teams to be excited about.

Tools like athleticism, for one. It’s not often that you see offensive linemen seek out the ‘track’ part of track and field, but that is exactly what Addison has done with running the 100-meter dash.

“I wanted to display my athleticism,” Addison said on the Five-Star Flex with Phillip Dukes. “You can still show athleticism on tape, but I wanted to do something that would separate myself from everybody else. Everybody was looking at me crazy when I was running track. I really took off it with since I started running track. And I’ve really shown and displayed my athleticism running track, because there’s not too many linemen in the country that’s doing that.

“Wrestling as well displays my athleticism. I just wanted to separate myself any way possible from everybody else.”

Discussions with coaches

When speaking to coaches around the country, Addison said that discussions range from football to family.

“I really love talking ball with coaches, really picking their brain,” Addison said. “And they’re picking my brain of how much a kid really knows ball. I know a lot of athletes don’t really ask specific questions that I have, so I’m trying to separate myself from everybody else. I ask coaches: how their family is doing, how they’re doing, how you doing mentally, who’s a player that you think you see myself as, who do I study?

“[Say] ‘Coach, send me a couple of tapes of your guys and how I stack up against them, how I can better my game off those players.’ I’m always asking for tips and tricks even when I’m getting training. I always want to learn and be the best player I can be.”

As for what a team can expect from Addison, he had this to say:

“You’ll be getting a kid that can play one through five that studies and loves the game. That doesn’t take the game for granted,” Addison said. “I went through blood, sweat and tears to get where I’m at right now. Fun fact about me, I came as a defensive end and a tight end — I was only 190 pounds, not too sure if I was going to go to the military or play football. Now I believe I am one of the best offensive line players if not the best offensive lineman in the country. Busting my butt, switching and trying to learn the position and now the upside is there because this is my third year playing offensive line, so the upside is there.

“I feel like the wrestling and running track for sure shows on tape. You watch my tape from my sophomore and junior year tape, it’s only getting better and better. I’m a kid that has lanky, long arms that can play one through five that’s going to bust his butt every day. You’re going to get a player that’s going to give it his all.”

Ziyare Addison breaks down 6 of his top 12 schools

Addison said he is aiming for a mid-August commitment date. He has named a top 12 of Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee and UCLA.

Dukes chose six of those schools to break down with Addison.

Florida State: “It’s a school that took an opportunity on me early. They took an opportunity at a kid out of a kid that bust his butt at a camp. But he was only 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. Now I’m 6-foot-5, 280 pounds and still have the same athleticism I had when I was at 240, maybe I’m even more athletic than where I was before. That relationship has always been building. They told me: ‘We coming.’ They were on the rise, they are one of the best football programs in the country. Norvell signed an 8- or 10-year deal and that really intrigued me. That tells me the coaching staff is not going anywhere and I will get the best development and best treatment from the program.”

Oregon: “Another school that took a chance on me early. That was my fourth scholarship. Coach [A’lique] Terry offered me a scholarship, the o-line coach. When he saw that I run track, he said ‘I’ve never seen an o-lineman do that. This is a no-brainer for me.’ He saw the upside before everybody else really started jumping on me. Again that’s another relationship I’ve had for a while, that’s another program that really took off. They’re going to be competing for a national championship and that’s another staff that’s not going anywhere.”

Colorado: “Prime Time. Prime Time is a really good coach with that program. Really getting all the kids on the map and turning that program around. I know they had a rough year the first go around but it takes time to build a program. I know people had the expectations because it’s Deion Sanders, but it takes time to build a program. I’m really intrigued on what they’re building and I believe what they’re building.”

Georgia: “Can’t say too much, Kirby Smart has the best football program in the country. They really love me, they love my athleticism. All the schools love my athleticism, I can play one through five. That really intrigued them and they pulled the trigger on me and started recruiting me hard. I really can’t say too much about the program — it’s Georgia. It’s the best football program in the country.”

Miami: “It’s really good people down there. Coach [Alex] Mirabal and coach [Mario] Cristobal — they’ve got a really good culture there. That’s another program that’s really on the rise. I believe they’re going to be a 10-year program. That’s another school I have really good relationships with the o-line coach and Cristobal. Cristobal be hitting me up every day or every other day, Mirabal too. They’ve really been recruiting me hard. That’s a program I really like to see.”

Florida: “It’s in the same state as home. Coach [Rob] Sale and they’ve got another coach, coach Jon [Decoster]. They’re really big on development, of course all of these schools develop. But Florida really intrigued me — both of those o-line coaches were in the league at some point so they know how to develop. Coach Jon, he was with the Browns for three years. Talking on the phone, he knows ball. I know if I go there I’m going to get really good coaching and get developed.”