Corner looking to be defensive leader on young Dragons squad
Carroll’s 2015 secondary could be viewed as one of the best in all of Texas.
At least the returning experience backs that up. Senior cornerback Obi Eboh is coming off a strong 2014 season in which he helped the Dragons reach the Class 6A Division II state quarterfinals.
Strong may be an understatement when it comes to Eboh (6-2, 190). He built a reputation as a shutdown corner by recording 11 pass breakups and 56 tackles, including five for losses. Eboh’s recovery speed is one of his strengths. That plays into his overall speed (4.44 40 timed at a Rice camp).
Division I college programs have noticed. Eboh holds 29 Division I offers. His most recent came from Iowa State two weeks ago.
“What’s helped me is a combination of my length and speed,” Eboh said. “I’m comfortable playing cornerback. And I like playing press coverage. Even in situations where I’m not in position, I can still find a way to make a play.”
Eboh’s presence will be important for a young Carroll defense. The Dragons return only two starters between Eboh and junior linebacker J.B. Copeland. Carroll may have one of its most talented teams in recent years, but the secondary is going to have to give a young defensive group the time to mature.
"Obi is one of the finest young men I've ever coached,” said head coach Hal Wasson. “He brings a unique combination of size, attitude and work ethic to our back end. It's always fun to coach a guy who is hungry and is one of the hardest working guys on the team. I look forward to watching him improve and be a great leader for us."
Carroll’s coaching staff did its part with its annual grinding offseason program, “Dragon Maker.” Eboh said its length is determined by how well the players physically and mentally handle the weight training and agility drills. The result is a team that becomes mentally tough.
Previous results speak for themselves. Carroll won five games last year that were decided in the final two minutes or in overtime. Carroll beat Austin Westlake, 17-14, Tulsa Union in overtime, 42-41, Coppell, 28-24, Euless Trinity, 10-6 and Mansfield in the bi-district playoffs, 38-31.
What’s in store for 2015 will start to reveal itself in late August, when the Dragons open the season at Westlake. Carroll also travels to Tulsa Union, Coppell and Trinity.
“The key for us is being able to make plays and being able to finish,” Eboh said. “A lot of guys have to respond. That means making plays to finish drives and get stops. I think we grew up a lot this offseason. J.B. and I have to lead by example.”
But before focusing on 2015, Eboh wants to make his commitment decision. He plans on taking several trips. He’s hoping to visit Arkansas, Oklahoma, Washington, California, Arizona State and Missouri.
At this point, he doesn’t plan to narrow his list to a Top 5 or Top 10. He said it’s going to be a situation where he finds a school and program that fits above others. Most programs are looking at him at cornerback or combination position of cornerback/safety. Others see him at safety and a few others see him as a nickel [fifth defensive] back.
“It’s pretty stressful, but I want to have this decision made before the football season,” Eboh said. “I just want to spend the season focusing on our team.”
This story was originally published June 22, 2015 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Corner looking to be defensive leader on young Dragons squad."