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Cincinnati Bearcats football has been busy over the last day or so with a JUCO commitment, a highly-regarded transfer commitment and now the 13th verbal commitment of the 2016 recruiting class with K'Von Wallace, out of Highland Springs, VA.
BREAKING: #UC also has just gotten a commitment from K'Von Wallace, DB from Highland Springs HS, Va. #Bearcats
— Tom Groeschen (@TomGroeschen) July 21, 2015
Wallace, at 6'0″, 172 lbs, plays both wide receiver and free safety at the high school level. Both positions are spots that are being heavily focused on this offseason. Depth is a real concern in the secondary, as is replacing the top-end talent at receiver that graduates next spring. Wallace is under the radar of most recruiting databases and schools, only receiving a scholarship offer from James Madison thus far in the process. This appears to be another case of the Cincinnati coaches seeing something others haven't seen yet. Why should we question them at this point? They seem to know what they're doing.
On the Field
Watching the film, I actually really like this pickup. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this is a guy whose recruitment picks up as the fall carries on. I could easily see larger schools trying to sneak him out from Cincinnati come winter.
Personally, I prefer him at wide receiver. He has good hands and he has some shiftiness. He isn't necessarily a burner, by the looks of it, but he has enough speed and quickness to be a factor running routes and when he has the ball in space. He plays with some fire on defense and that translates into his willingness to block in the run game when he lines up at wideout. As I'm sure you know by now, I love that.
Defensively, he has all the athleticism you need and isn't afraid to get his nose dirty in the run game. The same traits that make him a good receiver with the ball in the air translate well into his defensive play. Again, he has solid speed and seems to catch the ball well. There appears to be a lot to like about his game. Frankly, I'm not sure what has him unranked in recruiting networks. His route running could use some refining, but I like the way he plays.
Wallace is a highly-versatile athlete who could provide depth in the secondary or at the receiver spot. He likely won't see the field early, but does seem like an ideal special teamer. I really like him as a slot receiver down the road. He seems like one of those players who just goes out and plays football and is a swiss army knife for coaching staffs. This is a guy who I expect to see some late consideration in recruiting circles as the season goes along. I wouldn't be surprised if ACC schools are trying to snake him out from Cincinnati's clutches come December and January. Wallace is a solid football player and a great addition to the 2016 recruiting class.