Vigor four-star offensive lineman Micah DeBose is an intimidating presence for the Wolves. DeBose is being courted by Alabama, LSU, Florida and Ohio State. (John O’Dell/Call News)
By ARTHUR L. MACK
Vigor High four-star offensive tackle Micah DeBose has one big expectation for the 2024 football season.
“The end all and be all is to win state because we’ve worked way too hard and we’re still working,” the 6-foot-5, 315-pound DeBose said. “It’s constantly a non-stop thing. We want to win state. We’re going to win state.”
DeBose has been there before as a big part of the Wolves’ 2021 Class 4A state championship team but he experienced heartbreak last season when Vigor didn’t make the Class 5A playoffs due to a forfeit for using an ineligible player, according to the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
“We’re at Vigor High School, so stuff like that has always occurred,” DeBose said. “We’re always getting pushed over, so we’ve learned that this is adversity. We fight through it. You did it to us last year, you’re not going to do it again.”
High expectations and dealing with adversity are nothing new for DeBose, who after decommitting from Georgia is now being courted by Alabama, LSU, Florida and Ohio State. DeBose has visited LSU and Florida, was set to visit Ohio State last weekend will and will visit Alabama on Friday. The Alabama visit is significant because until new coach Kevin DeBoer took over, the Crimson Tide didn’t show much interest in DeBose.
“I think that’s the biggest difference,” former Wolves coach Markus Cook said. “The new regime came in and made Micah a priority. … They’ve made a big push in his recruitment.”
DeBose has also built a relationship with Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic.
“Early on, Alabama wasn’t really interested in me,” DeBose said. “I’m thankful that they showed interest in me later on in the process. That had something to do with the new staff.”
DeBose said he also feels a special bond with LSU and offensive line coach Brad Davis.
“LSU is another top place for me right now,” he said. “I love coach Davis and other people in the building. I have a real connection with them. I talk to them like they’re my own kin and I feel family there.”
DeBose, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, also has connection with Ohio State. Most of the Buckeyes’ staff, headed by coach Ryan Day, came down earlier this year to watch DeBose play basketball.
“It made me feel like I was a top priority too,” DeBose said.
DeBose received high accolades from 24/7 Sports, which said he has “drive-blocking conviction that will finish targets to the ground. Size and functional strength often overwhelm high school opponents. Hand placement is not a weakness but hands can be stickier when engaged. Can improve overall body control but displays encouraging kick-slide mobility. May ultimately fit the right tackle or guard role, depending on athletic development and scheme. Projects as a potential high-major multi-year starter who could become an NFL Draft candidate.”
DeBose said playing professionally is his ultimate goal.
“I enjoy where football can take me,” he said. “I want to be an NFL player. My mom and my family, I can put them in a better place. I enjoy where football is taking me. I enjoy the bonds. Some of these cats I’m bonding with for football, we’ll be bonding for life. I enjoy the brotherhood and the overall aspect of playing football. It’s a big part of my life.”
DeBose said his hand placement, footwork and toughness have improved.
“I was fast and I sprained my ankle twice but I played through it and it helped my toughness,” he said. “Even with me being hurt, I was still explosive and still helped the team.”
DeBose’s mother, Shalimar DeBose-Chapman, said she is proud of her son, although she said the recruiting process is tiring.
“He has so much going on but we have a good support system,” she said. “I’m happy that we have my husband, coach Cook, coach (Kevin) Maye, Vigor High School in general and Ms. B (interim principal Tiffany Buchanan) to help me.”
Cook said the hard-working DeBose has more than enough speed (4.98 40) to excel in college and his participation in soccer, track and tennis proves his athleticism.
“The biggest thing that separates Micah from the other kids is the work ethic,” Cook said. “He constantly wants to get better. If he’s not working, he feels like he’s lacking somewhere and he yearns to get better. He wants to get better to the point where he downs himself to give himself more motivation. He wants to get to the point where he wants to be a household name — the motivation is just different.”
Cook said DeBose could be even better in 2024.
“I think (it’s) the maturity aspect, having played so many games,” Cook said. “People forget that Micah started when he was in the eighth grade and so he’s going into his fifth year of high school football. You can see the maturity. You can see that he’s kind of seasoned and being a vocal leader, setting the standard. I think last year, he took on that role of being a big man on campus.”
While Vigor doesn’t have state-of-the-art training facilities, DeBose said it is a blessing to play for a school that has turned out a lot of football talent.
“I’ve seen the good, the bad, the in-between,” he said. “I’ve seen some kids who were just cancers; I’ve seen some kids who were really good guys. I’ve seen some mature guys and I’ve seen some bad guys. I’m truly blessed that I’ve been able to play high school football for so long because I know it’s going to roll over in college. … I’m blessed to come from nothing and get to go somewhere as big as some of those SEC schools.”
DeBose acknowledged he is following in some big footsteps.
“We’ve had great players come out of here,” he said, naming former Alabama star Roosevelt Patterson, NFL Hall of Famer Robert Brazile and Pro Bowler Willie Anderson. “I’m just blessed to go through those hardships and adversity.”
The Wolves, who return 17 starters, have some solid players this season who are depending on DeBose, including running back Carlos Benjamin, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, and transfer quarterback Sammy Dunn.
“That guy is amazing,” DeBose said of Benjamin. “I can give him three seconds and he can do his own thing. I can fall and somebody can trip over me and he’s still going.”
DeBose will also have most of his offensive line buddies returning, including Jamahrae Barnes, Gabriel Brown, Javonte Hall, Jnard Wheat and Nicholas Powe.
“Now we’re complete,” DeBose said. “We got a dangerous running back, a dangerous quarterback and a dangerous defense. We have a whole squad on defense, like Brandon Coates. If they get a stop and we get the ball, we’re scoring. Who’s going to stop us?”
DeBose, who made a 20 on the ACT, fits into Cook’s goals for summer workouts and the 2024 season in general.
“To get bigger, to be stronger, to be faster,” Cook said. “Those are the things we’re trying to do and be consistent. One of the things that I’m proud of is that we don’t have any players in summer school this year and I think that’s a testament from the buy-in of the kids. Academics come first; you’re a student before you’re an athlete.”
