Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis may have a future quarterback in mind–if this prospect grows a couple of inches.
There’s plenty of time for 6-foot-1-inch, 192-pound sophomore Jordan Roberts of Aurora Christian to attain that height.
“I hope I grow to 6-3 or even taller,” Roberts said. “I’ve been one of the tallest in my class, and my dad (Doug Roberts) is 6-2.”
A Notre Dame assistant coach visited with Aurora Christian coach and former NFL receiver Don Beebe last Friday to watch film and couldn’t believe Roberts had just turned 16 years old.
“The Notre Dame guy told me: `If this kid grows two inches, he can go anywhere he wants,'” Beebe said. “I believe that even if he remains at 6-1, with his speed–which will be around 4.5 seconds in the 40 (yard dash) by the time he graduates–he’s still going to be a top prospect.
“He is that rare kid with this passion to be great.”
In the second quarter of a 63-0 romp over Luther North, Roberts threw seven passes–and six went for touchdowns. He only played the first two quarters and wound up with seven TD passes.
Roberts passed for 398 yards and four TDs in a loss to Walther Lutheran and 346 yards and five TDs in a victory over Lake Forest Academy.
Four times this season, Aurora Christian (5-2) has scored on the first play. Beebe, who caught passes from Jim Kelly in Buffalo and Brett Favre in Green Bay, has combined and simplified the Packers’ offense of 1996-97 and Kelly’s no-huddle, K-gun attack into 73 primary plays for Roberts and the Eagles’ offense.
Taking full advantage, Roberts has passed for 2,061 yards and 29 touchdowns along with 10 two-point conversions.
“I guess you could say I’m a fair-weather fan because I like watching Notre Dame, Ohio State and Florida,” Roberts said. “I love watching (Irish QB) Brady Quinn on TV.”
Not even Quinn ever had a quarter like Roberts did against Luther North.
“That’s the most I’ve been in a zone all season,” Roberts said. “It was awesome. I started off overthrowing guys. In the second quarter, the receivers were all getting open and I was finally getting the ball to them. I didn’t realize I had six touchdowns.”
It’s not unusual for Roberts to spend four hours in a day studying film.
“He watches more film than a lot of the pro guys I’ve been around,” Beebe said. “I can’t keep him out of the weight room, the film room or off the practice field. He trains constantly.”
