Cedric Dale scouting report: Explosive 2014 athlete

One of the most versatile athletes emerging out of the state of Texas is Cedric Dale out of Keller Timber Creek High School. Dale isn’t going to be wowing anyone the way many top prospects end up doing, but he’s definitely a player with a great deal of upside as he continues to develop.

Dale’s current height is listed at 5’10, weighing in at 185 pounds. Dale has the ability to play both defensive back and running back; he is being recruited at either position. His recruitment is still pretty quiet considering his talent -- he holds offers from Texas Tech and North Texas.
Dale has been assessed by numerous recruiting services and is considered a consensus three-star recruit. Dale is considered the no. 56 prospect nationally at safety by 247Sports and the no. 92 prospect in the state of Texas. Scout ranks him as a top 25 running back.

The first step in assessing Dale as a prospect is deciding which side of the ball he best projects on. Listed at 5’10, Dale is probably a little bit shorter than that, putting him on the decidedly small side of the spectrum for an FBS safety and has size that is more viable at running back.

At that position, Dale is an explosive threat in the screen game and on other space plays. His explosiveness makes him a home run threat every time he touches the ball. In college, he probably projects best as a change of pace running back or jet sweep artist to take advantage of that ability in space. With his strong lower body and low center of gravity, the Timber Creek product is difficult to bring down for tacklers who try to hit him high.

In pass protection, his size will be a liability at the next level, so he needs to be put in situations where he won’t have to pick up blitzing linebackers.

A strong special teams player, Dale could contribute as a punt and kick returner in college.

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