Four-star East St. Louis wide receiver Dominic Lovett puts ASU in top seven
When the pandemic struck, Dominic Lovett kept a keen eye on the happenings of the schools recruiting him. This was a wild time, he thought. Recruiting has changed, procedures are fluid and who knows what a coaching staff’s mindset is.
So as spring turned to summer, Lovett -- a top 50 wide receiver prospect -- kept tabs on who schools were recruiting; if they revved up their communication with him or turned their attention to other wide receivers.
That brings us to Lovett’s top seven, a group he built based upon what programs stuck with him despite the changes brought about by COVID-19. It includes: Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisville, Penn State, LSU and Arizona State.
“I narrowed it down to the people who stood by me through the pandemic,” he said.
The Sun Devils were a bit late to Lovett’s recruitment, first making contact with the 5-foot-10, 170-pound receiver a little over a month ago. Wide receivers coach Prentice Gill spoke with Lovett in late June and handed out what is still the most recent of Lovett’s more than two dozen offers.
Because of the late offer, the Sun Devils had no chance to stick with Lovett through the pandemic. Instead, they jumped in during the mucky period and, Lovett says, provided he and his parents with the feeling that Arizona State provides a strong family atmosphere in its program.
“He’s very relatable. We talk football, but it’s not all about football; like he checks on my mom and dad and makes sure they’re OK mentally and physically,” Lovett said of Gill.
The Sun Devil staff has marketed it as a tight-knit environment. That Lovett and his family can sense that is no surprise. It’s also not a surprise that Lovett is more than intrigued by ASU’s ‘Pro Model.”
Come play for coaches with NFL experience is a pitch that attracts young people. For highly-touted guys like Lovett, though, it feels more important. To them, the NFL feels more attainable, and the extra push from NFL-experienced coaches could be the difference in their level of success.
“If you have a coached who played or coached in the NFL, he can teach you the ins and outs of the game. He can teach you certain stuff that regular college coaches can’t teach you. Just because everyone coaches, some coaches may have more experience,” Lovett said. “Them coaching in the NFL, they have the upper hand.”
The NFL talk is premature for a high school senior. But, if nothing else, many believe Lovett’s ceiling involves padding up on Sundays.
Playing both slot and outside receiver during his 14-game junior season at East St. Louis High, Lovett caught 74 passes for 1,548 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“Ten out of 10 (coaches say they like) my speed. My speed is a big factor because most schools don’t have it,” Lovett said of his football attributes. “I have speed, quickness, and agility, but I can also run routes. I can change my bursts.
While the Sun Devils may feel like a longshot when grouped with powerhouses like LSU and Penn State, at least the 1,400-mile distance separating Tempe and East St. Louis won’t be a problem. Heck, Lovett admitted that he wants to go far away, to get out of East St. Louis and go to a warm place.
Tempe would certainly provide that. To find out, ASU and Lovett’s half dozen other finalists will have to wait until September 11, the tentative date Lovett has set for his announcement.
“My biggest thing is that (schools) have a family-friendly environment and just stay on their word of what they tell me,” Lovett said of his recruiting wish list.
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