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Impressive junior linebacker one to watch

In addition to the many impressive rising seniors in attendance at the recent Arizona State Maroon and Gold Camp, there were several juniors on hand who performed well, but none more than Ferlando Bohanna, a 6-foot-2, 226 pound linebacker.
Bohanna was a sophomore at Senatobia High School in Senatobia, Miss., last season, where he played SAM and MIKE linebacker, reportedly racking up 150 tackles to go along with four sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
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While in Arizona to visit family, Bohanna found out about the camp from his cousin, Kurt Mangum, a Chandler High School graduate who signed to play football for the University of Washington and enrolled at the school earlier this year.
"Kurt's my mentor about the whole situation," Bohanna said. "He's my guidance counselor. He's breeding me to be the best. If I just learn from him everything that he learned going through [the recruiting process] it'll make it that much easier for me."
Bohanna is likely going to be relying on Mangum quite a bit in the year to come, as his recruitment appears set to blow up following his outstanding showing at the ASU camp.
A case could be made that Bohanna was the best overall linebacker prospect at the event. With legitimate 4.49 speed in the 40-yard dash, Bohanna is a run-and-hit linebacker with the ability to play sideline to sideline and a strong, rugged body type. He has the size to play inside and the speed to play outside at the next level.
"My favorite player is Ray Lewis," Bohanna said. "I just like the way he plays and I try to watch him and other guys that are good like that and learn from them. I just feel like that's the kind of player I like to style myself after. He always brings it and has that intensity."
"This guy has it all," Mangum said of Bohanna. "He has all the size and speed he could need plus he has the [game film] that I didn't have as a sophomore or even a junior really. "If he just continues to handle his business he's going to be real big."
Bohanna has timed 11.0 seconds flat in the 100 meters and as a sophomore he put up 315 pounds on the benchpress, 550 pounds on squat, 585 pounds on deadlift and 305 pounds on clean. He has competed in powerlifting at the state level.
After a family move, Bohanna will be playing his junior season at Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tenn.
"They're one of the top football programs in Memphis so it should be good," Bohanna said. "I'm looking forward to it and I just want to get better. Right now I just want to win and be he best."
In recent weeks, Mangum and Bohanna have been working out at IKEI Performance in Chandler as they each try to get ready for an impressive start at their respective new schools.
Bohanna hasn't received much in the way of recruiting interest yet, due to the fact that he's only entering his junior year of school, but he undoubtedly will see his stock rise later this year and into 2009. The schools he's most interested in being recruited by include Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, North Carolina, Oregon, LSU, USC and Washington.
"I think I'm going to end up taking all my trips, "Bohanna said, indicating that his won't be making an early decision. "I'm looking for a good football team, a great educational program, and good facilities. I want to play for cool down to earth coaches who are dedicated to the job and are not just in it for the money but to help make their players better."
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