Kaplan’s Bates earns MVP honor

The awards continue to pile up for Kaplan defensive end Jalen Bates.
After being selected to the District 6-3A first team and being named defensive MVP in Vermilion Parish, Bates was selected as the MVP of the South team during the National Underclassmen Combine (NUC) All-American game played last month.
The game was played on Dec. 30, 2014 at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The game pitted All-Star players from all over the country to participate in the matchup between the North and South.
The score ended 9-0 in favor of the North team, but Bates was recognized as the MVP of the South team, due to his stellar performance in the game even though he did not record a sack.
“Bates was the best looking prospect in this All-Star game and he played like it,” said Barry Every of Schuman’s National Underclassmen website. “He may not have racked up any sacks in the game, but he spent a fair amount of his time chasing the North signal callers around.
Bates carried the momentum of his senior season into the game.
Bates finished his senior year with 17 sacks and 40 tackles for loss.
His impact was felt throughout the game as he broke up plays in the backfield, and flushed the North quarterbacks out of the pocket throughout the game with his rare combination of size and speed.
“You can’t teach length speed and power off the edge,” Every said.
“There is no doubt in my mind that this guy is a flat out steal for Arizona State. If he stays focused in the weight room he could become a monster sized terror in the PAC-12.”
The defensive end was also selected to the 2014 American Family Insurance All-USA Football Team.