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Cass Tech 2016 DB Nelton Shorter wants to prove he belongs

DETROIT -While walking into Detroit Cass Tech's weight-room yesterday for the commitment of junior safety, Demetric Vance, to Michigan State, the first person I saw was Ohio State commit, Mike Weber. Then top junior lineman, Michael Onwenu, and sophomores Jaylen Kelly-Powell and Donovan Peoples-Jones walked through the doors. All of those player have BCS offers, proving that's it's not hard to walk through the hallways of Cass Tech, and not run into two or three Division offered players.
Then you have those like junior defensive back, Nelton Shorter, who isn't known well at all on the recruiting trail, and doesn't have an offer like his teammates do. But Shorter has turned that negative into a positive, embracing what his teammates have accomplished, and possibly using it to his advantage.
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"In order to be the best, you have to beat the best," Shorter said of being apart of Cass Tech's football program. "You have to compete with the best, and to have as many guys we have with at least one Division I offer, it's a blessing that they can help the rest of the team, as well as themselves."
When asked who was the best defensive back currently at Cass Tech, Shorter said the question was a bold one, but that he was definitely up there as one of the best on the team. His statement was quite as bold, considering Cass Tech's entire starting secondary each as at least one Division I offer. But confidence is good for defensive backs, on and off the field.
"I'm persistent," said Shorter. "I always find room for improvement, and my teammates look at me as a hard worker on and off the field. I want to set examples for my team, and others surrounding it."
Shorter had a pretty good junior season for Cass Tech, despite some early adversity, but finished out the season strong, when his name was called upon to due to injuries.
"The season went good," he said. "It started off slow due to an ankle injury during the off-season, but I started the last couple of games of the year, against King, and the remaining state playoff games." I believe the King game was one of the best games I played last season."
And it was for Shorter, who stepped into the starting line-up, and did a good job containing King speedster, Ambry Thomas, is one of the top sophomores in the state.
But even still, Shorter's recruitment has been very slow, and he is looking to boost it sooner than later. He has heard from some schools, but not enough to gain him an offer, and has remained optimistic about his future. There is still plenty of time for him to earn an offer, and that is what he has been working towards.
"It's been slow, but I hope it gets better as the season progresses," Shorter said of his recruitment. "I've received emails from coaches at Ball State and Bucknell. They've really been emailing me regarding film, stats, and information, and getting to know me better.
"This off-season, I've traveled to Eastern Michigan a few times, and Central Michigan once. And I'm open to any school that sees me as an attribute to their team."
Shorter attributes his lack of recruitment to his small size, at 5-8, 165-pounds, which seems to be almost the norm for defensive backs that have come out of the Cass Tech program. He also excels in the classroom, with a 3.5 GPA, and has plans this summer, as well as during the season, to prove that he can play football as well, at the Division I level for someone.
"The first two weeks of June, we will be attending a boat load of colleges one-day camps, Sound Mind Sound Body, the Nike Camp at Ohio State, and I'm thinking about going to the Chicagoland Camp on June 13," Shorter said of his summer plans for more exposure. "A lot of MAC schools are expected to be in attendance.
"What I'm expecting for myself, and the team this upcoming season, it to wake people up to all of the talent we have to offer, and that we can with without Mike (Weber) running the ball."
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