[Sly Fox]

I found a great video of Derek:

http://sunshinepreps.net/oldclips/Derek%20Bishop.wmv

He's playing MLB and he shows a real nose for the football and he's a bigtime hitter.

Knocking around online I saw where his high school is able to use the facilities at the IMG Academies. So he has been exposed to the best training in the world.

Here's the story on his signing from the Bradenton, FL fishwrap:

Bayshore

Derek Bishop is out to prove he's plenty big enough to get the job done on the college level.

The Bruins' 5-foot-10, 215-pound linebacker signed a national letter of intent to attend Division I-AA Liberty University.

Bishop set a Bayshore record for tackles in a season with 129 in 2005. Bishop also spent much of the season playing fullback, as well, taking on the demanding duties of playing on both sides of the ball.

During his visit to the school's campus at Lynchburg, Va., in December, Bishop discovered he had much in common with Liberty football coach Dan Rocco. The common ground appealed to Bishop's father, Martin Bishop.

"The head coach was an undersized linebacker in college," Martin Bishop said at Bayshore High, moments after his son signed. "Derek will be an undersized linebacker. A lot of schools looked at him and told him he was a little small.

"Coach Rocco said he wasn't going to let two or three inches make the decision. When he saw Derek's tape, he knew he was a ballplayer."

With his athletic career over at Bayshore, Derek plans to concentrate on lifting weights and gaining some weight. His playing weight during the 2005 season was 225.

"When I went up there, I really liked it," Derek said. "The campus is beautiful. It wasn't too big, and it wasn't too small."

Derek will join ex-Bruin teammate and cornerback Pat Calvary at Liberty.

Western Illinois and Charleston-Southern also showed an interest in Derek, but after visiting Liberty, he never bothered to travel to either campus.

"I'm really excited," Martin Bishop said. "I think he's going to get his best opportunity to play at Liberty. It's a Division I-AA school, but it has Division I-like facilities. I think it's going to be good for him."

- Jim Brockman, Herald Staff

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/ ... 769815.htm

[BJWilliams]

I found a great video of Derek:

http://sunshinepreps.net/oldclips/Derek%20Bishop.wmv

He's playing MLB and he shows a real nose for the football and he's a bigtime hitter.

Knocking around online I saw where his high school is able to use the facilities at the IMG Academies. So he has been exposed to the best training in the world.

Here's the story on his signing from the Bradenton, FL fishwrap:

Bayshore

Derek Bishop is out to prove he's plenty big enough to get the job done on the college level.

The Bruins' 5-foot-10, 215-pound linebacker signed a national letter of intent to attend Division I-AA Liberty University.

Bishop set a Bayshore record for tackles in a season with 129 in 2005. Bishop also spent much of the season playing fullback, as well, taking on the demanding duties of playing on both sides of the ball.

During his visit to the school's campus at Lynchburg, Va., in December, Bishop discovered he had much in common with Liberty football coach Dan Rocco. The common ground appealed to Bishop's father, Martin Bishop.

"The head coach was an undersized linebacker in college," Martin Bishop said at Bayshore High, moments after his son signed. "Derek will be an undersized linebacker. A lot of schools looked at him and told him he was a little small.

"Coach Rocco said he wasn't going to let two or three inches make the decision. When he saw Derek's tape, he knew he was a ballplayer."

With his athletic career over at Bayshore, Derek plans to concentrate on lifting weights and gaining some weight. His playing weight during the 2005 season was 225.

"When I went up there, I really liked it," Derek said. "The campus is beautiful. It wasn't too big, and it wasn't too small."

Derek will join ex-Bruin teammate and cornerback Pat Calvary at Liberty.

Western Illinois and Charleston-Southern also showed an interest in Derek, but after visiting Liberty, he never bothered to travel to either campus.

"I'm really excited," Martin Bishop said. "I think he's going to get his best opportunity to play at Liberty. It's a Division I-AA school, but it has Division I-like facilities. I think it's going to be good for him."

- Jim Brockman, Herald Staff

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/ ... 769815.htm

Looks like we beat one of our Big South foes for this kid. Hope he makes CSU pay this year

[Sly Fox]

This may be my favorite clip of the bunch. The first highlights are awesome. He looks extremely strong and I get the impresssion he enjoys punishing ball carriers. And on that INT he should some really nice wheels. We have gotten a very nice infusion of talent in this class at LB.

As for Western Illinois, they are legitmately strong I-AA program. But the Leathernecks play in Macomb, IL ... trust me when I see no one wants to live in Macomb.

[PAmedic]

the WIU thing pequed my interest as well- thats a legit IAA program that would have gotten him exposure. Says a lot for our draw as an institution.