DeVante Stamps takes game to different level

Junior wide receiver DeVante Stamps has enough accolades and awards to fill up an entire wall at Maurice J. McDonough High. He has enough physical tools -- 6-foot-3, 188 pounds, 4.4 40-yard dash -- to make scouts drool. He has enough letters from Division 1 coaches to fill up an entire mail sack.

Yes, DeVante Stamps might be one of the most prolific recruits in the Mid-Atlantic. He just doesn't want you to know about it.

Every day the letters pour in to coach Luke Ethington's office addressed to Mr. DeVante Stamps: College Park, Md. Chapel Hill, Tallahassee, Fla. Pittsburgh, Pa. New Brunswick, N.J. And every day Ethington takes those letters and hides them in a drawer. It's not so Stamps won't see them. It's because Stamps is a little embarrassed about them.

"He receives a lot of attention, but he doesn't feel the need to flaunt it in front of people," Ethington said. "But trust me, if there's one kid who has earned the right to spread his feathers a little bit, it's DeVante. He's paid his dues. But you'll never see him do that because he's such a humble individual."

Stamps was raised in a humble environment, where his father, Reggie Barksdale, constantly reminded him to use his talents to help others. He preached the values of education, respect and modesty.

Barksdale owns a youth organization called Nexxt Level Sports, which provides education for young athletes who want to play sports at a high level but need help with anything from grades to exposure. When Stamps was younger, his father took his friends and him around to showcase their football talent. Stamps appreciated all his father did for him, and now he wants to give back.

"Before he said anything about football, DeVante said he wanted to be a youth counselor," Barksdale said. "His brother is 13, and he tells him what he has to do to succeed He wants to be a mentor."

DeVante isn't about to pass up a possible future in the NFL, but he definitely values his time spent helping kids.

"I really like to help the younger community coming up that's about to be in my shoes," Stamps said. "I can tell them truly what's going on and what's going to happen."

Stamps' leadership translates to the football field as well, where he became a positive force on a team that struggled early last season. Before the season, Ethington revamped his program, bringing in new coaches and implementing a new system. The players didn't adapt right away and the team started the year 1-4. But Stamps – who had to change positions -- never moped and never groaned.

"He was taking his teammates under his wing and really doing some coaching of his own among his peers," Ethington said. "He was doing things behind the scenes, at home and in the neighborhood to keep things positive. Your program can really go down if you don't have players like that."

It helped that Stamps produced on the field amid the adversity. He had a big game against then-undefeated North Point when he caught a 32-yard touchdown pass that sparked McDonough's turnaround. Then he had another breakout game against Northern right in the midst of McDonough's five-game winning streak.

"When I saw him start making big plays it showed he had the intestinal fortitude to compete on the highest level," Ethington said. "But he has a lot of upside yet, and he hasn't reached his potential. His speed combined with his work ethic … there's a lot of good things to come from him yet."

For Stamps to get even better, Ethington wants him to work on his footwork so he can be shiftier in open space. He also would like to see him use his stiff arm more to grind out a few extra yards. Stamps couldn't pinpoint any aspect of his game he needs to dramatically improve, but he did say he's still learning.

"I'm a student of the game," Stamps said. "I spend a lot of time watching film, looking for cornerbacks' tendencies."

Stamps will get another opportunity to show how much he has learned at the 7-on-7 Shootout at Rutgers this weekend, followed by the Nike Combine in March. With one more solid showing at the combines, those letters piling up in Ethington's desk drawer will start to contain scholarship offers. Then it's decision time.

Stamps said he liked Maryland, Florida State and Penn State, but he's not playing favorites. Right now, he's more focused on becoming a better football player … and a better man.