McCook's Tyrone Sellers nominated for 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Friday, May 2, 2008
John J. Mesh/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School's Tyrone Sellers, center, receives a congratulatory handshake from Maj. Scott Holden, right, company commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Company in Lincoln, for Sellers' selection as one of 400 nominees for the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl football all-star game. McCook coach Jeff Gross, left, poses with Sellers and Holden.

The United States Army came calling for Tyrone Sellers Wednesday afternoon.

Sellers, a highly recruited football standout from McCook High School, was officially nominated for consideration to play in the most prestigious high school all-star game in the country -- the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Maj. Scott Holden, commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Company in Lincoln, was in McCook Wednesday to present Sellers with the nomination.

Sellers, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound defensive end/tight end, is one of 400 high school football players in the country nominated to play in the game.

The Bowl's selection committee is comprised of Rivals.com, the country's No. 1 authority on college football and basketball recruiting; Tom Lemming (CSTV), who is recognized as one the nation's leading experts on college football recruiting and high school talent; and SportsLink, producer of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, U.S. Army National Combine and U.S. Army Coaches Academy.

In August or September, the top 90 senior players will be selected and invited to play in the all-star game slated for Jan. 3, 2009 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The game will be televised live at noon central time on NBC.

"The U.S. Army is proud to recognize Tyrone Sellers as one of America's top high school football student-athletes," said Col. David Lee, director of strategic outreach and marketing for the U.S. Army Accessions Command, in a statement released by the U.S. Army.

"The young men nominated for the 2009 All-American team exhibit some of the same strengths I see in my fellow soldiers -- honor, determination and a willingness to be both a leader and teammate. We're proud to be hosting these young Americans, their families and coaches for their efforts."

Should Sellers be selected, he would join an elite list of standouts who played in the game, including Reggie Bush (USC running back now with the New Orleans Saints), Vince Young (Texas quarterback now with the Tennessee Titans), Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma running back now with the Minnesota Vikings) and Brady Quinn (Notre Dame quarterback now with the Cleveland Browns).

Sellers, who has received NCAA Division I football scholarship offers from Kansas State, Kansas, Wyoming and Iowa, said he was honored by the nomination.

"It's nice to be regarded as one of 400 players nominated," said Sellers, who had 85 tackles (including 18 tackles for loss) and eight sacks for the Bison, who finished with a 12-1 record. He also had three pass deflections and three blocked punts.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl nomination will likely garner Sellers more interest from Division I schools. In addition to the four schools offering him scholarships, Sellers has also received interest from Nebraska, Stanford and Connecticut.

McCook football coach Jeff Gross said Notre Dame, Southern California and Texas Christian University have called him about Sellers.

"I've been getting offers this season," Sellers said. "I look at them from time to time just to see what they are saying.

"I thought it was pretty crazy. I really would like to have it (his decision) made before the season starts. I don't feel any pressure from anything."

As a junior, Sellers received several postseason honors in 2007, including Co-Player of the Year honors from the McCook Daily Gazette.

Sellers was an all-state defensive end selection by the Omaha World Herald, Lincoln Journal Star and Huskerland Prep Magazine.

McCook lost to Crete in the Nebraska Class B State championship game.

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