By David MorrisonThe Daily Northwestern
The sixth-leading high school rusher in Ohio state history most likely will not gain a yard from scrimmage for Northwestern next season.
In fact, he will have to rely on the charity of opposing teams to get his touches for the Wildcats, either through interceptions, fumbles, kickoffs or punts.
Luckily for NU, incoming cornerback Jordan Mabin is just as comfortable in a defensive backfield as he is on the offensive end.
“It’s going to take a little bit of getting used to, since every year since I was little, I was playing both ways,” Mabin said. “It’ll be a lot easier to focus on one thing, to get the techniques down for one position.”
Mabin, a four-year starter at Nordonia High School in Macedonia, Ohio, ran for 6,700 yards and 81 touchdowns in his high school career. He also recorded 143 tackles and 11 interceptions at cornerback. Add in six special teams touchdowns and you have a recruit ranked in the top 20 in Ohio by many scouting services.
“Jordan is a tremendous all-around football player,” said NU superbacks coach Adam Cushing, who recruited Mabin. “His versatility is going to be a great thing for us and just his overall intensity about football.”
While Mabin filled many roles in high school, it was his work carrying the football that garnered him the most attention.
During his sophomore year, Mabin was invited to a photo shoot with two other local high school star running backs. One was Chris Wells, a standout from Garfield High School in Akron who is battling for a starting spot on national runner-up Ohio State this season.
The other? Tyrell Sutton.
“It plays a big role, knowing that someone from around here is going to the school,” Mabin said. “If I have questions or any concerns, I can ask him about it and make the transition. It’ll be exciting playing with him finally.”
Sutton is also part of the reason Mabin is starting his NU career as a defensive back. While the Cats’ running back situation is secure, the cornerback situation is a bit precarious, hampered by the graduation of Marquice Cole and the relative inexperience behind the projected starters, sophomore Sherrick McManis and senior Deante Battle.
This instability makes it easier for a true freshman to step in and contribute.
“I thought it would suit me the best playing as a cornerback,” Mabin said. “But if they needed me anywhere else, I would play anywhere else.”
But before Mabin can battle for playing time, he’ll have to battle his own body. Mabin tore the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder during the second game of his senior season. He finished out the year, rushing for 2,354 yards, and began rehab after the season ended.
But after a couple weeks, the shoulder was not getting any better. Mabin said he realized the injury was more severe than he expected, and he opted for surgery March 27.
“It hurt a lot during the season, but I had to fight through it,” Mabin said. “I wasn’t going to let my team down and I got through it. When it’s game time, it kind of goes out of your head and you focus on the game.”
The doctors told Mabin he could not begin lifting until three months after the surgery and could not engage in contact until five or six months had passed. That puts Mabin’s return to full health at mid-August to early September, weeks after the Cats reconvene for fall practice.
Even though Mabin is ahead of schedule in his rehab, Cushing said the team would not rush him back to practice.
“He’ll still come in and compete because he’s a competitive kid, and (he’ll) do everything he can do, short of making contact, to get himself on the field,” Cushing said.
Whether or not he sees significant playing time as a freshman, Mabin said he is sure he made the right decision to come play for the Cats.
He said NU was not even on his radar until his father suggested they visit before his senior season. But after his first unofficial visit, Mabin said he was hooked.
“I knew I had to go, I told my dad that right then,” he said.
Mabin said the coaches and players feel at home, and he is excited with the prospect of helping the Cats rebound from a disappointing 4-8 season.
“After getting to know the coaches, I could tell they were focused and headed in the right direction,” he said. “The program has nowhere to go but up right now.”
Reach David Morrison at [email protected].
