Hard-Hitting California Safety Talks BYU

California’s Colton High School produced four college football players for the class of 2008. One of those four signed his name pledging to become fully invested, both on and off the field, to Coach Mendenhall’s program.

Daniel Sorensen made waves in the state of California as a junior when he made Second-Team All-State as a safety prospect. From then on, he was on quite a few watch lists and even received an early scholarship offer from Ole Miss. But it would be at BYU where Sorensen would sign his letter of intent.

“We signed during sixth period in the auditorium,” said Sorensen. “There were three other guys with me: Damien Holmes, Daniel Bernard and Adam Garcia. Damien Holmes went to UCLA, Bernard went to Texas State and Adam Garcia went to San Jose State.

“We were up on the stage and they had these big, huge, almost life-size posters of us up there. The media [and] some reporters were there with the cameras from the Press and the Sun. They just talked with us for a while and then we signed these football helmets of the schools that we are going to for our coach. Then we all signed our papers individually.”

Sorensen’s friend and teammate Holmes may be headed to UCLA, but at one point he got a look from the coaches of BYU. According to Sorensen, Holmes has a lot of respect for BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

“We’re going to be playing against each other next year,” said Sorensen. “We’re pretty good friends but we have a rivalry going already. [Holmes] was recruited by BYU a little bit. He thinks Bronco Mendenhall is awesome. He draws me pictures of Bronco and even printed them out for some of my friends. He’s a funny guy with great character and thinks Bronco is awesome and draws the BYU ‘Ys,’ but sometimes he likes to talk a little trash because he’s going to UCLA.”

Even though Sorensen committed early on to BYU, where he will join fellow teammate and first cousin Justin Sorensen, the thought of exploring other college options never crossed the California safety’s mind.

“No, I knew right from the beginning that’s where I wanted to go,” said Sorensen of BYU. “The minute they offered me I jumped on it. I’m really glad about the opportunity that I have to go there and play college football, but I’m a little nervous though.”

The realization that he will now be playing big-time football in front of tens of thousands of live fans and a TV audience can be a little overwhelming at times to Sorensen.

“I just don’t know if I’m ready for college football yet,” said Sorensen. “Physically, I still need to get myself in the type of shape for that level. It’s still a while away, but I’m still a little nervous. I don’t know if I can contribute my freshman year, but I’ll do whatever the coaches ask me to.”

To put things into perspective, after viewing Sorensen’s highlight film it seems that it is his opponents that should probably be a little weary about stepping into the physical world of college football with Sorensen as an opposing defender.

“I feel like I’ve played and excelled at four other sports, and so I think I’m an athlete,” Sorensen said. “Athletes can usually adjust fairly quickly. I feel I have decent size and hopefully I can get my feet underneath me. The coaches at BYU want me to play outside linebacker. I can do it and maybe even add a few pounds. “

So, according to Sorensen, he may not end up contributing at safety.

“I’ve heard, and everyone thinks, I’m going to play outside linebacker,” Sorensen said. “I’m going there as a safety and I’m going to try and work that position out, but whatever they need or whatever they want from me, I’ll do.”

Currently, Sorensen comes in at 6 feet 2 inches and 210 pounds, and feels he would need to keep his current physical stature about where it is now in order to play safety at the next level.

“I know I couldn’t put too much more weight on, that’s for sure,” said a chuckling Sorensen. “I could probably put on about 10 more pounds and play at around the 220 range. I’m sure the coaches will help me out with where I need to be at when I get there.”

Sorensen plans on coming out to Utah in July in order to work out and get himself acclimated to the Rocky Mountain altitude.

From there, Sorensen plans on playing one year if he can and then leaving to serve an LDS mission.

Daniel Sorensen Profile

To check out Sorensen’s hard-hitting action on the football field, check out his highlight clips on his www.scout.com bio page here.