2014 South

De’Andre Gardenhire
De’Andre
Gardenhire
Position:Defensive Line
School:Camden

Player Bio

DeAndre Gardenhire is an under-the-radar recruit to keep tabs on during the Elite Junior Classic. The junior defensive lineman possesses tremendous strength and natural athleticism that allows him to be a disruptive force. Standing at 6-foot-2 ½ while weighing 205 pounds, he is continuing to grow into his body which is a scary thought for opposing offenses. In Camden County’s rank system for weightlifting performance, known by players as the “Cat ranks”, Gardenhire grades out as a Superior-Cat, the second highest ranking just below Ultra-Cat. Alongside his tremendous strength, including a 345-pound bench press max, the lineman has been clocked with a 40-yard dash time of 4.7 seconds. After seeing sparse playing time during his first two seasons, his junior campaign showed some of the potential he has to be an impact player at the next level as Gardenhire logged 31 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. While the interest has mainly been stagnant, aside from receiving an offer from Old Dominion, he created buzz while showcasing his strength and quickness at various events during past offseason including the Nike Combine and the National Underclassmen Combine, where he received an award as the camp’s top defensive lineman. However, he made the largest amount of noise while participating in the 2014 MVP Camp back in February. Competing alongside some of the top national recruits from around the southeast, he turned in remarkable performances in one-on-one drills against some of the top offensive line prospects as he displayed a quick first step along with an advanced set of pass-rushing moves, according to Matt Osborne from southernpigskin.com. He went on to be named the camp’s overall MVP. Although Gardenhire stands under many school’s radars, those who have seen him play cannot deny the natural strength and athleticism that the junior possesses. It will undoubtedly be put on display during the Elite Junior Classic.