Norman lineman Jewell fills big shoes for Tigers
Norman lineman Jewell fills big shoes for Tigers

NORMAN — Special exceptions have to be made when Jack Jewell visits Sooner Lanes Bowling Center. Those ugly, two-color, house-issued shoes that everyone else wears won't be found on his feet.

Featured Gallery

 

Advertisement

And here's why — they're size 17.

"They don't have anything that would fit,” says the Bunyanesque Norman senior. "So the manager just lets me bowl in my regular shoes.”

Actually, there's nothing regular about his shoes because he can't buy them at stores and has to resort to the Internet. But like the shoes, Jewell's stature and athleticism are rare finds as well. The defensive lineman stands 6-foot-6 and weighs between 255 and 260. And it's lean mass, too. Not an ounce of fat to be found.

"As far as being big and athletic and dominant — there haven't been many like him around here,” said Norman assistant Sonny Feexico, who has been around the Tigers' program as a player or coach since 1985.

About the only two physical specimens Feexico could recall that could rival Jewell were Eddie Grant, who graduated in 1985 and played for Arizona State and the Detroit Lions, and Brett Hankins, who graduated in 1989 and went to Notre Dame on a football scholarship.

Jewell has the same kind of potential the aforementioned Norman standouts had. In his first year with the Tigers last season, Jewell had 65 tackles and 12 sacks. He moved to Norman from Bellevue, Neb. His father, John, played football and wrestled for Norman in the early 1980s and decided to bring his son back to his old stomping grounds, where he thought Jack would receive more college opportunities.

It's worked. Tulsa offered Jewell a scholarship after watching him at a one-day camp this summer. Most of the Big 12 schools are sending him letters. So are Michigan and Tennessee.

As big as he is, Jewell figures to get bigger in college. He placed third at state in the heavyweight division in wrestling last year and will try for the title this winter. But wrestling has given Jewell cause to pull weight in the off-season, something he'll no longer do in college.

"I don't think I'm going to get any taller, but I'll fill out and get more muscle,” he said.

With a neck that is as wide as his head, hands that resemble catcher's mitts and long arms that have a wingspan of 7 feet, Jewell is imposing just to look at for the opposition. It only gets worse when they see him move.

"I really use speed and leverage more than just brute strength,” Jewell said.

Although he had reached 6-feet by the time he was 14, Jewell never went through an awkward phase.

"Nah, I've always been taller than everyone in my class, and I've never been clumsy or anything,” he said. "Now that I'm done growing, I hope to increase my athletic ability even more, though.”

As the crown jewell of new coach Greg Nation's first Norman team, "Jack Giant” (as he was referred to on Tuesday by a team trainer) expects to lead the Tigers to the Class 6A playoffs after a 3-7 mark in 2007.

"I don't set goals for stats,” he said. "I just play hard and expect to do better every year. And I definitely expect us to do a lot better this year.”

Big expectations, naturally. The only size that fit.

Leave a Comment

Sports Photo Galleriesview all

Adrian Peterson football camp

Adrian Peterson talks with young football players on the second day of his camp in Norman.

11 photos

Volleyball camp: June 23, 2009

Photos from the volleyball camp in Norman on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

4 photos

Sunbelt Classic: June 23, 2009

Photos from the Sunbelt Classic in Norman on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

4 photos

Endeavor Games: Saturday, June 13, 2009

Photos from the Endeavor Games Saturday, June 13, 2009

19 photos

Page 1 of 5

Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next