2020 Intro: Top 35 guard Earl Timberlake
A top 35 guard in the class of 2020, Earl Timberlake is one of the toughest customers in the sophomore class.
Physically strong, athletic and strong minded with 6-foot-4 size, there's nothing soft about Timberlake and his approach to the game. He takes pride in his approach and has embraced a move to play for Mike Jones at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha for his sophomore season.
"I'm a scrappy guard who is always getting downhill and in attack mode," Timberlake told Rivals.com. "I'm tough and I can play and guard multiple positions. I'll do anything that coach Jones wants me to do.
"I get to play a great schedule at DeMatha and I get to play with some of my best friends. Everybody is good, all of us, so we get better."
In addition to an early No. 33 ranking nationally in the sophomore class, Timberlake already has offers from Georgetown, Kansas State, Penn State, Providence, Rhode Island, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest with strong interest from Maryland.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Timberlake -- who plays with Team Takeover in the summertime -- has seen the campuses of Georgetown, Maryland, Penn State and Virginia Tech and took a minute to break each of them down.
Georgetown: "I was overwhelmed when I met Patrick Ewing and he offered me. My heart started beating really fast. He's one of my mom's all time favorite players because she's originally from New York and loves the Knicks."
Penn State: "It was good. I think they are an up and coming program in the Big Ten. They've gotten some players from this area like Rasir Bolton and my Team Takeover guy Myles Dread."
Maryland: "It was a good visit. Mark Turgeon and his staff, I really think they have something going over there so I'm going to keep watching them."
Virginia Tech: "I visited Virginia Tech when I was a freshman, it was my first college visit. It was good, they were in the gym bumping, getting after it."
RIVALS' REACTION
It's still very early in Timberlake's recruitment and he said that he wouldn't start getting too serious about it until it started really heating up. Most likely, that's going to start happening in the near future because he can really play.
Timberlake is an impressive driver and his jump shot looks like it will be fine with more repetition, but where he really stands out is as a potentially elite defender. He moves his feet well, uses his length and is just determined to stay in front of guys.