TAMPA – Jefferson WR Derrick Ingram was a solid Ohio commit when Temple began to recruit him hard. So when the Owls flew down from Philadelphia to visit Ingram, he told them he’d consider Temple – on one condition.
“I told them…don’t offer me if you’re not gonna offer (teammate) Ventell Bryant,” Ingram said.
So Temple offered them both. And on Wednesday, the Owls landed them both.
“We’re like brothers, to be honest,” said Bryant, a 6-foot-3, two-star recruit and fellow Jefferson receiver. “I’ll do anything I can for him. He’ll do anything he could for me. I’m just blessed that we’re in a situation where we can both go to the same school.”
Bryant and Ingram have been teammates since their days of peewee football. They grew tight in sixth grade at Roland Park. If the opportunity to keep playing in college presented itself, they wanted to take it.
They visited Temple together in December and talked about it in their hotel room and on the flight home. They both liked Philadelphia and the coaching staff. Bryant’s jump-ball skills and Ingram’s explosiveness could bring new wrinkles to Temple’s passing game.
The choice was easy. Ingram decommitted from Ohio, and both players pledged to the Owls.
“I feel me and Ventell Bryant can break records at Temple University,” said Ingram, a 6-foot-1, three-star prospect. “I feel like they haven’t seen the type of receivers like us. We’re like lightning and thunder.”
Ingram and Bryant were both excited about playing together and continuing their friendship in a new state, at a new school and a different level.
But there’s one caveat – Temple’s coaches won’t let them room together, because he wants them to get to know players from other areas.
“Maybe our second year, though,” Bryant said.