"Even though he's one of the top high school recruits in the county, he's a real humble guy," said Aaron Wilmer, Washington's quarterback. "He hasn't let it go to his head. To us, he's just Sharrif."

Wilmer laughed when he recalled the time he was riding a SEPTA bus with the 6-foot-3, 305-pounder.

"It had been raining, so the aisle floor was all wet," he said. "When the driver had to make a sudden stop, Sharrif slid all the way up the front of the bus. It was hysterical."

James Fowler, a guard and linebacker for the Eagles, appreciates the Sharrif Floyd who can joke around as well as anyone at a pasta dinner.

"Yeah, he can be pretty outgoing," Fowler said. "He doesn't act like he's different from anyone else. That's one of the things we like about him."

Floyd, projected to be a defensive lineman in college, is the most recruited player in the history of Washington's program and, arguably, the Public League. The attention on him has brought increased exposure for teammates and strengthened the reputation of public-school football in Philadelphia.

Two of Washington's juniors, two-way end Brandon Chudnoff and 6-4, 180-pound receiver Joe Clayborne, sidelined this season with a knee injury, were invited to the U.S. Army All-American Combine in January.

That means at least three Eagles will be heading for the Alamodome in San Antonio. Floyd was selected to play in the prestigious event's East-West game on Jan. 9, 2010.

"It's because of Sharrif that these things are happening," Fowler said. "He's kind of put the school on the map."

Proving his mettle

He turned heads in emphatic fashion. At his first stop, the U.S. Army All-American Combine, he was tabbed the defensive line's most valuable player. He also earned MVP honors at the Scout.com combine, at Baltimore's Ravens Stadium and Penn State's Nike Camp.

In June, Floyd was selected as Most Valuable Big Man at the Rivals.com Premier Showcase at Kean University in Union, N.J. "My friends started calling me Mr. MVP," the 18-year-old said with a laugh.

Floyd, ranked as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com, also wowed onlookers at the Football University Combine and the Top Gun Camp in Paisley, Fla.

"In the Public League, we're kind of stigmatized," said Ron Cohen, Washington's 25th-year head coach. "Nobody thinks the players are big enough, strong enough, quick enough. Players like Sharrif help put an end to that perception."

Said Floyd: "It's more than just me in the Public League. There are a lot of top performers in this league that deserve their due."

Overcoming the odds

It hasn't been a bed of roses just because Floyd has the likes of USC, Florida, and Ohio State gushing over him.

Floyd said his father, shot outside his grandmother's home, died a few days before he was born. He said he talked to his mother regularly by phone but does not see her regularly. She came out to watch the Eagles' 28-6 win over archrival Frankford at Northeast on Oct. 10.

"Yeah, it was kind of emotional," he said, "but I wasn't going to show it. I didn't want to see her cry."

After bouncing from home to home for much of his young life, Floyd now lives with his grandmother in the Summerdale section of Northeast Philly. "It's been a little rough," he said. "I would like to be more settled. I try not to think too much about it. I just try to concentrate on school and football."

Of not having his father in his life, Floyd said, "I just know that when I become a father, I'll be ready to be a father."

Floyd has been able to lean on Cohen, a father figure for many, and the close-knit GW family. Dawn Seeger, a school counselor, has joined him on recruiting trips, and former Washington players like Jameel McClain, now a linebacker for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, have readily offered advice.

"Sharrif has matured tremendously in high school," Cohen said. "He's handled the recruiting process with a lot of poise. I'm very proud of him."

A weighty decision

His finalists include, in no particular order, USC, Florida, Ohio State, South Carolina, and North Carolina. He has taken official visits to the first three. Cohen said that Nebraska had shown late interest and that Floyd might wind up taking a trip there.

Of the glitz and glamour that would go along with USC, Floyd said, "That really doesn't matter to me." And what was his impression of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium? "They say it's the loudest college stadium in the country, and I think that's true," he said.

At last count, the blue-chip recruit had 38 Division I-A offers.

"I feel blessed," Floyd said. "It won't be easy, but I'm confident I'll make the right choice."

So far, he certainly has made the right ones.