321preps Dandy Dozen: Eau Gallie's Curlie Spencer makes it physical

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There are certain skills football players should have in order to be seen as a good player.

Many people think of speed, strength and physical play as three big skills.

If Eau Gallie defensive back Curlie Spencer had to choose just one to describe himself, it would likely be the last one.

"What I love most about football is that it's a physical sport," Spencer said. "I'm very physical and tough, so I love to hit and all that stuff."

He is one of 12 Brevard County senior high school football players on FLORIDA TODAY's list of the area's most highly sought recruits, the 321preps Dandy Dozen.

Last season, Spencer showed colleges just how physical his playing style really was, tallying 51 tackles, six pass breakups and one forced fumble.

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Eau Gallie head coach Chris Sands echoed Spencer's point of his physical play being the strong point of his game.

"Curlie is probably one of the most physical kids I have ever coached. He is athletic, he's tough," Sands said. "Just the mindset and the physicality and the ability to play physical is a huge component at the next level."

Spencer has received interest from Power Five schools such as the University of Kansas and Indiana University.

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When deciding on what school he plans to attend, Spencer said he wanted to be sure he joined a team that created a comfortable environment for him.

"Those two colleges are actually far away, so I was looking for somewhere where I can feel like home and somewhere that is similar and reminds me of home," he said. "On top of that, I was looking for real genuine relationships with coaches and teammates, you know, people that want to see you do better in life, not just on the field."

He is being recruited to play defense, more specifically cornerback or safety. Sands said Spencer's potential is another thing colleges like about him.

"As good as he is and how many varsity reps he's played, he is still raw, and a lot of people like that about him," Sands said. "With raw players, there's the ability to teach, and that's why a lot of people like him as a recruit. He doesn't have many flaws, and he is so raw that people can kind of come in and get their technique to him without having to push through anything else."

Spencer will enter his senior season for the Commodores looking to continue to improve and sharpen his skills before he heads off into the world of college football.

He is also looking forward to having the opportunity to further his education and mentioned marketing, entrepreneurship and paleontology as areas he is interested in studying in college.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 321preps Dandy Dozen: Curlie Spencer of Eau Gallie high school