Blue White Illustrated

WHAT HE DID A four-year letterman and a team captain in 2020, Buddin was part of the most successful stretch at Belleville in decades, as the Tigers went 43-4 dur- ing his varsity career. They made the Michigan state semi9nals in 2019 and 2020 but came up short both years. The 2020 season was interrupted in the play- o;s due to coronavirus concerns, but in Belleville's 9rst nine games, Buddin to- taled 43 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. His 2019 season was his best, as he totaled 61 tackles, including an eye- catching 29 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles. If you include his two seasons as an underclassman, Buddin racked up 184 tackles, 59 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. WHAT HE WON Buddin won multiple awards in 2019, including All-Kensington Lakes Activities Association, 9rst-team All-Conference by MLive.com, All-West Detroit by the Detroit News and All-Re- gion Great Lakes by MaxPreps. A three- star prospect as rated by Rivals.com, Buddin ranked 33rd nationally at outside linebacker and was the 15th-ranked player in Michigan. WHERE HE VISITED Buddin emerged in the summer of 2019, when he and his Belleville teammates attended Penn State's seven-on-seven camp. Safeties coach Tim Banks and defensive coordi- nator Brent Pry had been monitoring him prior to that, but watching him move up close helped get the ball rolling; two weeks after the camp, Banks ex- tended an offer. Buddin made two addi- tional trips to Penn State, attending the White Out victory over Michigan in Oc- tober and returning Feb. 1 for what proved to be the final junior day before the pandemic shut recruiting down. Like so many other prospects, he held out throughout the spring and summer, hoping to visit schools at some point. He didn't get that chance, but come July, Buddin was ready to shut it all down. His decision ultimately came down to Penn State, Michigan State and Minnesota. He announced for the Nittany Lions on July 17. QUOTABLE Belleville head coach Jer- main Crowell: "Jamari is a passionate, ag- gressive and explosive football player. He can be real calm, cool and collected o; the 9eld, but on the 9eld he's a disrupter and a playmaker. Penn State is getting a great pass rusher, and he's going to develop the more snaps he gets. When the lights come on is when he plays his best, in the biggest games." PHIL'S TAKE The first thing you notice when you view Buddin's senior highlight MICHIGAN MAN When he com- mitted in July, Buddin joined a long list of Michigan high school stand- outs who have chosen the Nit- tany Lions, in- cluding classmates Kalen and Kobe King and Jaylen Reed. Photo by Ryan Snyder Ryan Snyder JAMARI BUDDIN RIVALS ★★★ | POS LB | HT 6-2 | WT 204 | HOME Ypsilanti, Mich. | SCHOOL Belleville >>

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