Whether it's riding with him in his Nissan Altima or lining up next to him on Columbus High's defensive line on Friday nights, Caesar Rodriguez said he's had a lot of fun hanging out with his big friend and teammate Antwan Lowery.

Rodriguez has known Lowery since before the eighth grade and laughs every time before he shares a great Antwan story. But it's the following one, he says, that best explains why college football recruiters from across the country are trying to reel in his 6-4, 315-pound friend.

''Antwan has a hidden talent -- he knows how to make quarterbacks and running backs disappear,'' the 6-3, 218-pound 2009 football prospect said. ``For a guy his size, Antwan is so mobile, so quick. Last year against Belen, he chased down their quarterback and swallowed him whole. I swear when Antwan was on top of the guy, you couldn't see him at all.''

A TOP RECRUIT

Spotting Lowery, The Miami Herald's No. 4-ranked high school football recruit in the Class of 2009 in Miami-Dade County, hasn't been a problem for college football scouts. A list of 22 schools have offered Lowery a scholarship -- more than any other recruit coach Chris Merritt said he's had in the 10 years he's been coaching the Explorers.

North Carolina State was the first -- a week after Lowery's junior season concluded. Then, Florida a few days later. Followed by Miami, Rutgers, Auburn, Florida State, Clemson, South Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan, USC and a laundry list of others.

Not bad for a kid with only one real season of varsity experience and who grew up playing catcher and third base in baseball and center in basketball at The Northwest Boys' Club in Miami because he was too heavy for Pop Warner football.

''Antwan has made himself into the player he is now,'' Merritt said. ``He's always been a great kid, always smiling, one I've had around my locker room since he was in the sixth grade. But as a sophomore we had our constant battles with him to stay focused, to go in the weight room and turn that baby fat into muscle.

``He was supposed to be dieting, but his brother used to tell us stories how they would find wrappers and empty soda cans near his bed in the morning. Now, he's tons of muscle. This is a kid that benches 325 pounds and military presses 305 pounds above his head. That's impressive. I try to mess with our kids, grab them by the arm, pull them. I don't mess with Antwan. If he was 30 pounds lighter, turned that stuff around his belly into muscle -- he'd be illegal in high school.''

DANGEROUS PLAYER

Lowery, rated the 29th-best defensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com and seventh in the state of Florida, was dangerous last season. Despite facing constant double and triple teams at defensive tackle in Columbus' 4-4 defense, he managed 75 tackles, 13 for loss and helped the Explorers put together a 11-1 season that ended with a loss to mythical national champion Northwestern in the second round of the playoffs.

His goal for this fall is to improve upon the three sacks he had. Merritt said he will have more of an opportunity now when he lines up at nose guard, directly in front of opposing centers when the Explorers go to a three-man front. Lowery, meanwhile, who was clocked at 5.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 4.9 seconds in the shuttle run at the Scout.com combine this spring, said he will continue dieting and exercising to trim down to around 300 pounds.

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