Just eight years ago Ahmad Brooks was considered a prodigy. The Woodbridge, Va. native starred at linebacker for Hylton High, routinely making plays that would leave fans slack-jawed as he helped the Bulldogs win two Group AAA state titles. He was named USA Today’s defensive player of the year as a senior and was a prized recruit for coach Al Groh and the Virginia Cavaliers.
Things in Charlottesville never worked out, though. While Brooks was a Butkus Award finalist as a sophomore he had a disappointing junior year and was eventually kicked off the team for off-the-field transgressions and entered the NFL’s supplemental draft.
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Only now is Brooks making an impact. He didn’t play a down for the San Francisco 49ers in 2008, but late this season Brooks has become the team’s pass-rushing specialist. He had a sack on Dec. 6 against Seattle and posted three more this week against Arizona in a breakout performance on Monday Night Football.
