Feb. 03--One meeting is all it takes.
"No one ever forgets my name," Simba Short said.
In "The Lion King" films, Simba matures from playful cub to ruler of the kingdom.
Short would relish a similar path at Northwestern, where he could emerge as a standout linebacker.
"He's a dynamic 'backer," CBS Sports Network recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "If he had been taller (than his listed 6-foot-2), he would have gotten more pub."
Short excelled at national powerhouse Concord De La Salle in northern California and selected Northwestern over Arizona State and Yale. National signing day is Wednesday.
A dead ringer for former NU All-Big Ten tailback Darnell Autry, Short has modeled clothes for catalogs such as Target's. (He's not sure whether the NCAA will allow that once he signs with Northwestern.)
He's also a graffiti artist who has transformed his bedroom with colorful murals depicting "monsters and letters."
"My dad was a little hesitant at first," Short said, "but once he saw how much time I put into my art, he went along with it."
As for his style on the field, Short put it this way: "I spend a lot of time in the film room, so by the time I step on field, I know what the other team is going to do. I love hitting people."
tgreenstein@tribune.com
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
