Freshman D.J. Calhoun skips senior prom to join ASU

The biggest surprise of Arizona State's spring isn't even supposed to be here. D.J. Calhoun still should be back at El Cerrito High in California. Tonight, he should be at his senior prom.

Instead, the freshman linebacker will line up with ASU's first-team defense at Saturday's spring game at Sun Devil Stadium. Calhoun is OK with this. Even better, his girlfriend, a high school junior, is on board, too.

"She's coming out here," said Calhoun, admitting he was a little bummed to find out both events were on the same day. "I just wanted to have one more little high-school experience, but at the end of the day, you have to make sacrifices."

Calhoun, a consensus four-star prospect in high school, graduated from El Cerrito a semester early, which allowed him to join the Sun Devils for 15 spring practices. He didn't expect to come out and start at weak-side linebacker, replacing steady departing senior Chris Young. He worried about his size — 6-feet, 205 pounds. He worried about the competition.

He shouldn't have. Calhoun is one of 10 players who helped themselves the most the past month, and someone to remember when the Sun Devils gather in the summer to prepare for coach Todd Graham's third season. Entering the spring game, he has drawn comparisons to former ASU linebacker Brandon Magee, who's approaching his second season with the Cleveland Browns.

"He's not big in stature, but he's very strong and very explosive," ASU defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Keith Patterson said. "The biggest challenge for D.J. is you got to learn to focus over a five-hour window, from the time you get there before a game starts until the game is over. It's just hard for 17-year-olds to be able to sustain that focus for an extended period of team. … But as far as raw, natural God-given ability, (he's) pretty impressive."

Calhoun has not yet locked down a starting position. The spring has provided an easy transition, mixing school with a laid-back football schedule of just three practices per week. That will change in the fall. There also will be more competition, perhaps from physical junior Antonio Longino.

Still, Calhoun has placed himself in a good position.

"It would be really, really hard to show up July 31 and be the starting WILL linebacker, even as talented as he is," Graham said. "(Participating in spring practice has) been invaluable, and he still has a lot to learn — he's only learned (a small percentage) of our defense — but that's been huge in his development. Next fall he's going to be way ahead of the game."

ASU spring game

Pregame festivities: Fan Fest, which takes place outside Sun Devil Stadium, starts at 9 a.m. Saturday

Spring game: 11 a.m. Saturday

TV: Pac-12 Network.

Admission: Free, but ASU and St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance asks that each person donate three canned-food items.