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May 2007
UGA? Tech? Decision day looms for Charlotte star
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Makiri Pugh is having trouble keeping a secret.
“Everybody wants to know where I am going and it is hard,” Pugh told the blog Thursday night. “They keep saying, ‘Just tell me, just tell me.’ If I tell them, then it is going to get out.’ “
It’s all going to come out at 4 p.m. Friday. That’s when the Charlotte (N.C.) Independence cornerback will walk to the podium at a news conference, dial the coach of his college choice on the phone and put on the hat with that school’s colors.
“It’s between Virginia, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Georgia,” Pugh said.
Pugh decided to make his decision early so he could concentrate on his senior season. The pressure of recruiting weren’t wearing him too thin, but he said once he had his mind made up he knew it was time to go ahead and commit.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Pugh played his junior season at Independence. Prior to that, he played at DeMatha in Hyattsville, Md.
“Right now, [Independence] has won 108 straight games,” he said. “Before that at DeMatha I only lost one game. So I am used to winning and being in programs that win.”
Georgia has had success recruiting Independence, grabbing Mohamed Massaquoi and Joe Cox out of the North Carolina powerhouse two years ago. Pugh has had a chance to met and talk with both Cox and Massaquoi.
Latest UGA commitment ‘can do it all’
Greater Atlanta Christian coach Jimmy Chupp said there are ample reasons at least 15 major colleges made scholarship offers to Georgia-bound inside linebacker Christian Robinson.
Robinson chose the Bulldogs over Georgia Tech, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest.
“He’s just a great, well-mannered kid who can do it all,” Chupp said. “On his highlight tape, he makes plays.”
Chupp believes the 6-foot-3, 190 pound Robinson was wise to commit prior to the start of his senior year at GAC.
“I thought he would try to make a decision as quickly as he could so he could get on with training and get on with the season,” Chupp said. “I think it was a good thing that he did because now he can put all the recruiting behind him and get bigger, faster and stronger.”
Ball State first to offer Brandon
Northview wide receiver Xzavian Brandon scored his first offer Wednesday — from Ball State.
“They said they like my style a lot and they wanted to go ahead and extend an offer,” Brandon said. “They said they’re excited about me and the type of receiver I am. They want me to come in and be an impact player for them.”
Brandon’s initial reaction to the offer? Relief.
“It’s really good to get that first offer,” he said. “Now I can go ahead and exhale and wait for others to come. It lifts a whole lot of weight off my shoulders.
“It’s my first offer. And I’ll be sure to remember that on signing day.”
Harrison’s Madden plays waiting game
Harrison tight end Kyle Madden believes his first offer will arrive any day.
“I’m hearing from Vanderbilt, Central Florida, Clemson, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Princeton and Stanford,” the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Madden said.
Madden has a firm deadline for making a commitment.
“I want to make my decision before the start of my senior year,” he said.
Madden’s dream college?
“I guess anywhere that has a good education program,” said Madden, who plans to study sports therapy.
Roswell linebacker a wanted man
Roswell linebacker Zack Waddell, who is receiving interest from Duke, Vanderbilt and Miami (Ohio), said he enjoys seeing his name appear on recruiting Web sites.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Waddell said. “You feel wanted. There is some stress involved, but it’s all OK.”
When not at camp or lifting weights, expect to find Waddell on the lake this summer.
“I bought a new boat about three weeks ago,” Waddell said. “I’ve already taken it up to Lake Lanier to go fishing.”
No frontrunner for Fowlkes
Steven Fowlkes, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound defensive end for Banneker, confirmed the receipt of offers from Tennessee, Indiana, Purdue, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Louisville.
“I don’t have a frontrunner yet,” Fowlkes said.
Ole Miss-bound Smith keeping busy
Mays linebacker Bernard Smith says he’s off the recruiting market.
But there he was in the middle of the meat market that was the Scout.com combine last Saturday at Georgia Tech.
The Ole Miss commitment said it wasn’t because he was looking for another offer.
“This is the best way to get yourself ready for college,” he said. “There is nothing that can prepare you better than this.”
Nothing prepared Smith for the grind of recruiting.
“It can wear you down,” he said. “You are so anxious and you start thinking, ‘What if I hurt myself my senior year?’ So you want to hurry up and get a scholarship so if I do hurt myself, [college coaches] still might say, ‘OK, we are already committed to him. Let’s see what he does in a year and he might be back for us.’ “
Programs have continued to recruit Smith even though he has remained steadfast in his commitment to Ole Miss. Auburn has put on the most heat, he said.
Smith said he received several text messages from Auburn coaches during the NFL draft, when several Tigers stars were being selected. Florida State and Florida also continue to recruit Smith.
UGA lands 10th junior; Alabama prospects weigh options
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Greater Atlanta Christian junior linebacker Christian Robinson went with his gut instead of his bloodlines when it came to picking a college.
The son of Ken Robinson, a former South Carolina linebacker, chose Georgia over the Gamecocks and several other SEC schools. He is the 10th commitment for the Bulldogs for the class of 2008.
He’s also the second recruit in a row to spurn an offer from his father’s school and pick Georgia instead. (Habersham Central’s Tavarres King turned down Clemson for Georgia.)
Robinson, a GAC teammate of UGA signee Caleb King, will most likely play outside linebacker in college. He is the first linebacker in Georgia’s class of 2008.
Alabama linebacker ready to go camping
Jerrell Harris doesn’t have the logistics of his summer quite planned out. But he does have the schools where he wants to attend camp lined up. The Gadsden City, Ala., linebacker is planning on making six or seven summer camp visits.
“Florida, LSU, Clemson, South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee,” he said.
Those are just a handful of the 27 schools that have offered scholarships to the four-star prospect. And the 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker has already paid visits to Alabama, Clemson, Auburn, Florida and LSU.
Harris was in Atlanta as part of the Scout.com elite combine at Georgia Tech on Saturday.
“I wanted to see where I stand,” he said of the combine. “I am always checking out other guys.”
Harris will not make a college decision until after his senior season.
“I am going to wait it out,’’ he said. “I want a chance at picking up more offers and better offers and getting to see some places.”
Decision day looms for McClain
Antoine McClain has a decision to make … and fast.
“My coach is giving me until July to make my choice,” he said. “He doesn’t want it interfering with my senior season. No distractions.”
The offensive tackle from Anniston, Ala., so far has been business-like in his recruiting efforts. He has offers from most of the SEC and has taken unofficial visits to LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.
“I am just trying to see which ones fit my criteria,” he said.
That list of criteria includes education, camaraderie and success.
UGA recruits top rankings; Tuggle’s son a hot commodity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia’s recruiting class of 2008 is shaping up as one to remember … if you believe Rivals.com’s rankings.
The Web site came out with its new top 100 junior list Tuesday. On it are five UGA recruits: wide receiver A.J. Green at No. 4, defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson at No. 6, running back Richard Samuel at No. 30, wide receiver Tavarres King at No. 64 and defensive end Cornelius Washington at No. 70.
“With guys like DeAngelo Tyson and A.J. Green, it’s pretty obvious that Georgia is off to one of the best recruiting starts in the country,” Rivals analyst JC Shurburtt told the blog. “What makes it even more special is the bulk of the committed are in-state prospects.
“In my opinion, wrapping up the very best from the Peach State most years is one of the fundamental necessities for the Bulldogs to continue to compete for SEC titles.”
Georgians who made the Rivals cut:
— Statesboro’s Tyson at No. 6.
— Cartersville Cass’ Samuel at No. 30.
— Jefferson County lineman A.J. Harmon at No. 43.
— Heard County running back Dontavius Jackson at No. 61.
— Habersham Central’s King at No. 64.
— Norcross wide receiver Brice Butler at No. 66.
— Burke County’s Washington at No. 70.
Aspiring journalist digs Dogs
Fayette County cornerback Brandon Boykin is committed to Georgia, but three other SEC programs continue to knock on his door.
“Ole Miss, South Carolina and Auburn are keeping in touch,” Boykin said.
While he’s willing to hear pitches from other schools, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Boykin appears to have his heart set on the Bulldogs.
“I’ve always liked [Georgia], even when I was a child,” Boykin said. “They’re a prestigious school. I want to be a journalist. And they have a pretty good journalism school at Georgia.
“I like writing. I want to be a sports broadcaster. That’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.”
Boykin earned kudos from his teachers at Fayette County recently following an appearance at his school by Georgia coach Mark Richt.
“All of my teachers are UGA fans, so they were really excited to see him,” Boykin said.
Roswell’s Okakpu high on Hurricanes
Miami is the early favorite to sign Roswell linebacker Ebele Okakpu.
“I have 12 offers from programs like Miami, Louisville, Purdue and Indiana,” Okakpu said. “Right now, I’m probably leaning toward Miami. They’ve been my favorite school since I started watching football.”
Razorbacks offer Troup star
Troup offensive tackle John Oliver has secured a scholarship offer from Arkansas.
“And Auburn, Georgia and Marshall are showing a lot of interest,” the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Oliver said.
Oliver found his calling on the offensive line last season.
“I was on defense last year, and we were short on offensive linemen because of injury,” Oliver said. “So they put me over there and it just sort of took off.”
Oliver plans to make a commitment by August.
“I’m pretty interested in Arkansas,” he said. “But I’m going to wait until the end of the summer, make a commitment, then just have fun my senior year.”
Oliver, who will attend several camps this summer, intends to stay busy prior to the start of his senior season at Troup.
“I plan to go fishing and ride four-wheelers,” Oliver said. “There’s some good fishing at West Point Lake and the pond out behind my house.”
Buford’s King awaits offers
Buford’s Tyler King talks like a prototypical fullback.
“I get to go head up with the linebacker,” King said. “It’s fun knocking people around.”
The 6-foot, 245-pound, who is waiting on his first offer, said it’s unlikely he will play a different position in college.
“Right now, it’s looking like I’m going to play fullback in college,” King said. “That’s what I’ve talked to colleges about. It’s fullback right now.”
King believes playing for the powerhouse Buford Wolves only enhances his chances of receiving numerous offers.
North Cobb QB a hot commodity
North Cobb quarterback Matt Roark has nine offers from programs such as Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Duke, Wake Forest and Oregon.
The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Roark is being recruited primarily as a wide receiver.
“I really want to play wide receiver in college,” Roark said. “[North Cobb] put me at quarterback because that’s the easiest way to put the ball in my hands.”
Roark, who doesn’t have a frontrunner but hopes to commit by August, said several factors will play into his decision.
“It’s just the chemistry with the atmosphere, the coaches and the players already there,” Roark said. “Location is important. I don’t know if I want to go too far, but that would be a good experience if I did.”
McRae: Star lineman, future electrical engineer
Dublin offensive lineman Nick McRae, who committed to Georgia Tech on Saturday, chose the Yellow Jackets over Duke, Maryland and N.C. State.
“It’s not too far away from home and most of my family is going to be moving [to Atlanta],” McRae said. “And I want to go to school to be an electrical engineer. And Georgia Tech is one of the top schools in engineering.”
Playing for central Georgia football powerhouse Dublin gave McRae an upper hand in the recruiting wars.
“I think the reason I got all this attention is because we had about six players [at Dublin] last year that got a lot of attention from schools,” McRae said.
Son of Falcons great weighs options
Mississippi State and Indiana have made offers to Northview quarterback Justin Tuggle, the son of former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle.
“I like those offers but I’m still waiting to see what else comes in,” Justin Tuggle said. “I’ll hit a couple of summer camps and see what all goes down and happens.”
College coaches have plenty of reasons to covet the 6-foot-3, 205 pound Tuggle.
“They said they like my presence in the pocket,” Tuggle said. “They like that I’m mobile and can throw the ball downfield. With my arm strength, I can make all the throws. But I can also get out of the pocket when it breaks down.”
While proud to follow in his dad’s footsteps, Tuggle said he found his football calling on offense years ago.
“As I was growing up, I liked scoring touchdowns a whole lot more than I did stopping them,” Tuggle said. “So that’s how it all started.”
So has the son of an NFL player known as “The Hammer” landed his own nickname?
“Not yet,” Tuggle said. “But I’m still looking. Maybe someone will give me one someday.”
Alabama lineman makes waves
Ben Jones, an offensive lineman from Bibb County, Ala., had a strong showing during Saturday’s Scout.com Southeast Elite Camp at Georgia Tech.
Jones, who has offers from Air Force and Troy, is confident more scholarship offers will roll in this summer.
“I’m just waiting,” Jones said. “A lot of them said they would just wait until they saw me in camp.”
Jones listed Georgia as his dream school.
“That’s where my dad graduated from,” Jones said. “He actually played football at The Citadel but got hurt.”
Top recruits strut stuff at Scout.com combine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Cobb offensive lineman Matt Britain was among more than 130 players on hand for Saturday’s Scout.com Southeast Elite Camp at Georgia Tech.
The gathering was an opportunity for some of the nation’s top recruits to showcase their talents in front of a lineup of premier instructors, headlined by former Atlanta Falcons player Buddy Curry.
Britain was enthusiastic to participate in Saturday’s festivities, which included one-on-one and seven-on-seven drills.
“It’s all about being noticed,” Britain said of the experience. “But you take away better teachings of the game and you learn instructional drills here that you can take back to your high school to perform and become a better player.”
Britain has offers from Central Florida and Western Michigan. But he expects his phone to ring a lot this summer.
“Vanderbilt is on me pretty hard,” Britain said. “And I’m hearing from Duke and Middle Tennessee. It’s pretty wide open.”
Britain said several factors will come into play when he chooses a college.
“To me, academics are very important,” he said. “But then when you look at it from the football program side, you’ve got to have facilities, coaches and the atmosphere.”
Ivory to ‘play it out’
Marques Ivory, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound quarterback for Northside Warner Robins, is receiving heavy interest from Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina, Clemson, Western Michigan, UCLA, LSU, Indiana and Vanderbilt.
Once the offers being rolling in, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Ivory vowed there will be no reason to hurry up and make a decision.
“I want to play it out and see what happens,” Ivory said.
Ivory offered a self-assessment of his quarterback skills: “I’m a dual-threat, but I throw more than I run.”
There will be little time for fun and recreation for Ivory this summer.
“I plan to work out and go to a lot of camps,” he said.
Paulding County QB awaits offers
Paulding County quarterback Zach Thomason believes he is on the verge of a wave of scholarship offers coming his way.
“I’ve talked to many schools, including Louisville, Alabama, Auburn, Jacksonville State, Georgia Southern, Western Michigan and a bunch of schools like that,” Thomason said. “A lot of schools, including Maryland, have come by. But no offers yet.”
If Thomas has his way, he’d be left to choose between three SEC powerhouses.
“I’d like to play at Georgia, Alabama or Auburn,” Thomason said. “Those would be my top three.
“I’ve been to all three to watch games. The atmosphere is just amazing with how they love their football in all three stadiums.”
Tech lands commitment No. 3
Georgia Tech landed its third commitment for the class of 2008 Saturday when Dublin two-way lineman Nick McRae said yes to the Yellow Jackets.
The 6-foot-4, 289-pound McRae, who most recruiting analysts project as an offensive lineman, also had scholarship offers from Maryland and N.C. State.
He joins a class that includes Henry County receiver Chris Jackson and Orlando Dr. Phillips running back Embry Peeples.
McRae commits to Tech; Ward still high on Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech landed its third commitment for the class of 2008 Saturday when Dublin two-way lineman Nick McRae said yes to the Yellow Jackets.
The 6-foot-4, 289-pound McRae, who most recruiting analysts project as an offensive lineman, also had scholarship offers from Maryland and N.C. State.
He joins a class that includes Henry County receiver Chris Jackson and Orlando Dr. Phillips running back Embry Peeples.
Coach: Ward still ‘impressed with Georgia’
New Mount Zion head football coach Jarrett Laws said junior running back Martin Ward is “just as impressed with Georgia as he has always been.”
But Laws said Ward, who took back his committment to the Bulldogs recently, plans to go through the recruitment process just like any other prospect. Ward plans to visit a few of the SEC schools that have started to show interest in him, including Auburn, Tennessee and Florida.
“This is a kid that has not be exposed to a whole lot and who really didn’t know how the process works,” said Laws, who took over the program at Mount Zion after Bob Ryan retired after the season. Laws rejected the notion that he influenced Ward to de-commit.
“When he started getting attention from all these other schools, when we talked, all I told him was that he needed to make a decision based on what is best for him and his future — and not just his football future, but his future in life,” Laws said. “He actually called [Georgia running backs coach Tony] Ball and told him he was decommitting before he told me or anyone else on our staff.”
Oklahoma joins Avery hunt
Cedar Grove running back Xavier Avery received an offer from Oklahoma on Wednesday. Avery already has offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU and South Carolina.
He plans to weigh his baseball options before committing.
“I won’t decide anytime soon,” said Avery, who hit .668 and stole 47 bases for Cedar Grove this spring.
Ward to check out SEC options; McRae decision coming soon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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New Mount Zion head football coach Jarrett Laws said junior running back Martin Ward is “just as impressed with Georgia as he has always been.”
But Laws said Ward, who took back his committment to the Bulldogs recently, plans to go through the recruitment process just like any other prospect. Ward plans to visit a few of the SEC schools that have started to show interest in him, including Auburn, Tennessee and Florida.
“This is a kid that has not be exposed to a whole lot and who really didn’t know how the process works,” said Laws, who took over the program at Mount Zion after Bob Ryan retired after the season. Laws rejected the notion that he influenced Ward to de-commit.
“When he started getting attention from all these other schools, when we talked, all I told him was that he needed to make a decision based on what is best for him and his future — and not just his football future, but his future in life,” Laws said. “He actually called [Georgia running backs coach Tony] Ball and told him he was decommitting before he told me or anyone else on our staff.”
McRae targets June decision
Nick McRae would like to visit the Scout.com player combine Saturday at Georgia Tech, but instead will wait before making his next visit to The Flats.
The two-way lineman instead will attend commencement at Dublin High, although he’s a year away from graduating himself.
McRae also plans to make an early decision on where he’ll play college football, as Tech, Maryland and N.C. State already have made scholarship offers.
“I’m thinking of making a decision maybe in June,” said McRae, who has been to Tech a few times for junior days and unofficial visits.
“I probably will make more [unofficial campus] visits before then. I know I’ll be back at Georgia Tech sometime soon. I’m planning on going to one of their one-day camps, most likely June 9th.”
At 6-feet-3, 285 pounds, McRae is being recruited chiefly as an offensive lineman, although he plays on both sides of the ball. He said he’s also made unofficial visits to Auburn, South Carolina, Georgia and Vanderbilt, and wants to commit early rather than deal with recruiting during his senior year.
“That’s the main reason,” he said.
Oklahoma joins Avery hunt
Cedar Grove running back Xavier Avery received an offer from Oklahoma on Wednesday. Avery already has offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU and South Carolina.
He plans to weigh his baseball options before committing.
“I won’t decide anytime soon,” said Avery, who hit .668 and stole 47 bases for Cedar Grove this spring.
Five offers for Loftley
Chamblee defensive end Taylor Loftley is considering offers from Duke, South Carolina, Stanford, UAB and Vanderbilt.
“It’s still kind of early, but I kind of want to commit before the season starts,” Loftley said.
Brandon’s mission: Lower 40 time
Northview wide receiver Xzavian Brandon will be on a mission this summer at camp.
“I’m out to prove that I’m faster than my tape shows,” said Brandon, who claims he can run the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds.
Stephens County star on hold
Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee and South Carolina have offered scholarships to Stephens County running back Tauren Poole.
But no decision is imminent.
“I’m just kind of feeling things out,” Poole said.
Hayward plots future; UGA, Tech to entertain Sabino
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Aware that college scouts will be watching, Perry quarterback Casey Hayward Jr. has plans to impress on-lookers during Friday’s final spring scrimmage.
But the 6-foot, 180-pound Hayward’s future on the college level apparently lies at receiver or in the secondary.
“I’m getting recruited as a wide receiver or defensive back,” Hayward said. “It’s a hard choice. I like to hit. But right now, I’m probably looking at wide receiver.”
Hayward is hopeful Vanderbilt will make a scholarship offer. Hayward plans to attend summer camp at Vandy to sharpen his receiving skills.
He is the also receiving interest from Purdue, Middle Tennessee State and several junior colleges.
A member of Perry’s 4x400 track relay team that finished fourth at state in Class AAA earlier this month, the third-year quarterback said he doesn’t mind utilizing his 4.5-second 40-yard dash speed as needed.
“I like to run the ball and scramble,” Hayward said.
Stephens County’s Poole weighs options
With offers from Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee and South Carolina already in his hip pocket, Stephens County running back Tauren Poole is content to play the waiting game.
“I’m just kind of feeling things out,” Poole said. “It’s all about academics first, then my comfort level at the school and my chances to go to the NFL after being coached well by the running back coach.”
Poole has visited Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee.
“Tennessee was very exciting and enthusiastic,” said Poole, who attended last fall’s Tennessee-LSU game. “Clemson was calm and cool.”
So will the short drive from his home in northeast Georgia to Clemson factor into Poole’s decision?
“Not really,” he said. “It’s all about my opportunity to play and showcase my talent. It’s sort of about distance, but then again it’s not. If I get a great opportunity, I’ll take it.”
Grady’s Farley lands Tulane offer
Tulane made a scholarship offer to Grady linebacker Darryl Farley on Tuesday.
It was the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Farley’s third offer this spring.
“It’s a little early,” said Grady, who already has scholarships on the table from Marshall and Ole Miss. “I’m still looking at a lot of schools to see what they offer.”
Sabino plans stops to UGA, Tech
Miami Dr. Krop linebacker Etienne Sabino and his teammate, cornerback Travis Howard, plan to visit Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn and Tennessee from June 6-10, Rivals.com’s JC Shurburtt tells the blog.
Sabino is one of the top overall linebacker prospects in the country and has more than 30 offers. Howard recently has emerged as a high-level prospect, picking up offers from Miami, Florida State, Tennessee and others.
Reamon better than Michael Vick?
Staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter caught up with Gloucester (Va.) High coach Tommy Reamon Sr., who coached Michael Vick in high school. Reamon’s son, quarterback Tommy Reamon Jr., is among the state of Virginia’s top recruits in the class of 2008:
Q: How’s your son’s recruitment going?
“He’s had a busy spring. A very busy spring as a junior recruit. He’s been down there to Georgia Tech quite a few times. He’s been to Alabama, to North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He’s been to Boston College and now he’s dealing with the May recruiting season and there are quite a few schools in the thick of it.
“East Carolina is really pushing for him. He’s had numerous offers, but he’s ready to go. He’s a player. He has one more year to get it going. After one more year, I will walk away from the game myself.”
Q: Has Tommy Jr. helped you with the rebuilding at Gloucester High?
“I’m still in the same district and actually we are better. Tommy has been a leader and has helped me build a program as well as expose his talents when the support cast is not there yet. Missouri was in town Friday. He’s done a great job in trying to help me build a program here at Gloucester High School. We are working our butts off.
“He’s not the first marquee quarterback that I’ve had and I think he’s better than all of them based off of poise, intelligence, smarts, his great mobility. He throws with great accuracy. He’s not a rocket thrower. He’s more of placement quarterback with accuracy.”
Prospects aplenty at Walton, Roswell, Northview, Chattahoochee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Very few high school football coaches outside of Cobb County knew about Walton’s Chase Thomas only three months ago.
Now after a meteoric rise, the rising senior defensive end is known across most of the country by coaches, but at the collegiate level.
Almost overnight, Thomas has turned into one of the state’s elite prospects with 15 early scholarship offers, including ones from Florida, LSU and Auburn. At this pace, by the time his senior year begins in August, Thomas projects to have 30 offers or more.
Even Thomas admits he is surprised by all the new-found fame.
“If you would have told me a few months ago that I would have 15 Division I offers by May, I would’ve laughed, especially with some of these elite colleges,” Thomas said. “I’m really blessed. All my childhood dreams are coming true.”
The rapid rise of the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder has to do with three things:
— Outstanding size and speed.
— Stellar academics. He carries a 3.8 GPA.
— An aggressive marketing campaign from Walton’s coaches and his father.
“So far it has been a lot of fun, getting all of the attention and seeing head coaches at practice that you watch on TV,” Thomas said.
Here’s an early look at some of the area’s other top college prospects:
— Roswell: The defending Class AAAAA co-champions have three players who with early offers: Linebacker Ebele Okakpu with seven (including Vanderbilt and Central Florida); receiver Garrett Embry with four (led by Baylor) and tailback Alex Daniel with three (led by Central Florida).
Coach Tim McFarlin also expects quarterback Dustin Taliaferro, defensive end Curtis Hazelton, kicker Jim Broadway and linebacker Zack Waddell, among others, to play in college.
Hazelton is set to spend the majority of the summer participating in college camps. His objective?
“I want to go there and really just show the coaches what I can do and hope I can get some offers,” said Hazelton, who will attend camps at Central Florida, Vanderbilt, Duke and, possibly, North Carolina. “And I want to work on footwork and speed.”
Hazelton, who plans to major in sociology and business marketing, would like to play at Duke or Vanderbilt.
“With Vanderbilt, it seems like they have a strong program that’s getting better,” Hazelton said. “With Duke, it seems like I’d get to play early.”
— Northview: Quarterback Justin Tuggle is the big-name player, being the son of former Falcons linebacker Jesse Tuggle, but it is teammate Cordian Hagans, who starts at defensive end and tight end, who is currently generating the most interest.
Hagans has early offers from eight colleges, including Georgia, Boston College and LSU.
College scouts are mixed over the college position of Tuggle, who has offers from Mississippi State and Indiana. About 30 colleges were scheduled to observe Northview’s spring practices, and coach Don Savage said as many as nine seniors could play at the next level.
— Chattahoochee: The Cougars usually have at least one linemen draw attention from the big schools, and this year it’s Justin Smith. He has early offers Ole Miss and Marshall and appears to be on the brink of several more.
— Marist: Cooper Taylor has yet to start a varsity game at quarterback, but has early offers from Duke, Mississippi State and Marshall. Taylor is being recruited as either a defensive back or athlete who could play several positions.
Coach Alan Chadwick said it appears to be on of the program’s stronger years for prospects, with as many as seven seniors likely to have the opportunity to play in college.
SOUTH CAROLINA QB CATCHES RECRUITERS’ EYES
Several Division I-A coaches lined up recently to get a glimpse of quarterback Reid McCollum during spring drills at Summerville (S.C.) High.
Heading the list of notables was South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.
“Spurrier came by and said he liked what he saw,” said McCollum, who was also scouted during spring practice by representatives from Duke, N.C. State, Virginia, Florida State, Louisville and Tennessee.
McCollum, who threw for nearly 3,000 yards as a junior, is awaiting his first offer.
“What they’re saying is when the first one comes, they’ll all start coming,” said McCollum, who downplayed a report on Scout.com that he is leaning toward South Carolina and Wake Forest. “I’m interested in whoever is interested in me.”
The 6-foot-5 McCollum is being recruited as a pro-style quarterback.
“I’m pretty tall and am more of a pocket passer,” McCollum said. “I can scramble when I need to, but I like to throw it downfield.”
McCollum is a second-generation player under John McKissick, the nation’s winningest high school football coach. McCollum’s top target, receiver A.J. Green, is a Georgia recruit.
“It’s really an honor for me to play for him,” McCollum said. “My dad played for him in high school. He really is a legend. He’s real easy to talk to. And he knows everything there is about football.”
KING RELIEVED MADNESS IS OVER
Habersham Central wide receiver Tavarres King originally thought he’d wait until the fall to announce where he was going.
But …
“[Recruiting] has been pretty tiring, I am not going to lie,” said King, who on Friday picked Georgia over Clemson and others. “Fifty, 55 text messages every day, that isn’t too fun for mom paying that bill.
“It has its ups and down. A month ago, I sat down with my parents. I sat down in the den and I was like, ‘I am ready to get this thing over with and I am ready to focus on my senior year and get that started.’ ”
It was at that time that King settled on Georgia. While he did let the Georgia coaches know of his decision prior to Friday’s news conference — John Eason, the Bulldogs’ wide receiver coach, was in attendance in Mount Airy — no one else knew.
“I knew Georgia was the leader,” said Anthony King, Tavarres’ father and a former Clemson star. “But he didn’t tell me before this.”
JACKSON’S PLAN: ‘KEEP EVERYBODY GUESSING’
Toby Jackson is going to know where he wants to play his college football pretty soon.
But the Griffin defensive lineman isn’t going to tell anybody until much later.
“I like to keep it a secret,” Jackson said. “[I want to] keep everybody guessing. I’m not going to say anything until after the season, close to signing day.”
Until that time he is going to continue to entertain most of the big schools in the Southeast. Right now those schools at or near the top of his list include Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State and Alabama.
“I like a lot of different coaches right now, but after talking to them for a while some of them start to say the same thing and you are like, ‘I just heard that from another coach,’ ” Jackson said.
What Jackson is hearing a lot of are opinions on what position he will play at the next level. Alabama sees the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder as a defensive end. Florida State has said he could be an end or outside linebacker. Tennessee is leaning more toward defensive tackle.
Georgia said it doesn’t matter. The Bulldogs are willing to wait and see what his body does before they put him in a position.
“I’ve still got a lot of growing to do so it is hard to tell where I am going to be,” Jackson said.
Jackson does want to be in a place with a demonstrative coach.
“I like a coach that is really hands on and gets in there with his players,” he said. “Somebody with energy.”
LOADED LINEUP FOR SCOUT.COM CAMP
Scout.com will hold an invitation-only combine starring 100-plus of the Southeast’s top junior prospects Saturday at Georgia Tech.
Organizer Scott Kennedy estimates that 90 of the 119 players who have RSVP’d will sign Division I scholarships less than a year from now.
On the guest list:
Alabama
— Anniston: OT Antoine McClain
— Auburn: Dee Finley S
—Bibb County: OL Ben Jones
— Blount: DE Willie Bohannon
— Hoover Spain Park: DE William Green
— Mountain Brook: OT Tyler Love
Florida
— Hialeah Senior: DE Corey Liuget
— Hollywood Hills: RB Chris Anderson
— Miami Monsignor Pace: OT Greg Shaw
Georgia
— Banneker: DE Steven Fowlkes, S Darrell Simmons
— Berkmar: LB Kevin Minter
— Blessed Trinity: OL Matthew Crisafi, OL Ben Kopacka, OT Harris Howard
— Calhoun: RB Adam Urbano
— Callaway: OL Ronald Byrd
— Carrollton: DT Nick Craig
— Cartersville:— S Donovan Tate, WR Tim Baker
— Carver (Atlanta): LB Arsenio Clemmons, S Darren Myles, WR Tiunte Little
— Carver (Columbus): QB Deron Furr, WR Jarmon Fortson
— Chamblee: WR Malcolm Beyah
— Clarke Central: OL Trevino Woods, RB Darrieon Robinson
— Coffee County: OG B.J. Brand
— Columbia: S Kenny Harris, RB Taurean Rhodes
— Creekside: CB Terrance Parks
— Dacula: LB Brad Chahoy, S Blair Frost
— Douglas County: RB LaVonte Page, RB Carl Robinson
— East Coweta: FB Tim McGill
— Fayette County CB Brandon Boykin, S Matt Daniels
— Flowery Branch: QB Jaybo Shaw
— Gadsden City: LB Jerrell Harris
— Gainesville: DE Keith Wells, WR Tyler Adetona
— Grady: LB Darryl Farley, WR Demarcus Watts
— Griffin: DT Rashad McMullens, DE Toby Jackson
— Habersham Central: CB Josh Anderson, LB Daniel Franklin
— Harrison: CB Jamal Austin, RB Alphonso Griffin, TE Kyle Madden, WR Darvin Adams
— Heard County: RB Dontavius Jackson, OL Darvel Nelson
— Henry County: WR Chris Jackson, QB Drew Little, WR Jamal Patterson
— Jefferson County: OT A.J. Harmon
— Kennesaw Mountain: TE Bryce Ros
— King: OL Aaron Hawkins
— Lithonia: LB Elton Ford
— Lovejoy: S Michael Greene
— Mays: LB Bernard Smith
— Mill Creek: LB Collin Stewart
— Monroe: OL David Noel, QB Sherman Stephens
— North Cobb: OL Matt Britain, QB Matt Roark, RB Calvin Middleton
— Northgate: DE James Searcy
— Northview: QB Justin Tuggle
— Paulding County: QB Zach Thomason
— Peachtree Ridge: CB Cameron Demps, CB Brandon Sanders, RB Antonio Hayes, RB Brandon Davis, QB Asher Clark, CB Derrick Bryant
— Prince Avenue Christian: QB Jon Richt
— Roswell: DE Curtis Hazelton, LB Ebele Okakpu, QB Dustin Taliaferro, RB Alex Daniel, WR Garrett Embry
— Sandy Creek: WR Braxton Lane
— South Forsyth: LB Tyler Smith
— Statesboro: LB Sherrod Natson
— Stockbridge: DT Randy Salmon, QB Tyler Bass, RB Rashad White, S Vance King
— Tucker: ATH Jonathan Davis, OL Robert Jones, OL Nico Lipscomb, S Jamoris Slaughter
— Washington County: LB Brandon Watts
— West Hall: LB Daniel Drummond
— Woodward Academy: RB Jamal Paige, OL Trenton Turner
Louisiana
— Clinton: CB Prentiss Waggner
— Destrehan: WR Tim Molten, RB Jerico Nelson
Mississippi
— Kosciusko: S Kendrick Pressley
— Louisville: QB Clayton Moore
North Carolina
— Butler: CB Robert Blanton, QB Jacob Charest, S Spencer Adams, S E.J. Whitley
— Hickory: LB Austin Johnson
— Terry Sanford: TE Dwayne Allen
— Westover: S Lorenzo Williams
South Carolina
— Bamberg Ehrhardt: DT Daquan Bowers
— Calhoun Falls: RB Jeffrey Ford
— J.L. Mann: S J.T. Floyd
— Loris: LB Jonathan Willard
Tennessee
— Montgomery Bell: OT Preston Bailey
— Smyrna: WR Rodriguez Wilks
QUICK KICKS
— Auburn and N.C. State sit atop the wish list of Thomas County Central’s Debrale Smiley. “My goal is to be the best running back in the state,” said Smiley, who is awaiting his first offer despite rushing for 1,500 yards as a junior.
— Georgia-bound defensive tackle Deangelo Tyson of Statesboro has lived in a group home since he was 11. He said the environment has been a confidence booster: “I’ve got a lot of people who love and care for me and want me to succeed.”
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Toby Jackson’s plan: ‘Keep everybody guessing’
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Toby Jackson is going to know where he wants to play his college football pretty soon.
But the Griffin defensive lineman isn’t going to tell anybody until much later.
“I like to keep it a secret,” Jackson said. “[I want to] keep everybody guessing. I’m not going to say anything until after the season, close to signing day.”
Until that time he is going to continue to entertain most of the big schools in the Southeast. Right now those schools at or near the top of his list include Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State and Alabama.
“I like a lot of different coaches right now, but after talking to them for a while some of them start to say the same thing and you are like, ‘I just heard that from another coach,’ ” Jackson said.
What Jackson is hearing a lot of are opinions on what position he will play at the next level. Alabama sees the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder as a defensive end. Florida State has said he could be an end or outside linebacker. Tennessee is leaning more toward defensive tackle.
Georgia said it doesn’t matter. The Bulldogs are willing to wait and see what his body does before they put him in a position.
“I’ve still got a lot of growing to do so it is hard to tell where I am going to be,” Jackson said.
Jackson does want to be in a place with a demonstrative coach.
“I like a coach that is really hands on and gets in there with his players,” he said. “Somebody with energy.”
Richt goes camping; Simmons stays busy; King set for choice
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Jon Richt won’t wear a Clemson football uniform until sometime late next summer, but the Athens Prince Avenue High junior quarterback will play football there next month.
Richt, the son of Georgia coach Mark Richt, committed in February to Clemson, where he will play for Tommy Bowden, a good friend of his father’s from their shared time spent on the staff at Florida State.
The younger Richt hasn’t had much time to make the short drive over to Clemson, S.C., this spring, as basketball and then baseball have taken up a lot of his time. But he plans to participate in a camp there next month.
And that won’t be the only time he spends on football this summer.
“I’ll just be pretty much working my tail off to make myself better in all the aspects I need to be better prepared to play,” Jon Richt said.
Clemson already has highly touted freshman quarterback Willy Korn, who enrolled early and is widely expected to start at some point this season.
Richt said he and his family will take a “mission trip” out of the country this summer as well.
Busy schedule for Banneker’s Simmons
Good luck trying to predict which college programs Banneker safety Darrell Simmons is favoring. The Banneker safety wants to make more unofficial visits this spring and summer than he can count.
“I’m supposed to hit every school in the Southeast plus Ohio State, Michigan and Louisville,” said Simmons, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound rising senior. “I’ve already been to Alabama, Florida and Auburn on unofficial visits this spring.”
Simmons, who ran the 110-meter high hurdles and in the 4x100-meter relay for Banneker’s track team, said he is considering several camps, including those at Florida State, Ohio State, Miami and Tennessee.
Marshall in mix for Carver teammates
Carver, coming off its first playoff berth in 20 years, already has two players with scholarship offers under their belts.
Quarterback Tiunte Little and linebacker Arsenio Clemmons have both received offers from Marshall.
Tech recruiting coordinator: ‘We’re on schedule’
Georgia Tech has two commitments, but look for the number to grow significantly over the next couple of months.
“We feel like we’re on schedule,” recruiting coordinator Giff Smith said. “We don’t pressure kids into making an early decision.”
More than half the players Tech recruits are expected to atend one of Tech’s camps in June and July. For some, the camp is like a tryout. For others, it’s another important opportunity to interact with the coaches.
Also:
— Tech recruiters will be back off the road by the end of Saturday night after four weeks of evaluations. Their attention now shifts to getting updated transcripts.
— John Bond not only replaced Patrick Nix as Tech’s offensive coordinator but also replaced him as a recruiter in southwest Georgia. Nix’s other territories went to Charles Kelly (Gwinnett County) and Curtis Modkins (Cobb).
— Tech picked up the second commitment for the class of 2008 when Orlando Dr. Phillips running back Embry Peeples accepted a scholarship offer Wednesday from Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey.
King decision on tap
Habersham Central wide receiver Tavarres King plans to choose between Clemson, Florida and Georgia on Friday. Look for staff writer Carter Strickland’s report from King’s announcement Friday at ajc.com.
Tech lands No. 2; Jackson, Avery play waiting game
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Georgia Tech picked up the second commitment for the class of 2008 when Orlando Dr. Phillips running back Embry Peeples accepted a scholarship offer from Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey.
Peeples is small and fast, perhaps leading to a future as a scatback/return specialist for Tech. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder, who’ll be a senior in the fall, has run the 100-meter dash in 10.71 seconds.
He said he turned down scholarship offers from West Virginia and LSU in favor of Tech because “they have a good football team, and a good business school.”
Peeples plans to make an unofficial visit to Tech next month, and hopes to major in business.
Henry County wide receiver Chris Jackson, who also will be a senior in the fall, last winter became Tech’s first commitment for the class of 2008.
The Jackets have branched out a little more in recruiting this year, not only because they hope to sign a full complement of 25 players next February but because the pool of talented rising seniors who figure to be academically eligible is smaller in Georgia.
That hasn’t keep Tech from going hard after Dublin lineman Nick McRae, who soon plans to make a decision on his college choice.
Jackson puts decision on hold
Griffin defensive lineman Toby Jackson is in no hurry to pick a college.
In fact, don’t be surprised if the highly coveted 6-foot-5, 250-pound Jackson wait until national signing day in February to reveal his choice.
“Right now, I’ve got spring football practice going on and some coaches are coming by and looking at me,” said Jackson, who has scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and South Carolina. “But I’m just laying back and see how many more offers I can bring in.”
“I think I’ll be one of those guys who waits until the last minute [to commit]. I’m plan to keep it a secret.”
Jackson is projected to play defensive end or defensive tackle on the next level. Alabama coach Nick Saban told Jackson he’d like to line him up at outside linebacker.
In the interim, Jackson plans to stay busy during the next three months.
“I’m allowed five [official] visits, but hopefully I’ll get to go to a lot of camps this summer,” Jackson said.
Avery plans to juggle football, baseball
Xavier Avery doesn’t know where he is going yet.
But he does know what he is going to do when he gets there.
“I am going to play both baseball and football,” said the Cedar Grove running back. “The schools that are talking to me about that are the schools that I am interested in.”
Most every school is talking to him about the possibility of being a two-sport athlete. Both Georgia and Georgia Tech have received visits from Avery. Florida, Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma are also in the picture.
“I wouldn’t have any problem going away from home,” he said.
Avery will not make a decision on where he is going to go until after the football season. He wants to wait, talk it over with his parents and make an educated choice. He also wants to make sure that he will be able to play both sports.
As for this summer, the 6-foot, 190-pounder will concentrate solely on baseball.
“All day, every day,” he said. “Last year I played 96 baseball games in the summer.”
So that doesn’t leave time for any football camps.
The one coach who has best laid out how playing both sports at the next level would work has been Alabama coach Nick Saban, Avery said. But that does not necessarily make the Crimson Tide the leader.
Ward waffling on UGA commitment?
Bob Ryan has decided to retire from Mount Zion High School, bit he still remains close to one player — running back Martin Ward.
And despite reports that Ward has started to waffle on his commitment to Georgia, Ryan said as far as he knows, “Martin is going to honor his commitment to Georgia.”
But that does not mean Ward has not started to look at other places. In fact, Ward expressed interest in Florida last month so a couple of weeks ago he and Ryan traveled to Gainesville to get a look at the school.
Ward’s interest in Florida may come from within the Mount Zion program.
“I don’t think my replacement wants him to go to Georgia,” Ryan said. “He’s a Florida guy.”
That replacement is former offensive coordinator Jarrett Laws, who Ryan hired out of the Tampa area.
Ward could not be reached for comment.
Ward waffling on UGA commitment? Tyson isn’t
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Bob Ryan has decided to retire from Mount Zion High School, bit he still remains close to one player — running back Martin Ward.
And despite reports that Ward has started to waffle on his commitment to Georgia, Ryan said as far as he knows, “Martin is going to honor his commitment to Georgia.”
But that does not mean Ward has not started to look at other places. In fact, Ward expressed interest in Florida last month so a couple of weeks ago he and Ryan traveled to Gainesville to get a look at the school.
Ward’s interest in Florida may come from within the Mount Zion program.
“I don’t think my replacement wants him to go to Georgia,” Ryan said. “He’s a Florida guy.”
That replacement is former offensive coordinator Jarrett Laws, who Ryan hired out of the Tampa area.
Ward could not be reached for comment.
Tyson sticking with Georgia
Statesboro defensive tackle Deangelo Tyson has scholarship offers from Auburn, Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Tennessee, South Carolina and defending national champion Florida.
But the 6-foot-3, 297-pounder said he has no intention of backing out of the commitment he gave to Georgia in March.
“I still get letters [from the programs still recruiting him], and I usually open those letters,” Tyson admitted. “But I talk to [Georgia assistant] Coach [Rodney] Garner a lot through e-mail and on the phone.”
Tyson, who is contemplating graduating from Statesboro in December, has lived away from his parents and in a group house since the age of 11. Tyson said his living arrangement has been a confidence booster.
“I’ve got a lot of people who love and care for me and want me to succeed,” Tyson said.
Smiley high on Auburn, N.C. State
Auburn and N.C. State sit atop the wish list for Thomas County Central running back Debrale Smiley.
After rushing for 1,400 yards as a sophomore, the 6-foot, 229-pound Smiley ran for another 1,500 last season in coach Ed Pilcher’s offense.
“My goal is to be the best running back in the state,” said Smiley, who is awaiting his first scholarship offer.
Playing for a powerhouse football program that produced former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward and former Georgia Tech back Joe Burns, Smiley isn’t lacking confidence.
“I know I’ve had some great ones in front of me,” said Smiley, who hopes to attend football camps at Auburn and Florida State this summer. “But I want to be better.”
Smiley’s biggest challenge this fall might be academics. When asked about his SAT score, he replied: “I’m working on it.”
Brown awaits Mississippi State offer
Mississippi State appears to be on the verge of extending a scholarship to Lovejoy receiver Ta’Juan Brown.
“I think they’ll offer,” said Brown, who will team with quarterback Kyle Lacy to give Lovejoy what should be one of the more prolific offenses in metro Atlanta.
When asked to critique his style of play, the 6-foot-2, 186-pound Brown said it’s all about exploiting the defense with his 4.49-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
“Just run great routes and get great separation,” Brown said.
Brown, who has also talked to Middle Tennessee State and Charleston Southern, likely won’t be in a rush to commit when the first offer arrives.
“I kind of want to commit early,” Brown said. “But my granddad won’t let me because he says don’t promise anybody anything. When I do consider an offer, I’ll have to sit down and talk with him first.”
Bulldogs on long lists for Love, Butler
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Tyler Love is a wanted man.
That makes him no different than about 3,000 high school football players this time of year. But what does make Love different is his size. At 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, the Mountain Brook, Ala., offensive lineman is seen as one of those anchors for somebody’s offensive line of the future.
But which school?
“I am going to narrow my list after our spring training has come to a close,” Love said.
So with no top five yet, Love has been playing the field in the SEC. And the SEC has been playing to him. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and others have offered scholarships.
“The most persuasive coach has been [Florida] Coach [Urban] Meyer,” Love said.
But nobody has persuaded Love to hurry with a decision.
“I am going to decide during my football season,” he said. “The advantages of deciding during the season is that you may take many more visits during football season and actually see how game day is portrayed.”
Until then, Love won’t attend any summer camps but will make it to a few campuses for unofficial visits. He said he plans to travel to Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Oklahoma.
Norcross star has long list
Norcross receiver Brice Butler comes off as a humble young man.
When asked to remind the AJC which schools had offered him scholarships for next year, Butler politely responded: “A lot.”
Then he went to naming them: Southern Cal, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Miami.
He paused, as if to ask. “Do I need to go on?”
He didn’t. Suffice to say he’ll have his pick of schools.
Oregon and N.C. State are the latest schools to offer, he said, with those schools extending the invitations last week.
“I hope to narrow it down to five by early June,” Butler said.
Mountaineers in mix for Bass
Northside receiver Nick Bass got a call from West Virginia coaches last week. The Mountaineers didn’t offer Bass — yet.
“They wanted to see some film and said they’d get in touch with me soon,” he said. Indiana and Tennessee are Bass’ two big offers thus far, he said.
Brown juggles track, recruiting
Lovejoy’s Tajon Brown is finishing up a successful track season while trying to think about which schools to visit and when.
The wide receiver said he has already dropped by Auburn and Georgia Tech.
“I also was supposed to attend Middle Tennessee State, Florida State and Mississippi State, but couldn’t because of transportation and track meets,” Brown said. “This summer I plan on attending at least three summer camps. I haven’t narrowed down which ones yet.
“And right now I have no top five or anything like that.”
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King down to 3; Poole backs off Vols; Simmons high on Tide
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Habersham Central wide receiver Tavarres King is down to three schools — and a decision is due soon.
King says he has whittled down his list to Clemson, Florida and Georgia. He plans to make an announcement on May 18.
“I just want to get it out of the way,” King said. “This recruiting thing is getting kind of overwhelming.”
The 6-foot-1, 165-pound King is ranked by Scout.com as the 71st-best junior prospect in the Southeast. He reportedly had scholarship offers from dozens of programs, including Georgia Tech.
King’s father, Anthony, is a former Clemson standout. The younger King would be a huge catch for the Tigers and coach Tommy Bowden, who starts salivating when he talks about the state of Georgia’s high school football talent.
“Georgia always is one of the top states in the nation,” Bowden told the blog Wednesday morning. “Not as big of a state as Texas or Florida or California, but in terms of productivity to population, there might be none better.”
Bowden can’t talk about specific players — guys like early Tigers commitment Jon Richt, the quarterback son of UGA coach Mark Richt. But he says this year is no different than other years. There are plenty of guys who can come in an make a difference right away, and Bowden is chasing a handul of those guys.
“We’re having a hard time breaking into Georgia, but this year, like every year, there’s a lot of skill players on both sides of the ball and some big linemen who can play right away,” Bowden said. “We’re recruiting guys like that, but it’s hard.”
Bowden might not get a lot of the top recruits out of Georgia, but the ones he’s gotten have paid off.
Atlanta’s James Davis figures to be one of the best running backs in the ACC this year, perhaps in the nation. Walton graduate Aaron Kelley will start at receiver for the second year and should take over as the main pass-catching threat now that Chansi Stuckey has moved on the NFL.
Clemson is also among the frontrunners for two-way Jefferson County lineman A.J. Harmon, who told Scout.com the Tigers and Georgia are the schools to beat for his services.
Harmon is especially high on the Bulldogs, telling Scout, ““They are still the two teams to beat,” he said.
Georgia seems to have the edge.
“I kind of want to go to Georgia. Think about it — they have A.J. Green coming, and he is the top receiver in the country. They will still have [Matthew] Stafford up there that first year that I would be up there, too. Their offensive line is young. Chris Little will probably play soon and [Trinton] Sturdivant starting as a freshman. They’ve got a lot of talent up there.”
Poole looking around
Stephens County running back Tauren Poole calls his commitment Tennessee “soft,” adding, “I’m still looking around a little bit.”
Poole continues to listen to overtures from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Georgia Tech.
Simmons high on Tide, Gators
Banneker safety Darrell Simmons is being courted by Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee.
Simmons, who plans to graduate in December, is leaning toward the Crimson Tide and Gators.
“I think Alabama is going in the right direction,” he said. “And Florida has all the momentum.”
Buford’s Hunter catches bad break; Scouting the ACC
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Standout Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter suffered what is believed to be a broken leg during Monday’s first day of spring practice, but the injury is not considered a serious one.
“Not at all,” Wolves coach Jess Simpson said Tuesday afternoon when asked about the severity of the injury. “That’s what I’ve been told so far.”
Hunter, an explosive 6-foot, 300-pounder who ranks as one of the nation’s most sought-after defensive line prospects, fractured his lower leg when a teammate collided with him during a drill, Simpson said.
Simpson was unsure which leg it was that Hunter hurt, but reiterated the injury would be just a temporary setback.
Hunter, who could not be reached for comment, was at school on Tuesday wearing a protective boot on the injured leg.
“That’s just the nature of football,” Simpson said.
Hunter will again anchor a stingy front seven this fall, one that could rank as the best in the state regardless of classification.
The race for his services at the collegiate level had increased as of late, with the likes of Florida coach Urban Meyer and Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis stopping by Buford to personally make their pitches.
Hunter last week announced he’d narrowed his list of potential schools to five, with Notre Dame, Florida, Auburn, Michigan and Tennessee all making the cut.
All five major programs have already tended scholarship offers.
A LOOK AT TOP ACC TARGETS
We asked Rivals.com analyst JC Shurburtt for the one junior who’s make each ACC team’s recruiting class of 2008. Shurburtt says …
Boston College: Masengo Kabongo, DT, New Brunswick, N.J. It’s always important for the Eagles to sign the top prospect in New England.
Clemson: Brandon Thompson, DT, Thomasville. Thompson is one of the top defensive tackles in the Southeast in this year’s class.
Duke: Curt Phillips, QB, Kingsport, Tenn. Sleeper signal caller would be a huge get for Blue Devls.
Florida State: Darrell Scott, RB, Ventura, Calif. One of the nation’s top running backs has Tallahassee ties.
Georgia Tech: Keith Wells, DE, Gainesville. Jackets were the early favorites and will continue to be a big factor despite offers from Miami and Florida.
Maryland: Lamaar Thomas, RB/DB, Fort Washington, Md. Versatile athlete has tremendous speed and can help at many positions.
Miami: Marcus Forston, DT, Miami. One of the country’s top defensive tackles is in the Canes’ back yard.
North Carolina: Etienne Sabino, LB, Miami. Sabino is the type of talent Butch Davis and John Blake need to compete for in South Florida.
N.C. State: Terrell Manning, LB, Laurinburg, N.C. Landing the state’s top linebacker would be a major coup for new Pack staff.
Virgina: Kyle Long, OL, Charlottesville, Va. Losing brother of All-American candidate Chris Long out of their back yard would hurt Cavs.
Virginia Tech: Deion Walker, WR, Christchurch, Va. Hokies could see Walker as future top target for young quarterbacks.
Wake Forest: Darvin Adams, WR, Kennesaw. It’s a long shot as Auburn leads, but the Deacs are in the mix for one of metro Atlanta’s best.
Grady star high on Georgia Tech
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Grady linebacker Darryl Farley has secured his first two scholarship offers.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Farley’s offers came from Marshall on April 27 and Ole Miss in early April.
Georgia Tech, Louisville and Northwestern continue to show interest.
Farley, who hopes to major in architectural engineering, listed Georgia Tech as his dream school.
“It’s close to home and I’ve been watching them all my life,” Farley said.
After coming up one victory shy of a visit to the Georgia Dome following a loss to Shaw in the Class AAA quarterfinals, Farley plans to showcase his ability to college recruiters this fall while again leading the Grey Knights deep into the playoffs.
“I don’t want to commit early,” Farley said. “I want to show my skills so maybe more schools will offer me.”
Duke makes pitch for Curry; Hunter down to five
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Basketball is king at Duke. But that’s not preventing Hart County quarterback Kurvin Curry from considering a football career with the Blue Devils.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Curry, who averaged a combined 155 yards passing and rushing yards per game last season, has an offer from Duke, while Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and Georgia continue to show significant interest.
Curry has visited Georgia, Florida State, Duke, Georgia Tech and Clemson.
“I like Georgia Tech just because it’s in Atlanta,” Curry said. “But I was really impressed with Duke because the buildings look like they are from overseas.”
Curry termed his first meeting with Duke coach Ted Roof a success.
“I liked the way he showed a lot of interest in me and wanting me to come there and play football for him,” Curry said.
On game day, the rifle-armed Curry isn’t shy when it comes to running the ball.
“I like to compare myself to Troy Smith,” Curry said. “I like to pass the ball, but when stuff breaks down I can also run it too.”
Curry, who considers Scout.com one of his favorite Web sites, plans to take his name out of the recruiting wars in early September.
“I think I’m going to commit a couple of weeks into the season,” he said. “I want to make up my mind early so I can go ahead and play football for Hart County and not have to worry about it.”
Omar Hunter down to five
Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter has narrowed his list of possible college destinations to five — and Georgia isn’t on it.
The 6-foot, 300-pound junior is considering Auburn, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame and Tennessee, Wolves coach Jess Simpson said Wednesday. Georgia had also been recruiting Hunter, ranked by Scout.com as the 60th-best prospect in the Southeast.
Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis on Wednesday became the second high-profile college head coach to stop by Buford in pursuit of Hunter. Last week, Florida’s Urban Meyer was in town.
“They don’t just give out offers,” Simpson said of the Irish. “They’re real excited about Omar. They think he’s a good fit for them.”
All five schools to make Hunter’s final cut had previously offered scholarships to the player Simpson has called the school’s “most high-profile” recruit since former Notre Dame running back Darius Walker.
Weis was unable to talk directly with Hunter per NCAA rules governing the so-called “dead period.” The coach arrived at the school at 1:30 p.m., chatting with Simpson before taking a quick tour of the athletic facilities.
Notre Dame plans to make only 38 scholarship offers for next year’s class, Weis said.
Buford will host another major Division I-A coach Monday when West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez pays a visit.
Hunter isn’t Buford’s only college prospect. Linebacker T.J. Pridemore, the son of former Falcons defensive back Tom Pridemore, recently picked up offers from South Carolina and Tennessee. Tailback Demetris Murray has offers from Maryland, Wake Forest and Ole Miss.
Buford’s Hunter entertains Weis, trims list to five
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis became the second high-profile college football head coach to stop by Buford High School in as many weeks when he visited Wednesday afternoon.
Like Florida’s Urban Meyer last week, Weis was there to make his pitch for blue-chip prospect Omar Hunter, the Wolves’ 6-foot, 300-pound defensive tackle who ranks as among the nation’s most sought-after recruits.
Both men apparently left a favorable impression with Hunter, who followed up Weis’ visit by saying he’d narrowed his list of potential schools to Notre Dame, Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Michigan, Wolves coach Jess Simpson said.
All five schools had previously made scholarship offers to Hunter, who Simpson has called the school’s “most high-profile” recruit since Darius Walker.
Weis, who was unable to talk directly with Hunter per NCAA rules governing the so-called “dead period,” arrived at the school at at 1:30 p.m., chatting with Simpson before taking a quick tour of the school’s impressive athletic facilities.
In other news …
Simpson said the recruiting process continues to heat up for linebacker T.J. Pridemore and tailback Demetris Murray. Pridemore, the son of former Falcons defensive back Tom Pridemore, recently picked up scholarship offers from South Carolina and Tennessee. Earlier, he received offers from Mississippi State, West Virginia and Duke.
Murray has offers from Maryland, Wake Forest and Ole Miss, Simpson said.
