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Monday, June 11, 2007
Tech lands receiver; Miami linebacker high on Dogs, Jackets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech picked up the fourth commitment of its 2008 football recruiting class Monday, when Hawkinsville High’s Kamaron Riley told coach Chan Gailey he wants to play for the Yellow Jackets.
The 6-foot-1 1/2, 185-pound Riley caught 43 passes for 707 yards and eight touchdowns as a wide receiver last season for Hawkinsville, where the senior-to-be also plays defensive back.
Tech has recruited Riley with the idea of playing him on defense.
He was at Tech’s football camp Saturday, where he ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.5 seconds and had a vertical leap of 36 inches.
Riley also had scholarship offers from Indiana, Vanderbilt and Marshall, but chose to stay closer to home.
“Every time I came up there to visit, they made me feel like I was at home,” said Riley, who was recruited chiefly by defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Giff Smith.
“And in talking to some of the players who signed last year, they all said the coaches were truthful with them.”
Henry County wide receiver Chris Jackson, Orlando running back Embry Peeples and Dublin offensive lineman Nick McRae previously committed to Tech.
Miami linebacker likes Georgia, Georgia Tech
Etienne Sabino, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker for Dr. Michael M. Krop High in Miami, toured the campuses of Georgia and Georgia last week.
“It went good,” Sabino said. “I really liked Georgia Tech. I liked Georgia too. I was impressed with the coaches.”
Sabino appears to be sold on the character of Georgia coach Mark Richt.
“He was a good guy,” Sabino said. “He’s a family guy. And he made it clear to me that he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He wants to stay at Georgia.”
Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey told Sabino not to expect 90,000 fans to occupy Bobby Dodd Stadium on game days.
“They were actually in camp [on Saturday] when I got a chance to go to [Gailey’s] office,” Sabino said. “He told me if I’m looking for a big college atmosphere, Georgia Tech is not the place for me. He was very honest with me.”
Sabino, who has scholarship offers from programs such as Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Southern Cal, said its too soon to eliminate any school from consideration.
“I don’t even have a top 5,” said Sabino, who is on track to graduate in December. “But Georgia and Georgia Tech are teams that I’m interested in.”
Stephenson cornerback headed to Louisville
Stephenson’s Ahmed Abdul-Shakoor has accepted an offer from Louisville.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound cornerback was also being recruited by Georgia Tech, Alabama, Clemson and Virginia Tech.
“He’s a very talented young man with a lot of skills,” Stephenson coach Ron Gartrell said. “He was great work ethics and is a great student. I think they picked up a very good player.”
Abdul-Shakoor played football at Clarkston through his junior season prior to transferring to Stephenson earlier this year.
Ohio and Central Florida offer Roswell’s Hazelton
Roswell defensive end Curtis Hazelton has secured offers from Ohio and Central Florida.
Hazelton said the first offer came from Central Florida late last month.
“I was just happy to get that first one out there,” Hazelton said. “Hopefully, I’ll get a lot more.”
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Hazelton spent last weekend in Nashville, Tenn. at a summer camp at Vanderbilt.
“I liked it a lot at Vanderbilt,” Hazelton said. “I liked the coaches a lot. The coaches told me they’d let me know [about an offer] later this week.”
Offers continue to roll in for Roswell’s Daniel
Tailback Alex Daniel was asked if he was sitting down by Roswell coach Tim McFarlin before he was informed recently that Arkansas had extended an offer.
Along with the SEC power, Daniel’s seven offers include Central Florida, San Diego State, East Carolina, Air Force, Ball State and Tulane.
“The college love Alex’s toughness, they love that he played in three playoff games, including the state championship, with a serious knee injury,” McFarlin said.
“They love how he runs hard every play and never takes a down off. I really think [Arkansas] is just the beginning of big things to come for him.”
Daniel (5-foot-11, 200-pound) is being primarily recruited at tailback, but has also left open the option of playing defensive back, where he started as a freshman and sophomore.
Last year, Daniel rushed for 1,462 yards and 13 touchdowns on 283 carries. McFarlin says Daniel reminds him of former Roswell tailback Randell Bell, who signed with New Mexico State after spending last year in prep school. McFarlin has previously said Bell was the “best running back” he’d ever coached in 27 years at the north Fulton school.
Jackson, Jarboe put Bulldogs on short lists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia remains in contention to land a commitment from Heard County running back Dontavius Jackson.
According to Jackson, Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Penn State and Georgia are among his five finalists after this weekend.
Jackson, who rushed for more than 2,200 yards and scored 26 touchdowns last season, wouldn’t declare an outright leader among the group.
“They’re all probably about the same right now,” said Jackson, who anticipates making a commitment in September or October.
The 5-foot-10, 196-pound back visited Athens last week.
“I met pretty much all the coaches at Georgia,” Jackson said. “Coach [Mark] Richt is a great guy. He broke down their situation at running back. I think I’d fit real good there.”
Jackson was equally impressed following visits to Alabama and Clemson earlier this year.
“Alabama has a great fan base and coaches,” he said. “And Clemson has a good running-style offense and great academics.”
Jackson cautioned against discounting his interest in Penn State.
“I’ve got family in Pennsylvania,” he said. “Plus, they’ve got Coach [Joe] Paterno.”
Jackson, who plans to spend the next two months working out in Franklin, has little interest in attending camps this summer.
He figures there is little to prove since he already has the offers he covets.
“Why go to a camp? Most college coaches have already seen me play,” Jackson said.
Jarboe waits for Vols to offer
With scholarship offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, LSU, Auburn, Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Florida State, Cedar Grove’s Josh Jarboe is one of the nation’s most coveted wide receivers.
Jarboe claims he’s in no hurry to trim his list.
In the interim, he would like to hear from Tennessee. To date, the Volunteers have failed to extend an offer.
“I’m not leaning; I’m still wide open,” Jarboe said. “But I would like to talk to Tennessee.”
What are the odds of Jarboe playing college football close to home?
“Georgia and Georgia Tech are in my home state, so that’s why they have a little advantage,” Jarboe said. “But Georgia isn’t known for throwing the ball much. And Georgia Tech just started.”
After reiterating that no school has been ruled out, Jarboe agreed to provide his current top five.
“I really like LSU,” he said. “And then I’d go with Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.”
Peachtree Ridge’s Demps goes camping
Following the completion of a one-day camp at South Carolina on Saturday, Peachtree Ridge’s Cameron Demps arrived in Gainesville the following day to take part in a camp at Florida.
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound cornerback also attended camps at North Carolina and Auburn earlier this month.
Demps said the names and faces may be different from campus to campus, but the format remains the same.
“They pretty much run the same drills and go one-on-one,” he said.
Demps currently has offers from Auburn, Florida, LSU, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Ole Miss.
“It’s all wide open right now,” Demps said of his recruitment.
Four offers and counting for Farley
Grady linebacker Darryl Farley is confident two new offers are around the corner.
“I think Louisville and Northwestern will make offers,” predicted Farley, who has already been offered by Marshall, Ole Miss, Ohio and Tulane.
Farley, who plans to study engineering or accounting, said he’s in no hurry to commit.
“I’m just waiting until the start of the season,” he said.
Palmetto State star hears hometown pleas
Jaron Brown, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound wide receiver from Cheraw (S.C.), is sporting seven Division I scholarship offers.
South Carolina, Clemson, Kentucky, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Duke and Tennessee are each officially in the running to sign Brown.
“Right now, I have no front runner,” Brown said. “It’s wide open.”
But friends and relatives are urging him to stay close to home and commit to Clemson or South Carolina.
“I hear it all the time,” Brown said. “Cheraw is a small town full of a lot of Gamecock and Clemson fans.”
Three offers for Troup lineman
Troup offensive lineman John Oliver recently added offers from Akron and South Florida to his portfolio. He already holds an offer from Arkansas.
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Oliver said his participation at a racent Scout.com one-day camp at Georgia Tech proved beneficial for multiple reasons.
“I think that camp gave me some exposure,” Oliver said. “And I got to see my competition right now and what might be some of my teammates in the future. I think the camp helped people get to see what I can do.”
Oliver likes the idea of playing for the Tampa Bay-based Bulls program.
“I’m really interested in South Florida,” Oliver said. “They play at Auburn in week 2. I figure I might go to that game.”
Oliver plans to attend camps at Georgia, Furman and Jacksonville State this summer.
