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Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Jones commits to Dogs; UGA makes Okakpu offer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Mark Richt kept trying to find a hole in Ben Jones’ game last week.
Time after time, the Georgia coach would send defensive linemen Jones’ way. Time after time, Jones turned them away.
It was then Richt knew he couldn’t turn this 6-foot-3, 300-pound center from Bibb County, Ala., away. The coach offered Jones a scholarship. Jones accepted that offer Wednesday.
“I knew that was where I fit the best,” Jones told the blog. “I just felt at home. I liked the coaches and really had a good connection while I was over there.”
Jones, the Bulldogs’ 16th commitment, was on the outside looking on for many months as this recruiting process went on. He went to a Scout.com camp in Atlanta in the month of May with just one offer — from Troy. Richt was at that camp watching his son, Clemson recruit Jon Richt.
He also took notice of Jones. So did everybody else.
Jones started to be courted by several of the bigger-name programs around the Southeast. But Georgia remained his favorite because that is where his father went to school.
“It’s where I wanted to go the whole time,” Jones said.
Okakpu lands Bulldogs offer
Georgia coaches have always liked Roswell linebacker Ebele Okakpu but wanted to evaluate the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder at camp before deciding whether to offer a scholarship.
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt decided he’d seen enough convincing evidence at a recent 7-on-7 passing league in Athens and offered Okakpu on the spot.
“Coach Richt just pulled me aside and said they didn’t need to see anymore, they definitely wanted me and were offering,” Okakpu told the blog. “I was surprised with the offer, because they haven’t been blowing up my cell phone with text messages like all the other schools.
“UGA is definitely one of my favorites: They are close to home and compete for national championships.”
Okakpu has nearly 20 Division I-A offers, including ones from Miami, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. He is being recruited by UGA at outside linebacker, which is the same position most of the colleges project him to play.
“Georgia loved Ebele since the first day they saw him on film, but he was on the bubble with [an offer] because they wanted to see him in person,” Roswell coach Tim McFarlin said. “When they saw how fast and quick he was that day, it was an easy decision for him.”
Okakpu is the most heavily recruited of eight senior prospects on Roswell, the defending Class AAAAA co-state champions. McFarlin praised Okakpu for the way he has handled the recruiting process.
“When Coach Richt offered, he was thrilled, but he didn’t come back to the team bragging about it,” McFarlin said. “Ebele is very low key about recruiting. His focus is winning another state championship, and he knows all the recruiting stuff will take care of itself.”
Alabama courts Creekside star
Terrance Parks of Creekside will put the finishing touches on a three-day camp on Wednesday at Alabama.
Creekside coach Kevin Whitley accompanied his 6-foot-3, 195-pound cornerback to Tuscaloosa this week.
Whitley said this week’s pace has been fairly hectic under new Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban.
“This one here is probably a little more up-tempo,” Whitley said via telephone from Tuscaloosa late Tuesday. “Coach Saban is really a high tempo guy, so everybody is really getting with it.”
If Parks, who has scholarship offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Tennessee, has a favorite, he isn’t tipping his hand to Whitley.
“As far as I know, he’s still wide open,” Whitley said. “He’s going to be a real good player. He’s what colleges are looking for. He’s a big corner that can run.”
Norcross WR Butler’s trip to Oregon delayed
Norcross wide receiver Brice Butler will not take an official visit to Oregon this week as he had previously planned.
“I was supposed to go to Oregon on Thursday, but it didn’t work out,” Butler said. “I had a [scheduling] conflict. I’ll probably try to visit there later.”
Butler, who has nearly 40 offers from schools such as Georgia, Southern Cal, Florida and Tennessee, said he plans to separate the pretenders from the contenders soon.
“I haven’t narrowed my list, but I’ll probably narrow it next week,” Butler said. “I think it will be a top 10 list.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Butler said he especially enjoyed being recruited by a member of the Pac 10.
“I really like Arizona State,” Butler said. “They have a new coaching staff out there that made a good impression on me.”
Butler said he’s fairly certain Georgia will survive his first round of cuts.
“I think Georgia will be in my top 10,” Butler predicted. “[Georgia] coach Mark Richt and my dad used to go to different high schools at the same time in the same district in Florida. So I’ve known coach Richt for a while.”
Butler doesn’t plan to attend camps this summer.
“I’ve already got the offers I want, so I don’t need to go,” Butler said.
Baseball dominates the summer for Cedar Grove RB
Cedar Grove’s Xavier Avery may be a wanted man on the gridiron, but his heart has pulled him to the baseball diamond this summer.
Avery, who has been playing summer league baseball for a team based in Marietta, recently returned home from a tournament in Ohio.
The 6-foot, 190-pound running back said it’s unlikey he will participate in a football camp this summer.
Georgia, Georgia Tech, Stanford, LSU, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida are all in the running to gain a football commitment from Avery, who wants to be a two-sport college athlete.
“I want to play baseball and football wherever I go,” said Avery, who is expected to be drafted in next summer’s Major League baseball draft. “I’ve told every college the same thing. So far, I haven’t heard one of them tell me I can’t play both.”
Miami linebacker evaluating his list of candidates
With offers from nearly every major college football power in the country, Miami linebacker Etienne Sabino is busy analyzing his choices.
“I’m not close to committing yet,” Sabino said. “But I am in the process of evaluating.
“I look at the campus and the coaches. I look at how it was when I was there and whether I felt comfortable. And I look at the depth charts.”
Sabino still plans on graduating from Dr. Michael M. Krop High in December and enrolling in college the following month. By doing so, he will be eligible to participate in spring workouts in 2008.
“I think that gives me a plus,” Sabino said. “I’ll get to learn the system and get ahead of the other incoming freshman.”
Roswell’s Embry makes the most of West coast visit
It’s not often you see a Georgia player making an unofficial visit to a California college, but that’s what Roswell free safety Garrett Embry (6-foot-3, 212-pounds) did to take advantage of a unique situation. Embry, who has eight offers led by Baylor and Marshall, has been staying in limited contact with coaches from Cal-Berkley.
When Embry revealed he was flying to Sacramento last Thursday for his cousin’s high school graduation, he was invited by Cal to meet with the coaches and take a tour of the school. Embry said he liked what he saw over the two-day trip to the Pac 10 school:
“It reminds me a lot of Roswell with being a smaller town, and it’s near the beach,” Embry said. “They have a great tradition of football. They didn’t offer me a scholarship when I was there, but they told me that I was a finalist. They have two offers out at [safety] and it depends on what they do.”
Embry, a rising senior on the Class AAAAA defending co-state champions, has his other offers from Central Florida, Air Force, Middle Tennessee State, Buffalo, Akron, and Miami of Ohio. He also has serious interest from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Purdue, and Boston College, among others.
Every school is recruiting Embry at free safety or defensive back except for Baylor, which likes him at wide receiver.
Rivals unveils top 50 in Georgia
Eric Berry signed with Tennessee. Tray Blackmon landed at Auburn. Antonio Henton left for Ohio State.
In recent years, one top-ranked recruit after another has left Georgia to play college football.
This year, expect that trend to end.
Tuesday, Rivals.com released its new list of the top 50 prospects in the Peach State. Topping the list: Statesboro defensive tackle and Georgia commitment DeAngelo Tyson. No. 2: Cartersville Cass running back Richard Samuel, another UGA commitment.
“Georgia is off to the best start in the Southeastern Conference and the foundation of this group is in-state talent,” Rivals analyst JC Shurburtt tells the blog. “It also helps to re-establish the Bulldogs dominance in the state of Georgia after the last recruiting cycle, which saw the Dawgs lose six of the eight top 10 prospects it offered.”
This time around, five of the top 11 seniors-to-be in the state — and eight of the top 20 — have committed to Mark Richt’s Bulldogs, according to Rivals’ list. Only two top 25 Peach State prospects have committed somewhere other than Georgia: Jefferson County lineman A.J. Harmon (No. 3, to Clemson) and Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter (No. 16, to Notre Dame).
A look at Rivals’ top 50:
DeAngelo Tyson, DT, Statesboro : Committed to Georgia
Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville Cass: Committed to Georgia
A.J. Harmon, OG, Jefferson County: Committed to Clemson
Dontavius Jackson, RB, Heard County : Top five: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Penn State
Tavarres King, WR, Habersham Central: Committed to Georgia
Brice Butler, WR, Norcross: Long list of options includes both Oregon and Oregon State, which he’s visiting this week.
Cornelius Washington, DE, Burke County: Committed to Georgia
Jamoris Slaughter, S, Tucker: Has a top three of LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame
Brandon Thompson, DT , Thomasville : Georgia reportedly in the lead.
Cordy Glenn, OT, Riverdale: Big offers: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, South Carolina, Virginia
Toby Jackson, DT, Griffin: Committed to Georgia
Keith Wells, DE, Gainesville: High on Georgia Tech’s wish list, but Yellow Jackets will have to beat out Florida, Notre Dame Ohio State.
Josh Jarboe, WR, Cedar Grove: “I really like LSU. And then I’d go with Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.”
Christian Robinson, LB, Greater Atlanta Christian: Committed to Georgia
Martin Ward, RB, Mount Zion: Undecided after pulling back on early commitment to Georgia; Dogs still in the mix.
Omar Hunter, DT, Buford: Committed to Notre Dame
Ebele Okakpu, LB, Roswell: Landed recent offer from Miami. “It’s an honor that Miami wants me,” he said. “I’ve dreamed about playing for them since I was a little kid, ” Okakpu said. “Miami will be tough to beat, but I’m going to take my time and check out all my options.”
Chase Thomas, DE, Walton: Auburn, Florida, LSU among offers
Baccari Rambo, S, Seminole County: Committed to Georgia
Brandon Boykin, CB, Fayette County : Committed to Georgia
Darvin Adams, WR, Harrison: Rivals: Auburn, Tennessee the co-leaders, with Georgia and Georgia Tech also in the hunt.
Omoregie Uzzi, OG, Chamblee: Interested in Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech
Devonta Bolton, WR, Norcross: Wide open and wanted, with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina. High on Georgia, telling the blog recently, “Coach Richt has got a great program. He’s a religious man who believes in a strong foundation. He’s going to win some games.”
B.J. Brand, OG, Coffee: Undecided after withdrawing early commitment to Georgia. Still interested in Bulldogs, along with Florida, Maryland and South Carolina.
Steven Sylvester, LB, Union Grove: Has top five of Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and South Carolina
Terrence Parks, S, Creekside: Undecided
Derrick Bryant, CB, Peachtree Ridge: Alabama, Auburn, LSU top his wish list
Tauren Poole, RB, Stephens County: Committed to Tennessee
Cordian Hagans, DT, Northview: Undecided
Neiko Lipscomb, CB, Tucker: Undecided
Xavier Avery, ATH, Cedar Grove: Georgia, Georgia Tech both in the mix.
Deron Furr, QB, Columbus Carver: Committed to Auburn
Brandon Davis, RB , Peachtree Ridge: Undecided
Justin Tuggle, QB, Northview: Mississippi State and Indiana have made offers to the son of former Falcons star Jessie Tuggle. “I like those offers, but I’m still waiting to see what else comes in,” Tuggle said.
Steven Fowlkes, DE, Banneker: Undecided
Jamon Forston, WR, Columbus Carver: Undecided
T.J. Pridemore, LB, Buford: Son of former Falcons defensive back Tom Pridemore has a top four of Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Tennessee and Duke.
Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Wilcox County: Undecided
Ralph Bolden, ATH, Charlton County: Undecided
Matt Daniels, S, Fayette County: Committed to Duke
Sanders Commings, ATH, Westside: Undecided
Vance King, ATH, Stockbridge: Undecided
Daniel Franklin, LB, Habersham Central: Committed to Oklahoma
Chaz Sutton, DE, Jenkins: Undecided
Franklin Green, RB, Jenkins: Undecided
Khiry Battle, S, Dacula: Undecided
Nigel Nicholas, TE , Ridgeland: Committed to Duke
Brynden Trawick, S, Sprayberry: Undecided
Jaybo Shaw, QB, Flowery Branch: Undecided
Garrett Embry, S, Roswell: Undecided
Updates on the top 50 recruits in Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Eric Berry signed with Tennessee. Tray Blackmon landed at Auburn. Antonio Henton left for Ohio State.
In recent years, one top-ranked recruit after another has left Georgia to play college football.
This year, expect that trend to end.
Tuesday, Rivals.com released its new list of the top 50 prospects in the Peach State. Topping the list: Statesboro defensive tackle and Georgia commitment DeAngelo Tyson. No. 2: Cartersville Cass running back Richard Samuel, another UGA commitment.
“Georgia is off to the best start in the Southeastern Conference and the foundation of this group is in-state talent,” Rivals analyst JC Shurburtt tells the blog. “It also helps to re-establish the Bulldogs dominance in the state of Georgia after the last recruiting cycle, which saw the Dawgs lose six of the eight top 10 prospects it offered.”
This time around, five of the top 11 seniors-to-be in the state — and eight of the top 20 — have committed to Mark Richt’s Bulldogs, according to Rivals’ list. Only two top 25 Peach State prospects have committed somewhere other than Georgia: Jefferson County lineman A.J. Harmon (No. 3, to Clemson) and Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter (No. 16, to Notre Dame).
A look at Rivals’ top 50:
DeAngelo Tyson, DT, Statesboro : Committed to Georgia
Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville Cass: Committed to Georgia
A.J. Harmon, OG, Jefferson County: Committed to Clemson
Dontavius Jackson, RB, Heard County : Top five: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Penn State
Tavarres King, WR, Habersham Central: Committed to Georgia
Brice Butler, WR, Norcross: Long list of options includes both Oregon and Oregon State, which he’s visiting this week.
Cornelius Washington, DE, Burke County: Committed to Georgia
Jamoris Slaughter, S, Tucker: Has a top three of LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame
Brandon Thompson, DT , Thomasville : Georgia reportedly in the lead.
Cordy Glenn, OT, Riverdale: Big offers: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, South Carolina, Virginia
Toby Jackson, DT, Griffin: Committed to Georgia
Keith Wells, DE, Gainesville: High on Georgia Tech’s wish list, but Yellow Jackets will have to beat out Florida, Notre Dame Ohio State.
Josh Jarboe, WR, Cedar Grove: “I really like LSU. And then I’d go with Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.”
Christian Robinson, LB, Greater Atlanta Christian: Committed to Georgia
Martin Ward, RB, Mount Zion: Undecided after pulling back on early commitment to Georgia; Dogs still in the mix.
Omar Hunter, DT, Buford: Committed to Notre Dame
Ebele Okakpu, LB, Roswell: Landed recent offer from Miami. “It’s an honor that Miami wants me,” he said. “I’ve dreamed about playing for them since I was a little kid, ” Okakpu said. “Miami will be tough to beat, but I’m going to take my time and check out all my options.”
Chase Thomas, DE, Walton: Auburn, Florida, LSU among offers
Baccari Rambo, S, Seminole County: Committed to Georgia
Brandon Boykin, CB, Fayette County : Committed to Georgia
Darvin Adams, WR, Harrison: Rivals: Auburn, Tennessee the co-leaders, with Georgia and Georgia Tech also in the hunt.
Omoregie Uzzi, OG, Chamblee: Interested in Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech
Devonta Bolton, WR, Norcross: Wide open and wanted, with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina. High on Georgia, telling the blog recently, “Coach Richt has got a great program. He’s a religious man who believes in a strong foundation. He’s going to win some games.”
B.J. Brand, OG, Coffee: Undecided after withdrawing early commitment to Georgia. Still interested in Bulldogs, along with Florida, Maryland and South Carolina.
Steven Sylvester, LB, Union Grove: Has top five of Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and South Carolina
Terrence Parks, S, Creekside: Undecided
Derrick Bryant, CB, Peachtree Ridge: Alabama, Auburn, LSU top his wish list
Tauren Poole, RB, Stephens County: Committed to Tennessee
Cordian Hagans, DT, Northview: Undecided
Neiko Lipscomb, CB, Tucker: Undecided
Xavier Avery, ATH, Cedar Grove: Georgia, Georgia Tech both in the mix.
Deron Furr, QB, Columbus Carver: Committed to Auburn
Brandon Davis, RB , Peachtree Ridge: Undecided
Justin Tuggle, QB, Northview: Mississippi State and Indiana have made offers to the son of former Falcons star Jessie Tuggle. “I like those offers, but I’m still waiting to see what else comes in,” Tuggle said.
Steven Fowlkes, DE, Banneker: Undecided
Jamon Forston, WR, Columbus Carver: Undecided
T.J. Pridemore, LB, Buford: Son of former Falcons defensive back Tom Pridemore has a top four of Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Tennessee and Duke.
Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Wilcox County: Undecided
Ralph Bolden, ATH, Charlton County: Undecided
Matt Daniels, S, Fayette County: Committed to Duke
Sanders Commings, ATH, Westside: Undecided
Vance King, ATH, Stockbridge: Undecided
Daniel Franklin, LB, Habersham Central: Committed to Oklahoma
Chaz Sutton, DE, Jenkins: Undecided
Franklin Green, RB, Jenkins: Undecided
Khiry Battle, S, Dacula: Undecided
Nigel Nicholas, TE , Ridgeland: Committed to Duke
Brynden Trawick, S, Sprayberry: Undecided
Jaybo Shaw, QB, Flowery Branch: Undecided
Garrett Embry, S, Roswell: Undecided
