AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August
August 2008
Is Abry Jones really that good? We say yes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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High school seniors with offers to major Division 1-A schools are assumed to be good. Just how good depends on whom you ask. Here are 10 Georgia players whose potential at the next level generates unusual debate. And when Rivals.com and Scout.com widely disagree, we get the final word:
DT Abry Jones, Northside-Warner Robins: No one doubts Jones is a prize recruit, but Scout says he’s the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country and No. 9 overall prospect in the nation. But to Rivals, he’s not Top 100 material and only No. 7 at his position, not much higher than John Drew, the Duke commit from Northside of Columbus. AJC says: Scout is right. Jones was one of about five players we considered locks for our Super 11.
CB Roderick Sweeting, Luella: Scout pegs this Georgia Tech commit as a four-star recruit and one of the nation’s best 20 cornerbacks and top 200 players overall. Rivals says he’s a three-star and only the No. 39 corner in the U.S. AJC says: Scout is right. Too many schools named Ohio State, Alabama and Tennessee offered for him not to be legitimate.
LB Kevin Minter, Peachtree Ridge: Scout says Minter, an LSU commit, is the fifth-best player in Georgia and the No. 4 middle linebacker nationally. Rivals thinks he’s only the 23rd-best player in Georgia and the 16th inside linebacker. AJC says: Rivals is right. LSU doesn’t offer just anybody, but Minter was not in the AJC’s Super 11.
QB Brendan Cross, Chattahoochee: Rivals says Cross, who is committed to Wake Forest, is among the 40 best quarterbacks in the country and the clear No. 2 in Georgia behind Oconee County’s Zach Mettenberger. Scout says Cross is just a two-star recruit and not among the 100 best QBs in the country. Scout likes Brian Adams of South Forsyth (Kentucky) and Rio Johnson of Sandy Creek (East Carolina) much more. AJC says: Scout is right. We agree Cross has been overlooked, but we also don’t think it’s a great year for quarterback prospects in Georgia.
LB Chase Vasser, Chestatee: Scout says this Georgia pledge is the eighth-best prospect in Georgia and the No. 8 outside linebacker in the nation, a four-star recruit. Rivals rates him only a three-star recruit and doesn’t include him in the state’s top 25. AJC says: Scout is right. There was a reason Vasser was the first linebacker that Georgia offered a scholarship.
WR Stephen Hill, Miller Grove: Scout says Hill, who is committed to Central Florida, is a four-star recruit and the No. 2 receiver in Georgia behind Henry County’s Jamal Patterson, one of the AJC Super 11. Scout doesn’t think Hill is one of the 50 best players in Georgia nor one of the 90 best receivers nationally. AJC: Rivals is right. Projecting WRs is difficult, but those that have sparked the most discussion on our staff are Michael Bowman, Jamal Patterson and Braxton Lane.
WR Michael Bowman, Ridgeland: Rivals says Bowman, who is uncommitted, is the No. 17 receiver in the country and the No. 8 recruit at any position in Georgia. Scout thinks he’s only the fourth-best receiver in Georgia and not one of the 100 best receivers in the country. AJC says: Both are wrong. He’s not one of our Super 11, but if there are 100 better receivers in the country, we’d like to see them.
LB Jonathan Davis, Tucker: He’s the No. 9 prospect in Georgia, a four-star recruit, says Scout, but Rivals pegs this undersized middle linebacker at No. 25, only a three star. AJC says: We’re divided on Davis. He’s one of our Super 11 because of his high school career, but we also rate him an A- recruit (not the A+ accorded to other Super 11 players) due to the scarcity of ACC/SEC offers.
WR Jamal Patterson, Henry County: Recently committed to Stanford, Patterson is Scout’s No. 7 prospect in Georgia and the top wide receiver. Rivals likes Michael Bowman better and rates Patterson Georgia’s No. 18 player. AJC says: Scout is right. He’s one of our Super 11, our favorite wide receiver. You can’t go wrong with guys whose academics are this good.
RB Tony Williams, Milton: This is one that Rivals and Scout agree on. He’s not one of the 50 best RB in the country, they say, even with a commitment to Tennessee. AJC says: We are right. Williams was a member of the AJC’s Southern 150 before scoring seven touchdowns against Chattahoochee last week.
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How It Went: Ridgeland receiver Bowman meets Richt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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One of the highlights of Ridgeland receiver Michael Bowman’s trip to Sanford Stadium on Saturday was an opportunity to speak with Georgia coach Mark Richt - twice.
“I got to talk to coach Richt before and after the game,” said Bowman, considered the 17th-best receiver in the nation by Rivals.com. “He was real busy, but I got to tell him about my game on Friday.”
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Bowman, who has scholarship offers from programs such as Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Kentucky, N.C. State and Oregon, continues to wait on one from Georgia.
“I truly doesn’t bother me a lot because I know later on they will offer,” he said. “Georgia is my No. 1, but I’m still waiting.”
The Dogs are eager to see how Bowman fares on the ACT later this year.
“I took the ACT the first time, ran through it and made a 16,” Bowman said. “I need to make a 19. I’m taking it again in October.”
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How It Went: Perry OG Farms views season openers on TV
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Perry guard Johnnie Farms, one of the top uncommitted recruits in Georgia, spent part of his Saturday working the television remote.
“I wasn’t really surprised that Alabama beat Clemson like that,” said Farms, referencing the Crimson Tide’s 34-10 victory over the Tigers in the Georgia Dome.
Farms, who said his favorites are Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU and South Carolina, will start making visits next weekend.
“I’m going to the Miami-Florida game [on Sept. 6th], the Georgia-South Carolina game on the 13th and the LSU-Auburn game [on Sept. 20th].”
Florida could gain ground on Farms this weekend over Auburn, the program considered the favorite to score a commitment from the 6-foot-2, 280 pound guard.
“I’ve been [to Gainesville] several times and [Florida coach] Urban Meyer has been to my school a couple of times,” Farms said.
“I really like Florida.”
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How It Went: Few recruits visit Georgia on Saturday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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An early kickoff and non-SEC opponent were the primary reasons Georgia coaches wound up entertaining just a handful of recruits during the season opener against Georgia Southern on Saturday.
Recruits at the game included Georgia commits Mike Gilliard of Valdosta, Abry Jones of Northside Warner Robins and Oconee County quarterback Zach Mettenberger.
They were joined by senior receiver Michael Bowman of Ridgeland and Henry County junior MarKeith Ambles.
“I think [the small turnout] was because it was a 12:30 p.m. game, and a lot of people didn’t want to make the trip,” said Mettenberger, who lives about 10 miles from Sanford Stadium.
Mettenberger said Aaron Murray of Plant Senior (Fla.) High, Georgia’s other commitment at quarterback, is expected to visit Athens later this season.
“Aaron is coming up for the Alabama and Vanderbilt games,” he said.
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Newnan QB reconsiders football options
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Newan quarterback Russell Powell apparently has caught football fever.
Powell said a few weeks ago that he had decided to play basketball in college because he had better options. This weekend, Powell changed directions, saying he was not ready to choose between basketball and football.
“I’m not sure, it changes every day,” Powell said. “I’m just going to wait everything out and see what all I have in front of me in both sports.”
In football, the 5-foot-9 Powell has an offer from Air Forice and heavy interest from numerous smaller schools, including Wofford. In basketball, the point guard that averaged 19 points last year as a junior has offers from Furman, Gardner-Webb, Harvard and Toledo.
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Player of the week: Milton’s Toney Williams
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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On any other night, Brendan Cross’ 278 yards passing with three touchdowns likely would have been the biggest highlight. But the Chattahoochee quarterback had to tip his helmet to Milton running back Toney Williams, who ran for 350 yards and scored seven touchdowns in the the Eagles’ 51-49 victory against Chattahoochee.
“I played well, but he blew it out of the water,” Cross said. “I’m not mad he got all the attention. He carried his team. And a seven-touchdown performance is pretty awesome. Am I bothered I got overshadowed by a seven-touchdown performance? No.”
The game was a highly anticipated dual between the AJC’s The Georgia 150 players Cross, a Wake Forest signee, and Williams, a University of Tennessee commit. The two are ranked 73rd and 48th in the nation, respectively, by Rivals.com.
Together, Cross and Williams had a hand in 10 touchdowns, 60 percent of their teams’ combined scoring. Cross considered the point total remarkable.
“It didn’t hit me until afterward, ‘Wow, we just scored 100 points,’” Cross said. “That’s pretty crazy.”
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Drummond on the Tech recruiting trail
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Unable to attend Georgia Tech’s opening night win against Jacksonville State on Thursday, Flowery Branch senior Daniel Drummond said he’ll be a regular fixture at Bobby Dodd Stadium for the remainder of the season.
“I’ll definitely be at the rest of the home games,” said Drummond, who committed to Tech in June.
Drummond, who is considered the fifth-best fullback in the nation by Scout.com, has become an unofficial recruiter for the Jackets.
“I’m looking for some talent that maybe Georgia Tech hasn’t seen yet,” said Drummond, who rushed for 25 yards on two carries and made 10 tackles (including two for loss) from his defensive end position during Flowery Branch’s 28-25 loss to Stephens County on Friday.
“If I see someone we’re playing against that’s really good, I’ll try and let Tech know about him.”
Ironically, Tech is hoping to secure a commitment from one of Drummond’s teammates, defensive end Izaan Cross.
“I know Tech his one of his top two,” Drummond said.
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Milton RB Williams to speak with Tennessee coach Fulmer today
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Just hours after his 350-yard, seven touchdown rushing performance during Milton’s wild 51-49 victory against Chattahoochee, Eagle running back Toney Williams was up early Saturday morning and on the phone with assistant coaches at Tennessee.
The 6-foot-3, 221 pound Williams, who committed to the Volunteers in May, said word of his incredible feat was already the buzz around Knoxville as the team and coaches prepared to head west for Monday night’s opener with UCLA.
“When I woke up this morning, I called them and they had already heard about it,” Williams said. “They were really excited. It made them proud.
“When I talked to them, they were getting ready to get on the plane [bound for Pasadena, Calif.].”
Williams, who plans to watch Monday evening’s game on television, will speak with Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer once the team arrives in California later today.
“I’ll call my recruiting coach [Latrell Scott] and he’ll put coach Fulmer on the phone,” Williams said.
So how does it feel to rush for 350 yards and seven touchdowns?
“I’m still kind of shocked,” Williams said. “But at the same time, I kind of expected that from myself.
“I owe it to myself and my team for us to go out and score and win. And we did just enough for us to win the game.”
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One of state’s top juniors visits Georgia
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Henry County wide receiver MarKeith Ambles, a candidate to be the state’s top player for 2010, is scheduled to make an unofficial visit to Georgia on Saturday.
The 6-foot-3, 185 Ambles is a transfer from Griffin High School and earned offers from every camp he attended over the summer: Ole Miss, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Auburn.
“I just started talking to Georgia a couple of weeks ago,” Ambles said. “I went to a Georgia practice and talked to [Mark Richt]. The Georgia coaches wanted to know why I went to Kentucky camp instead of Georgia camp, and it was because my quarterback [Drew Little] and coach went to Kentucky, and that was my ride.
“Georgia said that the scholarship offer was going to come, and not to worry about it.”
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Florida WR Wooten picks LSU over Georgia
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The signs indicated that Glades Central (Fla.) receiver Rantavious Wooten was leaning toward Georgia.
But he pulled a mild surprise today by revealing that he has committed to the defending national champions.
“It’s LSU,” Wooten wrote in a text message to Scout.com.
Glades Central assistant principal Corey Brooks told Nola.com, “He said he did not sleep at all last night. He felt he would fit into the system at LSU and it would be his best shot for playing time.”
Numerous phone calls and text messages sent today and this evening from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to the receiver rated as the 28th-best in the nation by Scout.com went unanswered.
Wooten had promised for several weeks that he would choose between Georgia and LSU on Aug. 29.
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Norcross tailback Adams focused on Maryland despite contact from other schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Norcross tailback D.J. Adams has five opportunities to take official visits this fall, but he’ll only need one. The Maryland commitment plans on visiting the Terrapins and only the Terrapins sometime during the season.
That doesn’t mean other schools aren’t still trying to get his attention.
“I get a lot of calls from schools all over still,” said Adams, a 5-foot-10, 212-pound back. “But it’s not as heavy. That was my goal in committing early.”
Adams built several close relationships with coaches from Clemson, Auburn and other schools. The calls still come, but the conversations have changed.
“I think they’re just checking up on me,” Adams said. “We talk, you know, just on a personal level. I like that because you do spend a lot time talking to different coaches through the process.”
Adams is a member of the AJC’s The Super Southern 100.
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Stanford scouting Warner Robins RB Wynes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Warner Robins tailback Rashad Wynes, who committed to Alabama-Birmingham, is still being heavily recruited by Ole Miss.
Now the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Wynes is being chased hard by yet another school: Stanford.
The Cardinal, which are having emerging presence in Georgia, are scouting Wynes but have yet to make an offer. The California school has three Georgia commitments in its 2009 class, most notably Henry County wide receiver Jamal Patterson. He picked Stanford among nearly 50 scholarship offers.
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Jarvis Jones mulls over Saturday games
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jarvis Jones, arguably the state’s top prospect, said it will be a last-minute decision on which college game he attends on Saturday.
The linebacker from Carver of Columbus says he might go with some of his friends to watch Clemson-Alabama at the Georgia Dome. Or he might go watch Florida play Hawaii. “Or I may just stay here, because my brother is supposed to be coming home.”
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound linebacker has narrowed down to seven schools: Miami, Florida, Georgia, Clemson, Texas, LSU, and Southern Cal. Jones said he is finishing up his paperwork with the NCAA Clearinghouse before scheduling any official visits.
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Tulsa-bound Brodsky of Milton set for senior season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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His schedule won’t permit him to attend next weekend’s Tulsa/UAB contest in Birmingham, but Milton deep-snapper Michael Brodsky says he’ll definitely make it to at least one Tulsa home game this season.
Brodsky, who committed to the Golden Hurricane in July, is considered one of the nation’s premier long snappers.
He remains solid with Tulsa, though he continues to hear from other programs.
Many of those schools have offered a preferred walk-on status. His offer from Tulsa is a full scholarship.
“Georgia Tech is interested and so is South Carolina,” Brodsky said. “Georgia Tech brought me in way back in the beginning of the summer.
“And I’ve heard from Miami (Ohio), Houston, Middle Tennessee State and Georgia Southern. But I’m definitely staying with Tulsa.”
Milton opens the season tonight against Chattahoochee, which is led by Wake Forest-bound quarterback Brendan Cross.
“I’m good friends with Brendan,” said Brodsky, who will enroll at Tulsa next summer. “His dad [former NFL player Randy Cross] taught me how to snap the ball.”
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Gainesville DE Jackson to attend Ft. Valley/Clark Atlanta game
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Josh Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 248 pound senior defensive end for Gainesville, has set his first visit of the upcoming season.
“I’m going to see Fort Valley State play Clark Atlanta on Saturday,” Jackson said. “Fort Valley is showing a lot of interest in me.”
But a four-year college based in Charlotte, N.C. will likely provide Jackson with his first scholarship offer.
“Johnson C. Smith University will probably offer as soon as the season starts,” he said. “And Grambling and Florida A&M have been talking to me and are interested in seeing how my season goes.
“I’ve got an invitation to visit Middle Tennessee State. I’ll try to get up there soon.”
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How the Clayton accreditation issue will impact recruiting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Accreditation is a term Lovejoy coach Al Hughes learned to become familiar with months ago.
Following the announcement that the Clayton County school system has lost its accreditation, Hughes said today’s decision has virtually no impact on recruiting.
“Everything is fine,” said Hughes. “The college recruiters, when they come to recruit the kids, they don’t ever ask if the school is accredited.
“They ask ‘what is the kid’s SAT score, what is his GPA, does he have all of the core classes and has he filed with the clearing house?’
“We’re talking about an issue that isn’t an issue.”
That’s good news for players such as Lovejoy offensive lineman Andre Harris, who has committed to Auburn.
“I asked the [the coaches at Auburn] about it and they told me not to worry,” Hughes said. “They said ‘if Andre Harris wants to be an Auburn Tiger, he’ll be an Auburn Tiger.’
“They’re not worried about whether the school is accredited.”
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Does UGA still want nation’s No. 2 tight end?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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One of Georgia’s top remaining targets appears to be Orson Charles of Tampa, an AJC Super Southern 100 selection who is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 tight end by Rivals. Tight end Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., rated No. 4 by Rivals, recently committed to Georgia.
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Charles said he hasn’t had contact with the Bulldogs since Fontaine’s decision, only discussing the situation with his teammate, quarterback Aaron Murray, who has committed to Georgia. Charles said he had no reason to believe the Bulldogs have withdrawn the offer.
“Aaron said they still want me, and he wants to play with me in college,” Charles said. “And [Georgia assistant John Lilly] had told me to take my time to make a good decision, and that a scholarship would always be waiting for me at Georgia. I assume that’s still the situation.”
Miami, which already has three commitments at tight end, appears to be the front-runner for Charles, who insisted Fontaine’s decision has no bearing on his decision. He also is considering Florida and Florida State, among others.
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Nico Johnson to watch Alabama at Georgia Dome
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Andalusia, Ala., linebacker Nico Johnson, one of the country’s top uncommitted players, told the AJC he plans at watch Alabama play Clemson at the Georgia Dome on Saturday night.
Johnson, a member of the AJC’s The Super Southern 100, said he is going with friends to the game. Neither Alabama or Clemson are allowed to provide recruiting tickets because it’s being played at a neutral site.
Johnson denied he is leaning heavily toward Alabama, saying he has no favorites. However, the only summer camp Johnson attended was at Alabama, and watching the Crimson Tide on Saturday night will be his first college game of the year.
Something else playing in Alabama’s favor is that it has no commitments at linebacker yet, while other competing schools such as Auburn has five and Georgia has three.
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Road Trip: Brookwood OT returns to the Georgia Dome
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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A week after Brookwood dropped a 14-9 decision to Walton in the Corky Kell Classic, Broncos offensive lineman Kellen Williams returns to the Georgia Dome for one of college football’s most-anticipated early season contests.
The 6-foot-5 288 pound lineman and his family plan to make a long weekend out of Saturday evening’s clash between Alabama and Clemson.
“My parents rented an RV,” said Williams, who committed to the Crimson Tide in April. “They’ll take it to the parking lot on Friday and we’ll stay there in the RV after the game on Saturday.
“This is a neutral site. But I bought a ticket and will enjoy the game.”
He hopes to bump into one of his future teammates during the weekend’s festivities.
“William Ming [an Alabama commit from Athens, Ala.] is coming to the game,” Williams said. “I’ll call him up and meet him down there.”
Williams, the 32nd-best offensive tackle in the nation according to Scout.com, said his commitment has done little to slow the recruiting efforts of other colleges.
“Central Florida is still really hard on my case, and so is Ole Miss,” said Williams, who will likely attend all of Alabama’s home games this season. “These guys don’t give up until signing day.
“But like I told everybody, I’m very solid in my recruiting. The only official visit for me will be to Alabama.”
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Lott cancels trip to South Carolina
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North Cobb defensive lineman Derrick Lott changed his mind and said he will not attend South Carolina’s game on Thursday night.
The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Cobb had originally told GoGamecocks.com that he was planning to go because his high school team was off on Friday. However, Lott told the AJC he changed his mind because he didn’t want to miss classes on Friday.
Lott has offers from South Carolina, Louisville and Michigan State, among others. He also has interest from Florida and Florida State. Lott has also impressed Georgia’s coaches, who said they told him they might offer if he improves his academics.
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Lassiter’s Camden Wentz recruiting for Stanford
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Stanford is making its presence felt on the Georgia recruiting front. And it looks like the Cardinal is getting some help locally.
“We’re trying to turn things around there,” said Lassiter offensive lineman Camden Wentz, who committed to Stanford in March. “You want to get as many good recruits as you can. You’re really recruiting teammates.”
Wentz has taken the extra step in his recruiting process. He isn’t content to just to sign his letter. He wants other top recruits doing the same.
The 6-foot-3, 274 pound lineman spent time talking to Henry County wideout Jamal Patterson before he committed to Stanford on Monday. Patterson became the third Georgia recruit to commit to the California school along with Wentz and Northview tight end Brock Sanders. Patterson a member of the AJC’s The Super Southern 100. Wentz is on the AJC’s The Georgia Top 150.
“Like with the whole Jamal thing,” Wentz said. “You wouldn’t think he’d be going to Stanford. But because we’ve been staying on him and he always said that he liked it, we got him convinced.”
Wentz said all of the Stanford recruits spend time talking to other recruits, helping lure the nation’s top talent to Jim Harbaugh’s team. He said the job isn’t a hard sell.
“It’s a unique place,” Wentz said. “It’s the only place in Division I football where you can get that good of an education and still play BCS football. It’s a program on the rise with a bunch of young coaches.”
Wentz currently plays tackle for the Trojans but likely will move to center or guard at Stanford. He committed on the Cardinal Junior Day but won’t be seeing the team again until its road trip to Notre Dame on Oct. 4.
The distance is difficult. Wentz would like to take an official visit to Stanford but spend more than just a weekend in Palo Alto.
That’s the challenge Stanford faces when dealing with recruits from the Southeast. But it’s one the Cardinal seems to be winning.
“I’m just ready to get there,” Wentz said. “It’s the kind of place you don’t forget.”
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Sandy Creek QB to visit Tech, UGA with friends
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Sandy Creek quarterback Rio Johnson, who committed to East Carolina, will be very busy over the next days.
On top of football-related activities with Sandy Creek, Johnson will be attending Georgia Tech’s game on Thursday night with his teammate, defensive end Brandon Putnam, who has committed to Duke but is still being recruited by the Yellow Jackets.
On Saturday, Johnson will be at Georgia’s game as a guest of Oconee County quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who has committed to the Bulldogs. The two quarterbacks became good friends after attending camps together over the years. “Yes, he’s a good friend,” Mettenberger said.
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Thomson safety Eubanks closing in on first offer
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Middle Tennessee State will likely extend a scholarship offer to Thomson senior safety Darius Eubanks in September.
Eubanks, who has seen some action at the receiver position for the Bulldogs but is primarily being recruited as a safety, has the potential to wind up with several offers this fall.
“I think Middle Tennessee State will be the first team to offer,” predicted Eubanks, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150.
“They’ll probably have coaches coming to our first couple of games.”
Eubanks, who intercepted six passes last year, was forced to move from safety to cornerback during the midpoint of the 2007 season when injuries struck the Thomson secondary.
“I only got to play five games at safety before folks started getting hurt in the defensive backfield,” said Eubanks, who is an academic qualifier. “Now, a lot of schools have said they want to come see me play a few games and make sure I’m the real deal and not a fluke from last year. Then they’ll offer.”
Realizing it’s a longshot to receive an offer from an ACC or SEC program entering his senior season, Eubanks says he’ll still likely attend one of Georgia’s first two home games.
“I still get letters from Georgia every other day,” he said.
“I’m also hearing from Wake Forest, North Carolina, N.C. State and Alabama.”
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Jackson to miss Griffin opener
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Griffin’s Kentorius Jackson, recovering from Aug. 8 surgery to repair two tears in the meniscus in his right knee, will miss the Bears’ season opener Friday against Dunwoody.
Jackson, an AJC Georgia 150 pick, said he has been able to run and cut and that he’ll be ready to play next week against county rival Spalding.
“It feels really good,” said Jackson, who is considering a visit to UAB this weekend. “I was having a lot of pain after workouts and I waited a long time to get it checked, but I was in pretty good shape and I’ve healed fast.”
Meanwhile, he said he’s still interested in Central Florida, Auburn and Alabama.
“I’ve got a lot of verbal offers, but I’m still waiting on the official offers,” he said.
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Eastside QB Wray weighs Central Florida offer
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Determined not to shortchange all of his recruiting opportunities, Eastside quarterback Justin Wray insists that he’ll wait a few more weeks before announcing where he’ll play college football next season.
Wray (6-foot-2, 201 pounds), who is being recruited by several schools as an athlete, contemplated accepting a scholarship offer from Central Florida during the spring.
But patience won out for Wray, who will engineer Eastside’s offense when the Eagles open the season Thursday night against Harris County.
“I’m still seriously considering Central Florida at this point in time,” Wray said. “But I’m talking to Vanderbilt and they want three of my game tapes [from the upcoming season] to see if they’re interested in me.”
Wray’s second offer could come from Presbyterian.
“I think they’re going to offer me,” he said.
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Recruiting profile: Newnan wide receiver Alan Bonner
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Newnan wide receiver Alan Bonner, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 list, has offers from Alabama-Birmingham and interest from the Air Force Academy and Akron. He caught 73 passes for more than 1,100 yards in 2007 and will lead the Cougars into a season-opening showdown this week with LaGrange. Bonner talked to staff writer Jay Stone about being recruited:
— On what he looks for in a visit: “Hopefully the school I’m visiting will offer me. I’m looking for good environment. Somewhere I can go and basically stay out of trouble, with a good town around me. “
— On what school he has always been a fan of: “Florida State. I grew up buying all the apparel and the hats and shirts and shorts and stuff. I went to a baseball camp there.”
— On his 2007 season: “At the beginning of the season I started out at quarterback. Me and Russell Powell were battling for it. He got an edge on me, so I started working at receiver. I just did the best I could and worked hard. I don’t have any regrets from switching.”
— What he’d be if not a football player: “Probably playing basketball and running track. I’ve got some small schools interested in me in basketball.”
— On the thing that’s a deal-breaker with a school recruiting him: “There were some schools I liked because of the area. My parents went with me to Florida State and they saw all the stuff around it and knowing that another school was right down the street, they were concerned about me staying focused. I think I can cope with it.”
— On the first school to recruit him: “UAB was the first school to offer me.”
— On college games he has been to: “I’ve been to a couple of Georgia games. I’ve seen them play Florida and at Auburn. Last year I went to Mississippi State and saw them play Gardner-Webb.”
— On how big a factor a school’s depth chart is: “Not too big of a deal. I hope I can go in and show the coaches I really want to play. Show them I’m a hard worker, and maybe I can play.”
— On his academic interests: “I think I want to study sports medicine.”
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Tucker LB Jonathan Davis plans official visit to Oklahoma State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis said he has set up his first official visit. He will travel to Oklahoma State on Oct. 3.
“They were the [most recent college] to offer me, and they feel like I could start as a freshman,” said Davis, an AJC Super 11 selection. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about Oklahoma State, all the facilities and great coaches. I’m looking forward to it.”
The 5-foot-7, 205-pound Davis said he will make an unofficial visit this Saturday to watch Alabama-Birmingham play Tulsa. Davis also has a lot of interest in Central Florida, and he hasn’t heard whether or not South Carolina is still offering a scholarship.
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Ridgeland WR Bowman ready to talk to UGA coaches
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Ridgeland’s Michael Bowman, arguably the state’s top wide receiver, says he plans to attend the Georgia-Georgia Southern game on Saturday.
Bowman wants to commit to Georgia, and says the Bulldogs have promised an offer, providing he raises his test scores. He talked to Georgia assistant Stacey Searels earlier this week.
“I called [Searels] from a different cell number, and he was like ‘Who is this?’ Bowman said with a laugh. “I told him it was me, and he asked if I was coming to the game and about my grades.
“He said ‘We have big plans for you, just keep hanging in there. You know what it takes.’ He said they can start calling again on Sept. 1, and he plans on calling me every week.”
Bowman appears to be the only in-state receiver that interests Georgia. Rantavious Wooten of Bell Glades, Fla., will choose between Georgia and LSU on Friday.
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Florida WR Wooten to choose LSU or UGA on Friday
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Glades Central (Fla.) receiver Rantavious Wooten confirmed to the AJC this evening that he intends to announce his commitment to Georgia or LSU on Friday.
Wooten, who says he made up his mind on Monday, intends on keeping the winning program in suspense until late Thursday.
“I’m not going to have a press conference, but I’m just going to get the word out to everyone on Friday,” said Wooten, considered the 28th-best receiver in the nation by Scout.com.
“I’ll call [Georgia or LSU] Thursday night and let them know about my decision.”
Wooten on LSU: “I like the football team in general and the way they use some of their players. I like the atmosphere, the coaches and the stadium. I just like everything about it.”
Wooten on UGA: “I like Georgia pretty much the same way I like LSU.”
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Milton’s Williams big on Tennessee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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University of Tennessee commitment Toney Williams of Milton intends to watch as many Volunteers games as he can, whether in person or from home.
The Volunteers’ opener Monday at UCLA is too far to attend, but Williams said you might see him at Tennessee’s home-opener against the University of Alabama-Birmingham on Sept. 13.
“I’d like to go to at least one home game, maybe even two or three,” he said. “I just want to see them play and get a feel for the atmosphere on game day.”
Williams has saved money for the college football TV package, and if he comes up a few bucks short, he won’t be bashful about asking his mom to chip in.
An AJC Georgia 150 pick ranked 48th nationally by Rivals.com, Williams ran for 850 yards and eight touchdowns last season for Milton (6-4) and had 158 yards and a touchdown receiving. He’s undoubtedly envisioning his contribution at UT, superimposing himself on the TV screen during Monday’s opener, televised on ESPN.
“I can’t wait,” Williams said. “I’m going to watch as many games as I can.”
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Oregon Interested in Baldwin LB
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The Oregon Ducks still have an interest in Baldwin High linebacker Corico Hawkins, even though Hawkins committed to Clemson weeks ago.
“Oregon has been sending lots of mail and has called and ask numerous questions,” Baldwin head coach Jesse Hicks said. “They seem to be very interested.”
Hawkins, an AJC’s The Georgia Top 150 selectee, received nearly 30 offers, including Georgia Tech, Auburn and Florida. He made a verbal commitment to Clemson on Aug. 8.
Despite Oregon’s interest, Hicks said Hawkins “is very firm to his commitment.”
The 6-foot, 228-pound Hawkins also runs track for Baldwin. Rivals.com ranks Hawkins as the 44th best linebacker in the country.
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Georgia State’s pitch to Henry County’s Drew Little: Be the first to sign
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia State plans to make Henry County quarterback Drew Little his first offer, Henry coach Mike Rozier said.
Little, selected by the AJC to The Georgia 150 list, led the Warhawks to a 10-2 record last season. He visited Georgia State coach Bill Curry and offensive coordinator John Bond, and their pitch, Little said, was to be the program’s first scholarship player.
Little, who also is considering Kentucky and South Carolina, was advised by Rozier to wait and see what other offers come.
“I could definitely see him going there,” Rozier said. “It’s an up-and-coming program, and he’d get to play in the Georgia Dome.”
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Inside The Stat; Etowah recruit Boykin talks numbers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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280
Rushing yards by Etowah’s Ryan Boykin, who is hoping to improve his stock and receive some top-notch scholarship offers, in the season-opener against Starr’s Mill.
Best game ever?
“The most before that I think was 117 against Sequoyah in scrimmage game. Last year, I think I had 94 against Milton.”
When you knew it was going well?
“I actually didn’t realize how well I was doing until toward the end. I looked back and I was like, ‘Wow, I guess I did pretty good.’”
Favorite run?
“The 74-yarder really pumped me up. It was in the third quarter. It was right after they had scored, and I went right up the middle. That definitely surprised me on that one. I got the ball and saw nothing but open field.”
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Position change boosts Mary Persons lineman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Mary Persons coach Rodney Walker said lineman Jadareius Hamlin reminds him of Randy McMichael, one of his former players.
McMichael, the St. Louis Rams tight end who made All-SEC at Georgia, had only one SEC scholarship offer coming out of Peach County in 1997 but was a freshman All-American.
Hamlin has only one SEC offer now, from Mississippi State. Hamlin is a 6-foot-3, 252-pound lineman with 4.8 speed and a 31-inch vertical leap who is being recruited as a defensive tackle, a position he rarely has played in high school.
”He compares with his explosion to Randy,” Walker said. “Georgia was the only 1-A school that offered Randy, and look at the career he had. I also had [Kedric] Golston at Sandy Creek [another former Georgia player now in the NFL], and Jadareius is not as big or as powerful, but he’s got more speed.”
Hamlin also has offers from Central Florida, Middle Tennessee State, Georgia Southern and Alabama-Birmingham.
Most of those came after his performance at a camp at the University of Georgia in June, when coaches there switched him to defensive tackle. Georgia didn’t offer Hamlin then, but Walker said he won’t be surprised if that changes this fall when Hamlin proves himself more on the field.
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Apalachee LB Gresham sets South Carolina visit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Chaun Gresham, a 6-foot-3, 205 pound linebacker from Apalachee who committed to South Carolina earlier this month, plans to attend the Gamecocks’ home SEC opener.
“I’m going to the Georgia game on Sept. 13th,” said Gresham, an AJC’s Georgia Top 150 selection.
Gresham, who originally committed to Georgia Tech before shifting his allegiance to South Carolina earlier this month, said the Gamecock coaching staff remains thrilled with his decision.
“They’re really excited,” Gresham said. “Their excitement is probably the same as it was before I committed.
“They’re always sending me handwritten letters. They’re usually signed by [South Carolina assistant] coach Shane Beamer.”
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North Clayton’s Dieke heading to Tech for first college game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Clayton’s Emmanuel Dieke, a Georgia Tech commitment and one of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 selections, says he never has been to a college football game. He’ll get his first game-day taste Thursday, when the Yellow Jackets play host to Jacksonville State in the season-opener at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“I’ve been to a basketball game there, but that’s about it,” said Dieke, whose North Clayton team opens its season Saturday night against rival Riverdale. “I haven’t experienced that atmosphere yet, so it’s going to be fun … 60,000 fans, first game of the season, so it’s going to be nice. A whole bunch of Yellow Jacket fans.”
Meanwhile, Auburn and Stanford are still selling him on visits to their campuses, but the 6-foot-7, 225-pound defensive end is standing firm, saying he likely will not make visits to other schools, and that he plans to graduate early and enroll spring semester at Tech.
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Henry County WR Jamal Patterson stuns with Stanford decision
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Henry County’s Jamal Patterson, who was one of the nation’s most-heavily recruited wide receivers with around 50 offers, made the stunning decision to commit to Stanford on Monday night.
Patterson picked the Cardinal over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina, and Oregon, among others.
“My senior season is about to start, and I just wanted to get that [college choice] out of the way,” Patterson said. “Stanford had been my favorite since I visited there in June. I kept visiting other schools to check out all my options, but Stanford was No. 1 all along.”
How did Stanford lure Patterson away from the surrounding SEC and ACC schools? “It felt like a family atmosphere, and you can’t beat the academics. You can only play football for so long, academics are for the long run in life.”
“All the other programs are good, too, but it just came down to which school I felt like was the best fit for me. Stanford is where I want to be.”
Patterson said he consulted on Monday afternoon with his parents, who supported the decision. “They loved everything about Stanford. They didn’t put any pressure on me, they told me it was my decision to make, and they were very excited my decision.”
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Offer count no concern for Tech recruit Crenshaw
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jefferson County defensive end Chris Crenshaw, who committed to Georgia Tech in June, continues to hold just two scholarship offers.
But while other recruits have seen their offer count climb well into double-digit figures, Crenshaw said his total number of offers is of little concern to him.
“The only other school that offered me was Troy,” said Crenshaw, a member of the AJC’s GEORGIA TOP 150 AJC’s Georgia Top 150. “Yeah, I’m a little bit surprised [over the lack of offers], but I really don’t think about it.
“And even if I got other offers, I’d stay with Tech.”
Crenshaw remains in touch with his recruiting coach, Tech assistant Giff Smith, on a regular basis. He attended a practice at Tech earlier this summer.
“I noticed how it was really different at that level compared to high school,” Crenshaw said. “I talked to mostly the defensive linemen and asked them what it’s like at that level and about how fast it is.”
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So You Want To Know: The AJC answers your recruiting questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Q. What SAT or ACT score is deemed to be acceptable at UGA for an athlete? Does his high school GPA and community activities count a certain portion for admission? Why do some players go to a prep school while others must go to a junior college before admisssion to UGA?
A. The NCAA uses a sliding scale based on GPA and SAT or ACT score to determine eligibility, and frankly, it’s pretty low. With a 3.5 GPA, you just about can qualify if you can spell your name right. For students with a 3.0 GPA, the minimum SAT score is 620. For a 2.5, it’s 820. For a 2.0, it’s 1010.
Keep in mind that these are NCAA minimums and not necessarily the minimums of a particular school. At Georgia, since that is the school you asked about, an athlete must meet the university’s minimum admission requirements or get a special waiver from the office of the president, Michael Adams.
A player who goes to prep school is generally one who keeps trying to make a passing SAT score but fails, then takes the prep route at the last minute. His main objective at prep school is work toward a qualifying score. If successful, he can enroll at the four-year school of his choice and be a true freshman.
Junior college is the answer for academic issues that aren’t as easily resolved. It might be the GPA. Some students lack the minimum number of core courses in high school to qualify regardless of their SAT score or GPA. Others take the junior college route to prove themselves. If you think you’re good enough to play for Alabama, but your only option is a Division II school because of academics, playing at a junior college and graduating may be your ticket to the SEC.
NEED TO KNOW BASIS: What do you want to know about recruiting? If you have a question, add it to the blog, and if there’s an answer to be found we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
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Brunswick’s Slay has talent, working on grades
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Darius Slay, a cornerback from Brunswick with NFL pedigree and 4.37 speed in the 40, is the probably the best high school football prospect in Georgia that nobody is talking about.
That’s because college coaches are concerned Slay won’t qualify academically, said his high school coach, Victor Floyd. But schools such as South Carolina and Clemson have visited and made offers — contingent on him qualifying. East Carolina and Central Florida also have offered.
“He’s a no-brainer,” said Floyd, who coached two SEC signees last season while at Chester High in South Carolina. “The question mark is qualifying, but athletically, you don’t get any better. He’s got the whole gamut.”
Slay is the cousin of former Brunswick star players, Darel Slay (South Carolina) and Dwayne Slay (Texas Tech, NFL). Darius Slay has been timed at 4.37 in the 40 and recorded a 39-inch vertical leap (NBA quality) at combines, Floyd said. Slay is 6-0 and weighs 185 pounds.
Floyd said Slay is ”as good if not better” than the two star players from his 2007 team from Chester High that played in the South Carolina Class AAA title game Gene McCaskill (signed with Kentucky) and C.C. Whitlock (South Carolina) are now SEC wide receivers who are expected to play as true freshmen.
Floyd has moved Slay from running back, where he rushed for 526 yards in only six games last season, to receiver. Slay also will play cornerback, his projected position in college.
“Any time you’ve got a guy like that, a game-breaker, you don’t want him running through tackles,” Floyd said. “You put him on an island, and if you miss one tackle, he’ll be going to the house. He’ll be seeing all sorts of slip screens.”
Floyd said Slay has not visited any schools this summer and has no fall trips planned. He’s focusing on school.
”If he comes through academically, he can have his pick of schools,” Floyd said.
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No colleges this weekend for Washington DB Branden Smith
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Booker T. Washington cornerback Branden Smith, the state’s No. 1-ranked prospect by Rivals, won’t be checking out any college games this weekend.
That’s because his high school team plays on Saturday against Hiram at 7:30 p.m. at Lakewood Stadium.
Smith has been tight-lipped about colleges but visited summer camps at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, and Florida, among others. He said he has not decided where he will watch a game on Sept. 6. “I don’t know, man. I’ll think about it next week.”
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Has South Carolina withdrawn offer to Tucker LB Jonathan Davis?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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After South Carolina got commitments from two linebackers and two safeties within the last month, there has been speculation that the Gamecocks may have withdrawn an offer to Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis, arguably the state’s best overall player.
The 5-foot-8, 202-pound Davis confirmed that he has not had any recent contact with South Carolina, but said that he was unconcerned about his status with the Gamecocks.
“They [South Carolina] know how to get in touch with me, if they want,” Davis said. “I don’t know their situation, and I’m not worried about other commitments. If they want me, I’ll guess they let me know. If they don’t want me any more, then I guess they don’t want me anymore. I just don’t know.
“But I’m talking to several colleges. I want to go to a school that wants me. Everything is going to be just fine.”
Davis has offers from Central Florida, Oklahoma State and Alabama-Birmingham, among others.
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Clemson offers Flowery Branch DE Cross
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Just when it appeared that Georgia Tech might have the inside track on scoring a commitment from Flowery Branch’s Izaan Cross, ACC rival Clemson officially threw its hat in the recruiting ring last week after extending a scholarship offer to the talented defensive end.
Cross, who also has offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Maryland, Mississippi State, North Carolina, N.C. State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Central Florida, wasn’t surprised when Clemson’s offer arrived.
The Tigers have been recruiting him aggressively for several months.
“With Clemson, the recruiting coach has been to my school, but the defensive line coach wanted to see me before they offered me,” said Cross, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150. “But with me not being able to get over there yet, they finally said ‘we’ll go ahead and offer you.’”
Cross will likely take a road trip to Clemson this fall.
“I would say so,” he said. “I’m going to try to get up there to one of their games this year, and it possibly might be one of my five [official visits],” he said.
“As far as two or three of my other [four official] visits, I’d say Georgia Tech and probably Mississippi State.”
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Top 10 most wanted: Best football recruits still on the market
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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About half of Georgia’s top 25 recruits remain uncommitted. Here are the best 10 still on the market. Three of our reporters then make predictions on their final destinations.
Darren Myles, Carver-Atlanta: The only surprise would be if Myles, a Super 11 safety, committed early. He’s very interested in LSU and Georgia, but the sense here is that he’ll be swayed by something in early winter, not the fall. This battle is just beginning.
Predictions:
Michael Carvell: Georgia
Jeff Hood: Georgia
Todd Holcomb: LSU
Jarvis Jones, Carver-Columbus: The consensus No. 1 recruit in Georgia, Jones is another who’s not likely to commit until after the season. Best guess is that this linebacker will go with Clemson, Florida, Georgia or LSU, but he has not ruled out Miami, Texas or Southern Cal. He could wind up a safety in college.
Predictions:
Carvell: LSU
Hood: Clemson
Holcomb: Georgia
Jamal Patterson, Henry County: This swift wide receiver told our Michael Carvell this month that he’ll make official visits to Stanford and Central Florida. His other choices are Florida, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn and Oregon. Great student, which is one reason he made our Super 11 list.
Predictions:
Carvell: Central Florida
Hood: Central Florida
Holcomb: Stanford
Johnnie Farms, Perry: This Super 11 lineman says he’d like to stay near home. He has gone to camp at Alabama and South Carolina and recently visited Auburn. He’s believed to be an Auburn lean.
Predictions:
Carvell: Auburn
Hood: Auburn
Holcomb: Auburn
Jonathan Davis, Tucker: Many feel this is the best football player in Georgia, even if his size - 5-8 - doesn’t make him a 5-star recruit. He’s got offers from Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Louisville, Central Florida and UAB, although there’s blog talk that South Carolina may back off after getting commitments from two safeties and two linebackers this month, including Apalachee’s Chaun Gresham.
Predictions:
Carvell: Oklahoma State
Hood: Central Florida
Holcomb: Central Florida
Branden Smith, Washington: The best corner prospect in Georgia, Smith told us this month that he plans to make his decision Jan. 4 at the Under Armour All-Star game. He’s camped at LSU and Auburn and visited Georgia and Alabama this summer.
Predictions:
Carvell: Georgia
Hood: LSU
Holcomb: Georgia
Izaan Cross, Flowery Branch: This defensive end told our Jeff Hood last weekend that Clemson just made an offer. We still think he’s a Georgia Tech lean. His Flowery Branch teammate, Daniel Drummond, is a Tech commit, and quarterback Connor Shaw has a Tech offer as a junior and is the brother of current Tech freshman Jaybo Shaw.
Predictions:
Carvell: Georgia Tech
Hood: Georgia Tech
Holcomb: Georgia Tech
Michael Bowman, Ridgeland: This 6-foot-5 receiver told our Seth Coleman that he’s down to Auburn, Georgia and LSU.
Predictions:
Carvell: Prep school
Hood: Georgia
Holcomb: Auburn
Julian Burnett, Westside-Macon: This is a linebacker that we rank higher than the recruiting services, who don’t like his height, 5-10. Auburn is perhaps his favorite, but he’s waiting on an offer.
Predictions:
Carvell: Mississippi
Hood: Alabama-Birmingham
Holcomb: Auburn
Darius Slay, Brunswick: Not the best ‘’prospect’’ because he’s got grade issues that keep some top schools from offering. Georgia hasn’t even visited. But Slay, a cornerback with 4.37 speed, is a player with Super 11 and perhaps NFL talent. Clemson and South Carolina have visited and essentially offered — contingent on Slay coming through academically.
Predictions:
Carvell: South Carolina
Hood: Prep school
Holcomb: JUCO
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Other schools not giving up Tech commit Sweeting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech had two commitments for its 2009 class switch to other schools. Luella defensive back Roderick Sweeting, who was leaning toward Auburn before committing to the Yellow Jackets, said he is standing by his college decision.
Sweeting said Alabama, Kentucky, and Maryland are still making overtures, trying to convince him to change his mind.
“I thought I made it pretty clear that I was going to Tech, but I’m not surprised I’m still hearing from the other schools,” Sweeting said. “It doesn’t bother me. That’s their job, to recruit, so I’m sure they’ll stay on me but I’m going to Georgia Tech.”
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Sandy Creek QB Rio Johnson satisfied with East Carolina
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Sandy Creek’s Rio Johnson, who is a candidate to be the state’s top quarterback, said he is satisfied with his college choice.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Johnson committed to East Carolina last spring. He is still being recruiting by Memphis and Alabama-Birmingham, among others. However, Johnson said he is sticking with the Pirates. Johnson is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia Top 150
“East Carolina treated me well during my visit, and it feels like home every time I’m on the campus,” Johnson said. “They told me they were going to redshirt me my first year, so I can learn the offense. Then as a redshirt freshman, they were hoping to get me in the game some with the plan to compete for the starting position as a sophomore.”
Johnson is a dual-threat at quarterback, just as effective running as he is passing the ball. He said he will likely scramble more this season with the loss of teammate Braxton Lane. Lane, who was considered one of the nation’s top wide receivers, decided to skip his senior season of football at Sandy Creek to focus on baseball. Lane, who had a football offer from Georgia Tech, said he has not ruled out returning to football in college.
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Georgia-bound QB Mettenberger sharp in Oconee scrimmage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Oconee County quarterback Zach Mettenberger tossed a total of five touchdown passes during the Warriors’ preseason scrimmage Friday night against rival North Oconee.
The contest gave the community just south of Athens its first glimpse of first-year Oconee County coach Mitch Olson’s spread offense and launched the senior season of Mettenberger, who has committed to
“My completion percentage was really good, and I thought the team played really well for our first outing,” said Mettenberger, who is listed as the 10th-best quarterback in the nation by Scout.com and is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150 .
The 6-foot-5, 233-pound Mettenberger plans to attend Georgia’s season opener on Saturday against Georgia Southern in Athens.
“I’m taking an unofficial visit on Saturday,” he said.
Mettenberger said he’s aware of Glades Central (Fla.) receiver Rantavious Wooten, who plans to commit to Georgia or LSU on Friday.
“I know Rantavious,” Mettenberger said. “He was there at Dawg night earlier this summer. The [Georgia] coaches really like him a lot and what he can offer.”
Wooten is rated as the 28th-best receiver in the country by Scout.com and is No. 34 overall at the position at Rivals.com.
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Georgia Tech looking hard at Duke commit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sandy Creek defensive end Brandon Putnam, who has committed to Duke, said he is hearing from Georgia Tech.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Putnam is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia Top 150
“I’m still being recruited by them,” Putnam said. “I don’t know what is taking so long for an offer. I know I’m on their [recruiting] board. They want to see some senior film.”
Tech has strong ties with Sandy Creek, alma mater of former Yellow Jackets All-America wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
“Tech has a great program, Calvin has nothing but great things to say about it,” Putnam said.
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Marist’s Chris Williamson hopes for Alabama offer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Marist punter Chris Williamson said he is under consideration for a scholarship offer from Alabama after being named “Best Punter” at the Crimson Tide’s camp earlier this summer.
“I kicked it well, and Alabama said they liked what they saw,” Williamson said. “They said they weren’t sure whether or not they were going to offer a punter this year. They hadn’t made up their minds.
“[Alabama] told me to send them film from my first few games and then they would take it from there. That’s pretty exciting, to be considered.”
Wake Forest is also showing interest in Williamson, who has an offer from South Alabama. He also attended camps at Georgia and Georgia Tech, and said neither school showed much interest in signing a punter for the 2009 class.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Williamson averaged 38.5 yards per punt last year. Said Marist coach Alan Chadwick, “We’re hoping to get him up to 40 or so this year, he’s really improved.”
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Alexander’s Mitchell backs off UGA comments, says he’s “100-percent” with Kentucky
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Alexander offensive lineman Kevin Mitchell plays in a uniform that looks like Georgia’s. His mother was born in Athens. And his grandfather still lives there.
And even though he grew up rooting for Georgia, Mitchell wants to make it clear that his blood now runs Kentucky blue. He wants to clarify things a few days after publicly stating he was still interested in the Bulldogs, if they called.
Mitchell, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia Top 150, verbally committed to the Wildcats earlier this summer after receiving offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana and Oregon. Last week he commented that he might listen if an offer came from Georgia. Evidently, Mitchell’s affectionate words for the Bulldogs caused quite a stir.
Now Mitchell has reserved direction, backing away from those comments and saying he is “100 percent committed to Kentucky.”
In fact, he said he will not attend the Wildcats’ season-opener next weekend because it is at Louisville.
“[Louisville] offered me too, so if I went there for the game, it might cause all kinds of confusion,” Mitchell said. “I’m only planning on going to games that are in Lexington, and right now I don’t plan on taking any official visits anywhere else. Kentucky is the best fit for me.”
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South Carolina chases hard after Mill Creek DE Robinson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Mill Creek defensive end Ryan Robinson said South Carolina is trying its best to land a commitment before the start of his senior year.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Robinson said he has listened to several intense recruiting pitches by Gamecocks assistant Shane Beamer.
“I like South Carolina,” Robinson said. “Coach Beamer just keeps telling me great things about the program and how great it would be to have me be a part of it. But I’m trying my best not to rush into anything. I want to go to some games at South Carolina and other places. I’ll probably make my decision in December or January.”
Robinson, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia Top 150, has a family connection to South Carolina. His uncle, Gus Robinson, played for the Gamecocks.
Robinson also has offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, and Middle Tennessee State. He is also being scouted heavily by Auburn.
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Road Trip: Kentucky commits to visit Lexington
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Heritage tight end Justin Jones and South Forsyth quarterback Brian Adams, two class of 2009 recruits who committed to Kentucky in June, will attend at least three of the Wildcats’ home games during the upcoming season.
They plan to carpool to Commonwealth Stadium on the weekend of Oct. 11 and be on hand when coach Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks roll into town.
They’ll make the five-plus hour trip from Atlanta to Lexington on Interstate 75 again on consecutive weekends in November to watch Kentucky host Georgia and Vanderbilt.
Jones said he and Adams became friends during junior day at Kentucky in 2007.
“We both stayed after camp that day and met [Kentucky assistant] coach [Joker] Phillips,” Jones said. “Ever since then, we’ve gone to camp at Kentucky together, hung out and kind of connected.
“And now we’re going to room together at Kentucky.”
Jones admitted that he might catch some additional SEC action this fall at a rival school.
“All of my friends are Georgia fans,” he said. “So I may go to some of Georgia’s home games, but only as a [college football] fan.”
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Profile: North Gwinnett QB Mike Tamburo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Gwinnett quarterback Mike Tamburo, an AJC Georgia 150 selection, pushed the Bulldogs to a breakthrough year in 2007 and pushed himself into the consciousness of college recruiters. He is considering offers from several schools, including Air Force, Bowling Green, Toledo, Louisiana-Monroe and Tulsa. He talked to staff writer Jay Stone about being recruited.
On what he looks for in a visit: “The campus itself. What kind of atmosphere; every school is different. What their academics are like. How big the football is; what conference they’re a part of.”
On what school he’s always been a fan of: “My neighbor is a big Texas fan, and he kind of got me started on it when I was 6. I’ve got hats and shirts and stuff like that. It’s pretty funny because Texas Tech was close to offering me, and if they had offered me I would have committed.”
On how much time the recruiting process is consuming: “In the offeseason it’s a lot more. I have a lot more of an idea of who’s interested. Every once in a while I make phone calls to the schools that have offered me and keep in touch. Right now, probably two hours a week. It was probably a half-hour a day in the offseason.”
On the 2007 season: “Because we made it to the state championship [game] it was just how long a season could be. It’s more about how you finish the season than about how you start.”
If he weren’t a football player he’d be: “Baseball player.”
On the Olympics: “I’ve been keeping up with basketball a decent amount. I’ve watched the 100-meter [dash] and the marathon. That’s pretty cool. You just watch how they are and how much they love it and how dedicated they are.”
On one thing that’s a deal breaker with a school recruiting him: “Maybe the type of offense. If they’re going to throw the ball eight times a game and not do much with the quarterback, I really wouldn’t want to go there.”
On who was the first school to contact him: “Georgia sent the most letters early. My sophomore year I went to their camp and did really good. They showed the most interest early.”
On how many college games he has been to: “I’ve gone to a good amount as a fan. Probably the best one I went to as a recruit was the Georgia-Auburn game. I’ve been to Auburn, Coastal Carolina, and I’ve been to Clemson.”
On how well he knows the other recruits: “I’ve talked to [Georgia commit] Aaron Murray a couple of times. He’s pretty soft-spoken. [Georgia commit Zach ] Mettenberger … I’ve been around a good bit. He’s a pretty good guy.”
On how a schools’ current depth chart factors in: “You try not to worry about it too much. You’re going to compete wherever you go. It’s nice when they’re older, because then you know you’ll have a chance to play a lot if you red-shirt. I’d actually prefer to red-shirt. It’s a chance to gain some weight and get some time in the offense.”
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Kentucky commit would consider switch to UGA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Alexander offensive lineman Kevin Mitchell said he still intends to sign with Kentucky.
Except if Mark Richt calls.
“The only thing that would change my mind [about Kentucky] is if Georgia offered me,” said Mitchell. “But I know that’s not going to happen because they already are loaded with offensive linemen.”
The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Mitchell is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 and also has offers from Indiana, Louisville, and Oregon.
Mitchell said he was impressed by Kentucky’s campus and facilities and the security of the coaching staff. Wildcats assistant Joker Phillips will be promoted when coach Rich Brooks retires.
“It’s good knowing who I’m going to be dealing with, if and when coach Brooks leaves,” Mitchell said. “Kentucky is a program on the rise and I want to be a part of that.”
Three of Georgia’s 13 commitments are projected to play offensive line: Chris Burnette of LaGrange, Dallas Lee of Buford, and Austin Long of Memphis.
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Sandy Creek QB misses Braxton Lane
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sandy Creek quarterback Rio Johnson, who committed to East Carolina, will be without his top receiver from last year, wide receiver Braxton Lane.
Lane told the the AJC he will skip his senior year of football to concentrate on baseball, where he is rated as one of the nation’s top pro prospects.
“I mean, we’re going to miss [Lane],” said Johnson, carefully choosing his words. “But we’ve got to move on. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
How will the loss of Lane affect Sandy Creek’s offense? “It changes quite a few things,” Johnson said. “We don’t have as many deep threats. But it will all work out.”
Lane, who was being recruited by Georgia Tech and Auburn, among others, hasn’t ruled out playing college football.
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Dutchtown WR Joe Stewart favors Missouri
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Dutchtown wide receiver Joe Stewart said he has been favoring Missouri since attending camp at the Big 12 school earlier in the summer.
“I talk with Missouri a lot; they’ve really been showing me a lot of attention,” Stewart said. “They like me at slot receiver and to return kickoffs and punts.”
Stewart said he plans to make official visits to Missouri and Stanford, and maybe Central Florida. The member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 also has scholarship offers from Tennessee, Middle Tennessee and Texas Tech, among others.
Stewart was offered by Georgia Tech last year as a junior, but never heard from the Yellow Jackets after the coaching change.
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Chapel Hill’s Johnstone will consider 1-AA offers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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At 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, Chapel Hill offensive tackle Taylor Johnstone is big for a high school player. But he said he would have no problem playing a smaller brand of college football.
“I would have no problem going to Georgia Southern or Furman or Wofford or Appalachian State,” Johnstone said. “Those are all great schools that compete for a national championship every year.”
Johnstone, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 list, has not received an offer. But he is being heavily recruited by Alabama-Birmingham, Furman, Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee State and Troy, and he thinks an offer could come shortly after the season starts.
“They all say basically the same thing … that they want to see how well I pass block,” Johnstone said.
The new coaching staff at Chapel Hill will throw the ball considerably more this season, Johnstone said.
“I think I’ll do pretty well. I have pretty good footwork from playing basketball,” Johnstone said. “I like to pass block more [than drive blocking] because it gives me a chance to show I can move around pretty good at my size.”
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Tech commit Drummond might letter in two sports for the Jackets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Flowery Branch’s Daniel Drummond, the fifth-best fullback in the nation in the class of 2009 according to Scout.com, is on pace to play football and compete in track and field at Georgia Tech.
The 6-foot-3, 230 pound Drummond, who committed to Tech football coach Paul Johnson in June, is targeted to play B-back or defensive end for the Jackets.
He could also wind up being a valuable addition to Tech’s track and field program.
“Coach Johnson indicated that Daniel would be able to continue his track at Georgia Tech since he took the state championship [last spring] in discus and finished second in shot [put],” Drummond’s father, Jim Drummond, said.
Daniel Drummond hopes to attend all of Tech’s home games this fall. He’ll be much more than a face in the crowd on Saturdays at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“He’s planning to help recruit targeted, uncommitted prospects,” Jim Drummond said. “Daniel is still dedicated to Georgia Tech all the way.
“He still feels that it’s a perfect fit for him both in athletics and academics.”
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Dublin’s Barnes commits to South Florida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Dublin offensive tackle Trent Barnes has committed to South Florida, head coach Roger Holmes said Wednesday.
“He enjoyed the relationship he established with the people who recruited him,” Holmes said. “It’s a successful Top 25 program that has the opportunity to win a national championship.”
Holmes said Barnes received offers from Troy State, East Carolina and Western Kentucky.
Holmes said Barnes, 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, also has the potential to play tight end.
“He has excellent hands, and he is extremely athletic,” Holmes said. “He doesn’t play tight end for us because of the type of offense we run, but he can do that at the next level if he doesn’t put on the needed weight to be an offensive lineman.”
Barnes also plays basketball for Dublin. His brother, Thomas Barnes, plays linebacker for North Carolina State.
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Carver RB Demond Dennis favors Auburn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tailback Demond Dennis of Atlanta’s Carver High said he is favoring Auburn over several other college choices.
The 5-foot-10, 193-pound Dennis, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150, said he wants to take official visits to Auburn, Louisville and Alabama-Birmingham. He is also considering a trip to Illinois. Dennis said some of his other offers are from Alabama, Central Florida, East Carolina, Miami of Ohio and Western Kentucky.
“I really like Auburn because they run the same offense we do, and they send a lot of running backs to the next level [NFL],” Dennis said.
Dennis plays in the shadows of Carver teammate Darren Myles, who is one of the nation’s top safety prospects.
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Sandy Creek DE Brandon Putnam proud of Duke’s recruiting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sandy Creek defensive end Brandon Putnam, who committed to Duke, said he is not surprised to see the Blue Devils have so much recruiting success this year.
Duke, under first-year coach David Cutcliffe, has 22 commitments for its 2009 class, beating out more successful teams for many players. Defensive tackle John Drew of Columbus switched his commitment from Georgia Tech to Duke, and tailback Desmond Scott of Durham, N.C., picked the Blue Devils over offers from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Clemson, Alabama, and Auburn, among others.
“It’s the coaching staff … they are committed to winning and they guarantee success,” Putnam said. “Coach Cutcliffe is very serious about building a great program, and he feels like this [recruiting] class will be the one to turn things around.”
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Putnam is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 and picked Duke over Arkansas, Minnesota and Stanford.
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Marshall may be next to offer North Gwinnett QB Tamburo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Quarterback Michael Tamburo, who led North Gwinnett to an appearance in last year’s Class AAAAA championship game, said Marshall may be the next school to offer.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound quarterback is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150.
“Marshall has sent me some letters, telling me I’d be a great addition to the team,” Tamburo said. “We’ve called up there, and waiting to hear back from them. I’m excited, Marshall has a top program.”
Tamburo has offers from Tulsa, Air Force, Louisana-Monroe, Toledo and Bowling Green, while drawing interest from several other schools.
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Eagle’s Landing junior QB Shaddix on the recruiting radar
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Dylan Shaddix, a junior quarterback at Eagle’s Landing in McDonough, is sure to be under the watchful eye of college recruiters during the upcoming season.
Part of his summer included participation in a camp at Kentucky and an Under Armour combine at the Georgia Dome.
“It was crazy at Kentucky,” the 6-foot-2, 208 pound Shaddix said. “I got to see all the facilities. It was really cool.
“The thing at the dome was basically a combine, more than a camp. I didn’t do many quarterback drills. I did all the testing, though.”
Shaddix, who is just starting to receive letters, hopes one of his first scholarship offers is from Alabama.
“My team is Alabama,” he said. “I was born and raised here [in metro Atlanta], but most of my family is from Alabama.”
The Golden Eagles are expected to give Shaddix, a pocket passer, plenty of opportunities to shine this fall.
“We ran the ball a lot last year, but we’ll run out of the spread a lot this season,” Shaddix said.
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Florida lineman picks Duke over Tech, others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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David Harding of Orlando, one of Georgia Tech’s top targets at offensive line, has committed to Duke, according to GoGamecocks.com.
Harding’s coach said academics and his relationship with Duke coach David Cutcliffe were the deciding factors. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Harding had 17 offers, withSouth Carolina and Central Florida being the other finalists.
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Tech recruits don’t mention Jackets during interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech is recruiting Dominique Allen and Marsalis Teague of Henry County High in Paris, Tenn., but neither mentioned Tech in an article Monday by Tom Kreager of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper.
Allen has committed to Tennessee but appears to be re-considering after a visit to LSU. Tech sees him as a B-Back. Tech is recruiting Teague as a cornerback.
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Ridgeland WR has ‘backup plan’ if UGA doesn’t offer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Ridgeland wide receiver Michael Bowman is determined to play for Georgia, which he said told him they would offer if he raised his test scores. However, Bowman admitted he has a “backup plan” in case things don’t work out with the Bulldogs.
“Georgia is where I want to be, it always has been,” Bowman said. “However, I’m not going to prep school. If Georgia didn’t take me, then I’d go to Auburn or LSU.”
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Inside the Stat Q&A: How Chamblee RB Norman scored 27 TDs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Warren Norman, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound running back from Chamblee, has committed to Vanderbilt. Norman, listed on the AJC’s The Georgia 150 list, put up a big number in 2007 — 27 touchdowns.
The encore preparation? “Continue to work hard in the weight room. Get in better condition and maybe do more this year.”
More scores last season? “I think so, since the first couple of games I wasn’t really 100 percent and I didn’t get as many carries as I got later in the season. I imagine I could have had about 40.”
More carries in ‘08? “I think so, especially seeing how other running backs got more than I did. I think I can carry the team on my shoulders, and I kind of like it.”
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UGA youth movement: Dogs offer Warner Robins junior
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Warner Robins defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker is one of only a select few rising juniors who already has been offered by Georgia.
“I’ve never had a player receive an offer sophomore year,” Warner Robins coach Bryan Way said. “But it’s happening all over the country, so it’s not that surprising.”
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Whitaker is difficult to hide from college recruiters, despite having two years left to play in high school. Whitaker also has offers from Clemson and North Carolina. Florida and Alabama are showing heavy interest.
Whitaker, who has been clocked at 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash, registered 65 tackles and five sacks as a sophomore. “He has the ability to dominate,” Way said.
- Michael Carvell contributed to this article
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Tucker LB Davis doesn’t measure up for many colleges
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tucker’s Jonathan Davis, arguably the state’s best football player, has a some very good scholarship offers, including South Carolina, Penn State and Oklahoma State.
But many observers agree that if the 5-foot-7, 205-pound Davis was three inches taller, he’d be one of the nation’s top prospects. Said one SEC recruiter, who asked to remain anonymous because of NCAA rules: “I love everything about the kid. But our staff just can’t get past the height.”
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens is disappointed that height is being held against Davis. “I think [Davis] is the best player in the state,” Stephens said. “If there’s one better, I’d like to watch that tape.”
“If Jonathan was 5-11, you’d see a ‘Tray Blackmon War’ with recruiting,” said Stephens, referring to the current Auburn linebacker who was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 outside linebacker from LaGrange in 2005.
Davis, a recent AJC Super 11 selection, has mixed emotions about the issue. He was happy to see his teammate, Drayton Calhoun, get offered by most of the national powerhouses before committing to LSU. But he is disappointed about getting overlooked by the same schools.
“I can’t control the way God made me,” Davis said. “I can’t change my height. If I get taller, then I do. If I don’t, then I don’t, and I’ll just go to one of the schools that likes me just the way I am.”
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Tech set to offer Newnan junior safety Ogletree
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Newnan junior safety Alec Ogletree has extra incentive to attend at least one Georgia Tech home game during the upcoming season.
“I have a teammate, Ray Beno, who has already committed to Georgia Tech,” Ogletree said. “[Tech’s coaches] said they want me to come to a game with him and they’ll offer me.”
Ogletree (6-foot-3, 210 pounds), who plans to attend a game at Tech in September, has scholarship offers from Clemson, Florida State and Georgia.
He says his current top five are Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, Florida and Miami.
Ogletree has attended camps in Athens, Clemson and Tallahassee. He plans to revisit those campuses this fall.
“I want to visit all the schools I’ve been to and go to a game,” he said.
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Tech QB Shaw facing future competition from baby brother?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Flowery Branch junior quarterback Connor Shaw has an early scholarship offer from Georgia Tech, where he could wind up competing for playing time with his brother, Jaybo, who’s No. 2 on the depth chart as a true freshman.
”They did it here,” said Flowery Branch head coach Lee Shaw, the father of the quarterbacks. “If Connor gets to Tech, I don’t know what he’ll wind up going as, maybe as an athlete, but at Georgia Tech, those athletes play quarterback in that system, so I’m not sure where they’ll end up slotting him. But I do know they like him as an option quarterback.”
Connor, who has not made a college decision, caught 59 passes for 1,086 yards and 13 touchdowns last season with his big brother making the throws to him at wide receiver.
Lee Shaw didn’t hide the fact that he’d love to see both sons at Tech.
”It’s pretty neat seeing one play at Georgia Tech and another with an offer at Georgia Tech, and their dream has always been to play college football together,” Lee said. “I know as a dad, it sure would be a lot easier on me. To be able to coach football on Friday night and watch them play on a Saturday would be a blessing that’s indescribable.” …
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Douglass LB Atchinson is Auburn’s 23rd commitment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Douglass linebacker Jonathan Atchinson appears to be one of the finishing touches of Auburn’s 2009 recruiting class.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Atchinson committed to the Tigers over Alabama, among other colleges. He is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150, and rated as the nation’s No. 59 outside linebacker by Rivals.
“It just felt like the right thing to do,” Atchinson said Monday evening after practice.
Auburn now has 23 commitments for its 2009 class. Atchinson is the fifth linebacker who said he intends to sign with the Tigers, joining Jonathan Evans of Prichard, Ala., Donald Ford of Odenville, Ala., Harris Gaston of Bessemer, Ala., and Eltoro Freeman of Perkinston, Miss.
Atchinson said he was informed by Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville that the Tigers were going to sign five linebackers. Atchinson said he wanted to be the fifth, as the Tigers have offers extended to several other top-rated linebackers.
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Sandy Creek WR Lane skipping ‘08 football, hopes Tech’s OK with it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sandy Creek wide receiver Braxton Lane said he hopes his decision to skip his senior season of high school football won’t affect his recruitment at Georgia Tech.
“I don’t know if they know yet,” Lane said Sunday night. “If they do [back off], then that’s their decision, but I know not all of them will. I’m not worried.”
Lane, who plans to use the fall to focus on baseball, says he has offers from nine Division 1-A schools, including Tech, Auburn, Michigan and Oregon. He’s one of only 33 recruits who received a grade of A or better in the AJC’s Georgia 150. He caught 55 passes as a junior at Sandy Creek, the school that graduated former Tech All-American receiver Calvin Johnson.
Tech is recruiting Lane as an A-Back, which would have him lining up outside the tackles and going in motion, often receiving passes or pitchouts from the quarterback.
Tech has no commitments from its A-Back targets, which include Orwin Smith of Alabama and Al-Terek McBurse of Florida. …
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So You Want To Know: The AJC answers readers’ football recruiting questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Q. I’m going to the Corky Kell Classic this weekend. Who are the top prospects there? — J.S., Lilburn.
A. The eight teams playing in the Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome have 12 players who made our The Georgia 150 recruiting list. Here’s a list broken down by school with the players’ grades we assigned them:
Brookwood
OL Kellen Williams (Alabama) … B+
Camden County
WR DeAngelo Smith (South Carolina) … A-
DB Robert Williams … B+
Etowah
None
Grayson
None
McEachern
TE Terrell Mitchell … B+
Norcross
RB D.J. Adams (Maryland) … A
DB Prince Kent (Miami) … A
DE Matt Autry … B-
Starr’s Mill
PK Chris Ward (North Carolina State) … A-
LB Stephen Roberts … B+
Walton
QB Ray Rayburn … B-
PK Brady Biggers … B
DE David Paulsen … A-
NEED TO KNOW BASIS: What do you want to know about recruiting? If you have a question, add it to the blog, and we’ll get back to you with an answer within 24 hours.
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The Doghouse: Georgia recruiting notes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Recruiting the offer
Ridgeland wide receiver Michael Bowman wants to be commitment No. 14 for Georgia’s
2009 class.
And Bowman says the Bulldogs have promised an offer, providing he improves his test scores.
“If Georgia offered me today, I would commit,” Bowman said. “I’ve talked and visited with other schools, but Georgia has always been No. 1 with me. I’ve never changed my mind about that. I’ve felt that way since the first time I went there.”
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Bowman is arguably the state’s top prospect at wide receiver and a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100. He has offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina State and Oregon, among others.
But Bowman’s dream school has yet to tender an offer. Said Bowman: “Georgia told me if I did well at camp, they would offer me. I went to camp and [was named best receiver]. But they didn’t offer that day. But they did tell me if I could get my test scores up, then they would offer.
“It’s kind of confusing. I know I am going to make my test scores. I’m so close now. I wish they would have enough [faith] in me to go ahead and offer.”
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LSU commit Kevin Minter offered by Bama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Peachtree Ridge linebacker Kevin Minter, who has committed to LSU, was recently offered by Alabama.
“It was cool,” Minter said. “It felt good to be offered by such a big-time program. [However] I’m still going to LSU.”
Minter, a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100, picked the Tigers over Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Virginia, Purdue, Ole Miss, N.C. State, Kentucky and West Virginia, among other offers. Minter said he is unsure if LSU will be his only official visit.
“It depends on how my parents feel,” Minter said. “They have talked about wanting to compare LSU to another school, but it doesn’t matter to me because LSU is where I’m signing.”
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The Nest: Georgia Tech recruiting notes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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TV WATCH: Orwin Smith, who plays for Central High in Phenix City, Ala., will play in a televised scrimmage Thursday against Carver of Columbus, the defending Class AAA champion in Georgia.
Smith has indicated that Auburn, Clemson and Vanderbilt are his top three, but Tech, Alabama and Minnesota are still in the picture.
The Central-Carver scrimmage will be on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast cable. …
STILL IN PICTURE: Wesley Johnson, a tackle from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, now lists Auburn and Vanderbilt as his favorites, but Tech remains one of a handful of schools still recruiting Johnson hard. Tech has commitments on the offensive line from Jay Finch of Kennesaw Mountain, Ray Beno of Newnan and Will Jackson of Farragut High in Knoxville.
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Inside College Recruiting: Does baseball focus hurt football recruits?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Two of the most highly recruited football players in Georgia aren’t playing for their high school football teams this fall.
Cartersville’s Donovan Tate and Sandy Creek’s Braxton Lane, both original members of the AJC’s Super Southern 100 and The Georgia 150, will focus on baseball instead. Each expects to be drafted by professional baseball in June. Tate might be the No. 1 overall pick. That’s how good he is.
For Tate, a running back, it probably means the end of his football career. But Lane said on Sunday he wants the option of playing football and baseball in college.
Lane sounded a little reluctant to talk about it since many college coaches don’t know that he’s not playing high school football. He said he had been offered scholarships by Georgia Tech, Auburn, Kentucky, Oregon, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Minnesota and Central Florida.
But Lane has been traveling so much with baseball that he has not been visiting campuses or talking to many coaches this summer, as many top recruits have been doing.
Lane’s coach, Chip Walker, said Lane made a personal decision that the coach wouldn’t second-guess. But Walker did add, “I’m old-school,” and then pointed to the example of Ken Swilling, his high school teammate two decades ago at Stephens County who lettered in four sports and became a football All-American at Georgia Tech.
“It didn’t slow him down one bit,” Walker said.
Cartersville coach Frank Barden was expecting Tate at football practice until almost the last minute earlier this month, when Tate finally made a firm decision.
”I had said all along that our team and our kids and coaches would support Donovan and pull for him whether that’s being a football or baseball player,” he said. “If you look at all the athletes of the caliber he is, they could’ve been good in anything they played. Sometimes you have to pick.”
In the end, Lane’s decision is more intriguing because he’s simply a very good prospect, not a guy who is almost assured of a huge signing bonus next year, like Tate.
If you were Lane, do you play football at Sandy Creek?
Or what if you’re Georgia Tech? Lane, who is a nephew of former Green Bay Packers great McArthur Lane, was being recruited as A-Back, and Tech has no commitments from a player targeted for that position. Do you ease up on a player now that he’s not playing football this fall?
And most importantly, should Lane still be a grade “A” recruit on our recruiting lists? And what you think of the Georgia 150 list and the grading? Are we missing somebody that should be in there?
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The Big Impact: UGA commit Vasser to miss Dogs’ opener
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Chestatee’s Chase Vasser, a 6-foot-3, 200 pound Georgia-bound linebacker, will miss the No. 1 ranked Dogs’ season opener against Georgia Southern on Labor Day weekend.
But expect Vasser to be a regular fixture at Sanford Stadium during the remainder of the season.
“I’ll be visiting my family in Tennessee [on Aug. 30],” said Vasser, whose senior season begins on Aug. 29 when Chestatee hosts Gainesville. “But I’ll be at the rest of the home games.
“And I might make it to the games at Florida and LSU. I’m about 90 percent sure on those two.”
Vasser, who plans to enroll at Georgia in January and room with incoming quarterback recruit Zach Mettenberger, said he’s still being recruited by several other colleges.
“I’m still hearing from Kentucky, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech,” he said. “Those are the main ones still sending personal, handwritten letters.
“And there are others still sending me junk mail. But I think they all kind of know that I’m going to Georgia.”
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Dutchtown WR Joe Stewart not heard from Tech’s new staff
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Dutchtown wide receiver Joe Stewart was one of the first juniors offered by Georgia Tech last Sept., but he has not heard the Yellow Jackets after the coaching change.
However, Stewart, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150, said he respects Tech’s decision, explaining, “I’d kind of like to get out of state anyways.”
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound speedster has plenty of options: Stanford, Missouri, Texas Tech, Tennessee, and Central Florida, among other scholarship offers.
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Derrick Favors considering UGA, Ga. Tech
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South Atlanta basketball All-American Derrick Favors announced his first list of schools Friday that he is considering with Georgia and Georgia Tech still in the running.
The 6-foot-9 center is considered the No. 1 recruit in the country by Scout.com recruiting services heading into the upcoming season. Hornets coach Michael Reddick said Favors is still considering the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets, along with Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Memphis, UCLA, UConn and defending national champion Kansas.
Favors, who averaged nearly a triple-double last season, has set up visits with Georgia (Aug. 28) and Georgia Tech on September 27, according to Reddick.
“We are getting it to a workable list,” Reddick said. “We are hoping to get it down some more.”
Reddick said that Favors haven’t decided if he will sign during the early period in November or wait until April.
“We are hoping to do it early, but we want him to take as much time as needed to make a decision,” Reddick said.
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Worth County’s Williams headed for junior college
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If there was a vote by college coaches of the least-known Georgia senior with the greatest upside, Meshack Williams would probably win it.
Williams, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end from Worth County, recently covered the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds. He had 14 sacks in 10 games last season.
But his college play on the big stage will have to wait. Williams, who is being recruited by numerous SEC and ACC teams, will have to go to a junior college next fall because he fell behind in core classes as a freshman and sophomore.
“He is a great kid and has good grades, but he will not be able to make up his academics in time,” Worth coach Harris Rainbow said. “What’s going to happen is a Florida State or South Carolina will sign him in February and set him up to go to a junior college. He really has the ability to play on Sundays one day.”
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North Gwinnett QB Tamburo awaits South Carolina
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North Gwinnett quarterback Michael Tamburo said he is a finalist for an offer from South Carolina.
“If they offer me, I’m probably going to commit,” Tamburo said.
Tamburo said he has been keeping in contact with South Carolina assistants David Reaves and Shane Beamer since attending camp last month. Tamburo said that South Carolina likely will sign only one quarterback this year, and he was one of three the Gamecocks are considering.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Tamburo has offers from Tulsa, Toledo, Bowling Green, Air Force and Louisiana-Monroe. He is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150
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Tucker DL Deion Roberson picks five for official visits
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Tucker defensive lineman Deion Roberson said he will make official visits to the following five schools: Tennessee, Florida State, Michigan State, West Virginia and Maryland.
The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Roberson does not have scholarship offers from Tennessee and Florida State, but he said both of those schools have told him that he is a scholarship candidate and that he most likely will get an offer. Roberson said he had not set up dates for his visits, but will schedule next month.
Roberson is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150.
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Washington DB Branden Smith to make Jan. 4 decision
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Booker T. Washington cornerback Branden Smith said he will wait until the Under Armour All-Star game on Jan. 4 to announce his college decision.
“That should give me plenty of time to visit colleges and think about what I’m going to do,” said Smith, who is a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100 and ranked as country’s No. 4 cornerback by Rivals.
Smith only participated in two camps this summer, LSU and Auburn. However, he made unofficial visits to several colleges, including Georgia and Alabama. Smith said he was really impressed with the Crimson Tide a few weeks ago.
“I liked [Coach Nick Saban],” Smith said. “I think it’s always a good thing when your position coach is also the head coach.”
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Florida WR Wooten set to commit to UGA in two weeks?
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Speculation continues to mount that Georgia’s next commitment will come from Rantavious Wooten, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound wide receiver from Glades Central High in Belle Glade Fla.
Wooten, one of the nation’s top receivers, said he’s narrowed his choices to a pair of SEC schools. His selection will be revealed on Friday Aug. 29.
“I am down to Georgia or LSU,” Wooten told Scout.com. “I feel comfortable with both, but I just see a better fit for me at one university than the other.”
Wooten says he’s already made up his mind.
“I already know who it is,” he said. “No press conferences or anything like that will be needed at the school. I am just going to tell someone. I am sure the word will spread.”
Playing time will factor into his decision.
“[Georgia] coach [Mark] Richt is letting me know that I can get some good looks right away,” Wooten said. “I checked out depth charts, and I feel like I am making the right choice.”
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UGA recruit who failed to qualify hopes to join Dogs soon
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Griffin’s Toby Jackson, the only member of Georgia’s incoming recruiting class not to qualify, is disappointed about missing his opportunity to play for the No. 1 team in the nation.
Instead of practicing with the Bulldogs, where he was expected to contribute at defensive end, Jackson has been working out with some high school buddies in preparation for reporting today to Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy.
“I wouldn’t say I’m heartbroken, but it hurts,” Jackson said. “However, I’m happy for the other freshmen and rest of the team. They’ve earned the shot at being No. 1. Hopefully, I can take care of what I have to do in prep school and join those guys [at Georgia] in time for bowl practice.”
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Jackson said he has already made the necessary grades, but needs to improve his test scores. He hasn’t had much to do with Georgia since getting the news at the beginning of July that his college career would be delayed.
Jackson hasn’t visited Athens or attended any preseason practices. He talked with a few of the other freshman recruits in the early summer, but sort of lost contact. However, Georgia coach Mark Richt and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner gave Jackson a pep talk over the telephone last week.
“They just encouraged me, telling me to stay focused and stay hungry,” Jackson said. “They told me to use my time wisely at Hargrave.”
Jackson was arguably Georgia’s most heralded recruit on defense last year, earning the ranking as the country’s No. 5 strongside defensive end by Rivals.com. He picked the Bulldogs over USC and Miami. Within the last month, Jackson said LSU and Alabama have let him know a scholarship is available if he changes his mind, but he said he is Georgia-bound.
Georgia signed 24 players last year, including Cedar Grove’s Xavier Avery, who opted for pro baseball.
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Westlake seniors drawing recruiting interest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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One of the biggest surprise teams of the year could be senior-laden Westlake.
The Lions were 5-5 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004. But the 30-plus seniors on the team are primed to turn things around. While offensive lineman Chance Warmack — an AJC Georgia 150 selectee who has committed to Alabama — gets most of the attention, several other seniors are getting serious recruiting looks. Running back Jarrett Kyles said he has received “about 40 or 50” letters from Middle Tennessee State.
“And they are hand-written notes, too, which is kind of cool,” said Kyles (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), who ran 4.45 in the 40 at Auburn’s camp this summer. “Auburn has sent me letters and Georgia Southern, too.”
Kyles said he thinks an offer will come from MTSU once they see some game film. Many of his fellow senior teammates are in a similar situation, including defensive end/offensive lineman Todd Wilcher (6-1, 240), who is being recruited by Georgia Southern, Indiana, Troy and Ole Miss.
“[Georgia Southern] said they were going to come up and see me play, and they want to see some film, too,” Wilcher said.
Other Westlake players being heavily recruited include running back Devon Babb (Alabama-Birmingham, MTSU, Savannah State and Troy), defensive back Dwayne Fields (MTSU and Georgia Southern), receiver Robert Jennings (Alabama-Birmingham, East Carolina, Georgia Southern, Troy and Vanderbilt), quarterback Lewis Kindle (Eastern Kentucky, Leon, MTSU, Tennessee-Martin and Troy) and safety Julian Smith (Georgia Southern and West Virginia).
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Westlake OL Warmack still solid on ‘Bama … for now
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Westlake offensive tackle Chance Warmack says he is sticking by his verbal commitment to Alabama, made several weeks ago.
But that hasn’t stopped the recruiting calls, and Warmack, an AJC Georgia 150 selectee, is listening.
“For the most part, it’s still all about Alabama for me, but I’m keeping my options open,” said Warmack (6-foot-4, 320 pounds). “[Schools] are still calling, except for Auburn. They’re pretty mad at me.”
Warmack said he will take three official visits at some point, although he won’t say where those visits will be. He said his focus is on adapting to the school’s new coaching staff.
“I really like my coaches,” Warmack said. “They are really staying on me, trying to make me better.”
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Cartersville RB/DB Alexander picks up another offer
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Morgan Alexander, who already has offers from Arkansas, Indiana and Louisville, said he is patiently biding his time waiting for more offers before he makes a commitment.
The Cartersville RB/DB received another offer this week, although it was not from one of the big boys - Auburn, Clemson, Florida State or Tennessee - he’s looking for. South Carolina State University in Orangeburg offered Alexander on Tuesday.
“They sent the letter to school,” said Alexander, an AJC Georgia 150 selectee. “I don’t know much about [SCSU], but it’s still exciting. I’m going to go home and do some research on them.”
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UGA commitment Fontaine gets high marks
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Arthur Fontaine, who committed to Georgia this week, is the No. 5 tight end in the country, according to Rivals, but he was the Bulldogs’ No. 1 choice.
Rivals national recruiting director Mike Farrell, who is based in Connecticut and has seen Fontaine up close, understands why.
“He’s the most complete tight end in the country when it comes to blocking and catching,” Farrell said. “The others are more athletic who are ranked higher, but they’re going to have to learn to block, and Arthur won’t.”
Rivals’ No. 1 tight end, Logan Thomas of Virginia, is a high school quarterback who has never played the position.
Orson Charles, rated No. 4, is faster but lacks size at 6-foot-2, 216. Charles, a teammate of quarterback Aaron Murray, a Georgia commit, also has been recruited by Georgia.
Fontaine, who is 6-5, 240, caught only 10 passes last season and plays in a state not known for its high school football, But he has become a prize recruit based on his work in summer camps.
“He’s a well-rounded, physical, hard-working, typical Northeastern kid who will roll up his sleeves and smack the person in front of him or sneak out into the flat,” Farrell said. “Stealing him away [from Boston College] is a big deal. You don’t get kids out of Massachusetts if BC wants them, usually.”
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Georgians fill Under Armour all-star roster
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Three University of Georgia football commitments were recently selected for the second annual Under Armour All-American game in Orlando. The game will be played on Jan. 4, 2009.
Emanuel County Institute running back Washaun Ealey will be joined by his ECI teammate, linebacker Dexter Moody, and Buford lineman Dallas Lee.
Six other Georgians were selected, including Washington cornerback Branden Smith; Carver-Atlanta safety Darren Myles Jr.;, Norcross safety Prince Kent (Miami commitment); Henry County wideout Jamal Patterson; Northside-Warner Robins linebacker Eric Fields (Clemson) and Lowndes cornerback Greg Reid (Florida).
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Pepperell QB Watters one of the state’s top juniors
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Fresh off a summer break which included visits to Alabama and Georgia, Pepperell junior quarterback Jonathan Watters has now shifted his focus to the Dragons’ upcoming season.
During the journey, several major college scholarship offers are expected to roll in for the 6-foot-3.5, 195-pound Watters.
“He doesn’t have any offers yet, but they’re evaluating him,” Pepperell coach Jeff Shiflett said.
“This summer, he had the opportunity to go to Georgia to their one day camp. And he went to Alabama too. There are a lot of people looking at him.”
Watters, a pro-style pocket passer, hopes to receive offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee.
Shiflett, who succeded longtime Pepperell coach Lynn Hunnicutt last season, believes offers from such SEC powers isn’t out of the realm of possibilities for the young quarterback.
“He’s worked real hard and has the physical tools,” Shiflett said. “He came on for us last year in game four, and we made it to the quarterfinals.
“He really sparked our offense. I feel good about him.”
Watters is among 10 offensive starters returning this season for the Dragons. He took part in the Scout.com combine at the Georgia Dome and Mike Hodge’s quarterback/receivers camp at Middle Georgia College in Cochran during the summer.
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Perry OL Farms takes another look at Auburn
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Perry’s Johnnie Farms, one of the nation’s top offensive linemen, said he is headed back to Auburn on Saturday.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Farms is one of the top remaining recruiting targets for Auburn, which has 22 commitments. Farms is a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100 and ranked as the country’s No. 10 offensive guard by Rivals.
“I had a good time at Auburn last time,” Farms said. “One of my high school coaches is going to Saturday’s practice, so I thought I would catch a ride so I could see [Auburn] and the lineman in action.”
Farms denied rumors that he is leaning toward to Tigers, but did say he was considering the Alabama school for one of his official visits. Otherwise, Farms has been tight-lipped about recruiting, declining to name any favorites.
Farms has around 25 offers, including Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Clemson, South Carolina and Georgia. Farms made an unofficial visit to Auburn last month with his grandfather.
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‘Big Three’ has company at ECI
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Defending Class A state champion Emanuel County Institute gets a lot of attention because of the “Big Three” — running back Washaun Ealey (Georgia commitment), linebacker Dexter Moody (Georgia commitment) and lineman J.C. Lanier (Georgia Tech).
But there’s more.
The Bulldogs have two other seniors who have Div. I abilities: linebacker Mark Flott (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) and lineman Cody Todd (6-3, 335).
ECI coach Milan Turner said Flott is getting serious looks from North Carolina and Wake Forest and Division 1-AA powers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.
Todd is also a major-college prospect, but will likely have to go to junior college to improve his grades.
The Bulldogs also have two juniors who may generate similar attention next season — athletic quarterback Michael Robertson and running back Brooks Kirkland.
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Citadel and Troy recruiting Social Circle DL Baynes
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Tytus Baynes, a 2007 AJC Class A all-state defensive lineman, headlines a Social Circle roster preparing for the Redskins’ season opener against Monticello on Aug. 29.
Social Circle coach Troy Morris is confident that the 5-foot-11, 280-pound senior has the ability to play football on the collegiate level next fall.
“Tytus looks great,” Morris said. “In the spring, he had Troy, Citadel and some other smaller schools talking to him.
“He’s on track with his grades and is doing very well in class. And we’ve got him in a weight training class.
“I see him as a Valdosta State, Georgia Southern or Furman-type kid.”
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Tight end Fontaine is UGA’s 13th commitment
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Tight end Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., who committed to Georgia on Tuesday, still can’t believe the way his recruiting played out. He is Georgia’s 13th commitment for the 2009 recruiting class.
“I never had any intentions of going to Georgia when they first offered,” Fontaine said. “But I visited and loved it. Then I visited Georgia again last week and loved it more.”
Fontaine, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 4 tight end by Rivals, actually gave a secret commitment to Georgia coach Mark Richt at the end of his three-day trip to Athens last Friday. Fontaine waited until Tuesday to reveal his decision because he wanted to inform his other finalists: Boston College, Virginia and Maryland.
“Coach Richt was real excited, and then [Georgia assistant Mike Bobo] told a funny story: He said he had a dream about me, that I signed with Georgia but reported at 211 pounds. He said ‘Oh no, I thought you were going to be 245 because we really need that big tight end in our offense.’ I was laughing the whole time.”
Fontaine said it was his “gut feeling” that led him to the Bulldogs. He also said the blessing of his mother played a critical role in his final decision.
“My mom loved Coach Richt and Georgia, which just confirmed how I felt about everything,” Fontaine said. “I still can’t believe this kid from Massachusetts is going down to Georgia, and that the No. 1 team in the country wanted me so badly. My mom just said everything happens for a reason, and she’s right.”
Fontaine committed to Boston College in early May, but backed off it a few weeks earlier because he felt he rushed his decision. He said he won’t be changing his mind about the Bulldogs. “Recruiting is over for me.”
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Cartersville’s Tate expected at football practice Monday
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After his whirlwind summer of baseball concludes with yet another national baseball all-star game this weekend, Cartersville’s Donavan Tate is expected to be in school and at football practice on Monday, Hurricanes head coach Frank Barden said.
“That’s the plan,” Barden said. “[Aug. 18] will be his first day.”
Tate, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150, is also one of the country’s best high school baseball players. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound switch-hitting center fielder is listed by Baseball America.com as a likely first-round pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.
After leading Cartersville to the Class AAA baseball state title in May, he helped lead the 18-and-under U.S. National Baseball team to a silver medal in the International Baseball Federation’s World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada. He participated in last week’s AFLAC All-American Baseball All-Star Game in Los Angeles, where he was named a finalist for the 2008 Jackie Robinson Award, given to the national high school player of the year, and he will play in the 2008 Under Armour All-American game on Sunday at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Not much time for offseason football training in that itinerary, and Barden says he completely understands, considering Tate’s considerable talent. Tate has been offered football scholarships from Southern Cal, Georgia and Florida, among others.
“We know he’s [been] working,” Barden said. “He’s a tremendous athlete and a tremendous kid. It’s a shame he has to narrow the sports he plays, because I think he could even be a great basketball player. He’s so naturally gifted.”
Tate lined up primarily at quarterback and safety last season for the ‘Canes. This season, he’ll remain at safety on defense. But opposing defenses will have to work to find him on offense. Senior Elijer Martinez (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) will take most of the snaps at quarterback, while Tate and fellow AJC Georgia 150 selectee Morgan Alexander will be the primary playmakers, lining up at running back and receiver.
“[Martinez] has had a good offseason and has worked really hard,” Barden said. “He’s a good athlete, but his strength is the intangibles you like your quarterback to have. We think he’ll do a good job leading us, and it allows us to move Donavan and Morgan around a lot.”
Alexander said he’s excited about the adjustment to the ‘Canes offense. “Me and Donavan will be able to move around and line up in different spots all over the field,” he said. “It’s going to make us pretty hard to stop. I can’t wait.”
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Cartersville’s Alexander waits for ‘dream’ offers
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Morgan Alexander is a lot more than Donavan Tate’s sidekick at Cartersville.
In fact, Alexander, a speedy (4.43 seconds in the 40) running back/receiver/defensive back has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Louisville and Indiana. But he says he’s waiting on his “dream offers,” which he hopes will come this fall.
“I’m going to hold out to see if I can get some offers from Tennessee, Auburn, Florida State and Clemson,” said Alexander (6-feet, 180 pounds), a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150. “I like the [offers] I already have. But those are some other schools I’d really like to hear from.”
Georgia is noticeably absent from his list and for good reason, says Alexander. He will play on either side of the ball, but prefers offense over defense.
“Man, Georgia is already too stacked,” Alexander said, noting that the Bulldogs have running backs Richard Samuels and Caleb King waiting in the wings behind Knowshon Moreno. “And they’re trying to bring in [Emanuel County Institute’s Washaun Ealey]. I’d never see the field [early]. Maybe at defensive back, but they’re stacked on offense.
“Arkansas has told me that if I come in and work hard, I can earn a position early,” Alexander said. “They are short at running back.”
If he doesn’t hear from another school, Alexander said he’ll be more than happy to choose from the offers he has. He plans to take official visits to Arkansas, Louisville and Indiana sometime this fall.
“I have to try to figure out the best time to do it, because I want to get a really good look at all three campuses,” Alexander said. “All three of them have good athletic programs and good academic programs, which is really the most important thing to me.”
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Sandy Creek WR Lane could opt for baseball over Tech football, others
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Braxton Lane’s status as a football player is up in the air.
Lane, a wide receiver for Sandy Creek High in Tyrone, has spent most of the last three weeks pursuing his baseball interests. He played in Saturday’s AFLAC All-American Game in Los Angeles and is in Chicago this week for a similar event.
Lane has football scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, several SEC schools and Oregon. He is a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100.
Sandy Creek coach Chip Walker said he has heard rumors that Lane would spurn football this season and concentrate on baseball.
“We don’t really know what he’s going to do,” Walker said. “If he does play, he’s going to be behind. But that’s probably the deepest position we have. We’re not going to beg anybody to play.”
Lane caught 55 passes for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2007 and holds all of the receiving records at the school, which is the alma mater of Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
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TE recruit Fontaine to commit on Tuesday
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Arthur Fontaine, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end from Dartmouth, Mass., will commit to Boston College, Georgia, Maryland or Virginia on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
“My decision has been made,” Fontaine said shortly after 6:30 p.m. today. “I’ll be announcing it [on Tuesday] at 1 o’clock.”
Fontaine, the fourth-best tight end in the nation according to Rivals.com, said he doesn’t plan on holding a press conference.
“I’ll just start texting and calling people at that time,” said Fontaine, who visited Georgia last week. Fontaine admitted to the AJC over the weekend that he nearly committed to Georgia during his three-day trip to Athens.
He has already notified coaches at the program he intends on calling home for the next four years.
“They’ve known about my decision since Friday,” Fontaine said. “I’ll be e-mailing coaches at the other schools about my decision tonight.”
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Ridgeland WR narrows list to UGA, Auburn, LSU
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Ridgeland receiver Michael Bowman, who has received scholarship offers from nearly every major college in the South and Midwest, has narrowed his list to three schools: Auburn, Georgia and LSU.
“Basically, I like their offenses and how they throw the ball and use a lot of receivers,” said Bowman, who is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150. He is ranked by Rivals.com as the top receiver in Georgia, No. 4 receiver in the Southeast and No. 40 nationally.
Bowman (6-feet-5, 222 pounds) said also that he plans to end the suspense surrounding his choice “sometime before midseason.” He hasn’t scheduled official visits yet, but Bowman said once he does commit he will not take any more visits.
“After I commit, that will be it,” he said. “After that, I won’t worry about taking any other visits.”
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Kentucky eyes Henry County QB Little
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When Kentucky dismissed quarterback Curtis Pulley last week, it caused the Wildcats to take a closer look at Henry County quarterback Drew Little.
Little, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150, attended Kentucky’s prospect camp earlier in the summer. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Little has no offers, but is being scouted by numerous major colleges.
“Kentucky told me they are definitely going to keep in touch with me,” Little said. “They said they planned on signing one quarterback but now may take two because of [Pulley’s dismissal].”
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Mill Creek DE Ryan Robinson said Auburn may be next offer
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Mill Creek defensive end Ryan Robinson said Auburn may be his next offer.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Robinson already has offers from South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State. He only attended one camp this summer at Auburn and impressed coach Tommy Tuberville.
“Coach Tuberville said I had a great camp, which was an honor,” Robinson said. “He said they’d be watching me during the season, and if they like what they saw, they would probably offer.”
Would Robinson commit to Auburn, if offered? After a short pause, Robinson said, “I don’t know. I’m trying to take it all in. I’ll probably try to wait until December or January so I can look at all the colleges.”
Robinson is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150
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FSU commit Demps willing to listen to other schools
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Lowndes safety Gerald Demps is surprised he has dropped off the recruiting radar since committing to Florida State last spring.
“Yeah, I haven’t heard from anybody, not even Georgia … I’m very surprised,” said Demps, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150
Would Demps consider other schools? “I’m solid in my decision … [but] I would hear anybody out. I wouldn’t say it would be wasting their time to talk with me. Anything can change; anything can happen.”
Demps said he picked FSU because he has been a lifelong fan of the Seminoles. He did not attend any camps during the summer, rather focusing on working out with his high school teammates.
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Douglas County QB Tony Caldwell awaits offers
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Douglas County QB Tony Caldwell made the recruiting rounds during the summer, attending camps at Wake Forest, Middle Tennessee State, East Carolina, Furman and Georgia Southern.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Caldwell is still waiting for his first offer. But he has been told he is a scholarship candidate at several schools, including MTSU and Wake Forest.
“They all told me to mail them film after my first four games,” Caldwell said. “Georgia Southern said if they like what they see, that they are going to offer me.”
Caldwell is a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150
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Tampa QB recruit Aycock still considering Tech
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Dontae Aycock, a 5-foot-10, 190 pound quarterback for Chamberlain High in Tampa, Fla., said earlier today that he’s still considering a scholarship offer from Georgia Tech.
But the Jackets don’t appear to be making a major push for Aycock.
Tech already has a commitment from Jordan Luallen, a quarterback from Center Grove High in Greenwood, Ind.
And the Jackets are recruiting Marsalis Teague of Henry County High in Paris, Tenn. Teague is considered the 28th-best quarterack in the nation by Scout.com.
But Aycock is convinced that Tech is still in play, despite little communication recently between himself and coach Paul Johnson’s staff.
“I haven’t been talking to any coaches, period. But I do still get mail,” Aycock said when asked about recent contact with Tech coaches.
Tech is the only school recruiting Aycock as a quarterback. Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisville, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Rutgers, South Florida and Vanderbilt have each offered and are recuiting Aycock as a running back.
“Whatever position I play on the next level is fine, as long as I get to play,” he said. “That’s my main concern.”
Aycock, the younger brother of Detroit Lions cornerback Dwight Smith, told Scout.com in April that he nearly committed to Tech during a visit to Atlanta.
“I just said I really like the place,” Aycock said, when asked to clarify his comments. “I’ve been there twice. But I never said that I was going to commit there.
“I like all the schools [recruiting me]. I’ve just got to take my visits [this fall] and start narrowing things.”
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UGA commit Jordan Love ponders official visit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Cornerback Jordan Love of Glen Allen, Va., who committed to Georgia last month, said he has made tentative plans to fly down to home games against Alabama and Tennessee, and will likely take his official visit during Georgia’s annual postseason award banquet.
Love picked the Bulldogs over Penn State and Florida, among 21 offers. He said he talks on a regular basis with Georgia assistant Tony Ball.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Love is one of 12 Georgia commitments. Tight end Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., visited the Bulldogs last week and may be close to committing to Georgia but is also considering Boston College, Virginia and Maryland.
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Ole Miss not quitting on Warner Robins RB Wynes
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Ole Miss is still heavily recruiting Warner Robins tailback Rashad Wynes after his surprise commitment to Alabama-Birmingham.
With NCAA coaches being in a “dead period” and not allowed to call prospective student-athletes at this time, Ole Miss has used the good old-fashioned way of letting Wynes know he is still wanted: Mail.
Wynes, a member of the AJC’s Georgia Top 150, said he has gotten hand-written letters from Ole Miss defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Ole Miss is recruiting Wynes at safety or cornerback, while UAB wants him at tailback or wide receiver.
Wynes, who was also considering offers from Troy and Georgia Southern, said he has no regrets about his early commitment to UAB. “It’s a great fit for me. When I visited there, it felt like it was the future home for me.”
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Top-rated TE Charles rates Miami visit as “10”
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Orson Charles of Tampa, Fla., one of Georgia’s top recruiting targets, said he nearly committed to Miami during a recent visit to the ACC school.
“It crossed my mind, but then I decided I needed to come back home and talk over things with my mom and pastor,” Charles said.
When asked to rate his trip to Miami, Charles scored it a “10.” Explained Charles, “I really did enjoy myself. I got to talk with a lot of players. I feel like it is an up-and-coming program.”
Charles is a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100 and rated as the nation’s No. 1 tight end by Rivals. He has 29 scholarship offers, and said Oregon appears to on the verge of making an offer.
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Charles is one of two tight ends that Georgia is heavily recruiting, along with Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., who may be close to committing to Georgia but is also considering Boston College, Virginia and Maryland. Rivals rates Fontaine as the No. 4 tight end.
Charles plays at Plant High with quarterback Aaron Murray, who has committed to Georgia. Charles, who declines to name any favorites, said he is finished visiting colleges for the summer and ready to focus on his senior season.
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Elite TE Fontaine nearly commits to UGA
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Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., who is one of the nation’s top tight ends, said he nearly committed to Georgia during his three-day visit to Athens.
“Yeah, I thought about it for a brief moment, but I decided I needed more time to process everything,” said Fontaine, who flew home on Friday night.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Fontaine said he could make a decision as early as this week. The Bulldogs, Boston College, Virginia and Maryland are his finalists for the country’s No. 4 tight end, according to Rivals.
It was the second trip to Georgia this summer for Fontaine, who said he made the journey because he wanted to see if he felt just as good about the Bulldogs as he did during the first visit.
“It was probably even better than my first visit,” he said. “I got to watch practice and meet a lot of the players. My mom loved it down there, too. If she’s comfortable with everything, then that makes me feel good. That’s very important to me.”
Fontaine said Georgia coach Mark Richt repeated the same thing he said during his June visit - that he was the team’s No. 1 target at tight end. “I assume Georgia is telling me the truth. Either way, it wouldn’t matter to me. It’s just an honor to be recruited by the No. 1 team in the country. I feel very fortunate to be in the position I am in, and hopefully it will all work out.”
Georgia is also recruiting tight end Orson Charles of Tampa, Fla.
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Apalachee LB Gresham shocks Tech, switches to South Carolina
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Apalachee linebacker Chaun Gresham abruptly switched his commitment from Georgia Tech to South Carolina on Friday.
“I just felt like it was the right thing to do,” Gresham said. “I loved everything about South Carolina camp last month, and haven’t been able to stop thinking about the place ever since.”
Gresham said he talked over the phone with Georgia Tech assistant Brian Jean-Mary to let him know about his change of heart. “[Tech] was disappointed with me, but they respected my decision.”
Gresham is the nephew of George Rogers, who won the 1980 Heisman Trophy at South Carolina. However, Gresham, who is a member of the AJC’s Super Southern 100 and ranked as the country’s No. 47 linebacker by Rivals, said his famous family connection had no effect on switching to the Gamecocks.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Gresham also holds offers from Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, among others.
Friday was a big day for South Carolina schools in Georgia, as Baldwin linebacker Corico Hawkins committed to Clemson over Florida and Auburn, among others.
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Baldwin’s Corico Hawkins picks Clemson
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Baldwin High School’s Corico Hawkins said Friday he will play football at Clemson University next year.
Hawkins, a 6-foot, 228-pound linebacker, is rated high on the AJC’s Georgia 150 list. He received offers from 28 schools, including Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Auburn, Nebraska and Iowa.
“There was a marriage from the beginning,” Baldwin head coach Jesse Hicks said. “He went to the University of Florida numerous times and had a great rapport with Charlie Strong, but Clemson is where his heart was.”
Hicks said Clemson has been recruiting Hawkins for the last several months.
“Some coaches are all business, but Coach [Tommy] Bowden treated him like family,” Hicks said. “It made Corico feel like Clemson was where needed to be. It was a good fit.”
Hicks said Hawkins has excellent football instincts and a strong work ethic, but he will have to continue to improve his game to compete in the ACC.
“He’s a student of the game, but he has to be able to play at that speed in order to take his game to the next level,” he said. “He can do it, though. He has all the intangibles.”
Hawkins, who runs a 4.53-second 40, recorded 101 tackles last year, had one interception and three sacks. He also runs track for the Braves.
Hawkins’ cousin, Leroy Hill, played football for Baldwin and Clemson. Hill was drafted by Seattle in 2005, and he helped lead the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL.
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Henry County’s Jamal Patterson not bothered by UGA’s stance
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Henry County’s Jamal Patterson is one of the nation’s top wide receivers, holding around 50 scholarship offers.
But Georgia , Patterson’s childhood favorite, has not offered.
“I’m not sure what’s going on there,” he said. “I know they are a little bit lower on scholarships this year. And I think they like smaller receivers with lots of speed.”
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Patterson said he isn’t upset about not being offered by the Bulldogs. Patterson is an AJC Super Southern 100 selection.
“I’ve followed them forever, but I know recruiting is a business,” he said. “Georgia has to make tough decisions and decide what players fit best into their systems.”
Patterson has said two of his official visits will be to Stanford and Central Florida, while his others will be decided among Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Oregon and Clemson.
“Jamal is a high academic achiever, with over a 4.0 GPA,” Henry County coach Mike Rozier said. “He is a big, strong receiver who presents matchup problems. He can go over people to get the ball, and he’s a deep threat.”
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Dogs still in the mix for Florida CB Carter
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Michael Carter of Pompano Beach (Fla.) Ely High, the seventh-best cornerback in the nation according to Rivals.com, is considering scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, Miami, Minnesota and West Virginia.
Contacted this evening, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound defensive back said he enjoyed what he experienced during a camp at Georgia earlier this summer.
“It was real physical,” Carter said. “The coaches there will push you to the limit. That’s what I like.
“The Georgia program has great players and a good coach in Mark Richt. They are a young team that looks promising.”
Carter said he and his father plan to sit down and schedule his five official fall visits.
He anticipates committing in January at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Does Carter envision himself wearing red and black in Athens next season?
“Oh yeah, no doubt,” he said without hesitation.
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Tift County’s Green commits to Purdue
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Tift County defensive lineman Shayon Green has chosen Purdue.
“I can get an education in what I want to study (physical therapy), and I think I could get a chance to play as a true freshman,” Green told the Tifton Gazette.
Green, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound rising senior, had 58 tackles with 4.5 sacks, two caused fumbles, one interception and one blocked punt last season for the Blue Devils while playing linebacker.
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Tampa TE says competition at UGA won’t factor in recruiting decision
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Orson Charles of Tampa, Fla., said he was not concerned after hearing another one of the nation’s top tight ends was scheduled to visit Georgia on Thursday.
Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., ranked as the nation’s No. 4 tight end by Rivals, is making his second trip of the summer to Athens. Charles holds the No. 1 ranking and is one of Georgia’s top targets, too.
“I’m not scared of competition,” Charles said. “Let’s say [Fontaine] committed to Georgia. That wouldn’t affect my recruiting decision; there’s competition everywhere. If I decided to go to Georgia, too, then I’m sure [Fontaine] and I would be friends, and we’d both know the best player would get on the field.”
Fontaine and Charles offer different attributes.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Fontaine has a bigger frame and is known for his blocking skills. He is difficult to cover in short passing situations. Fontaine’s four finalists are the Bulldogs, Boston College, Virginia and Maryland.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Charles has so much athleticism that although most of his 29 offers are at tight end, some schools, including LSU and Louisville, project him to play wide receiver. Charles, who has not revealed any favorites, is teammates at Plant High with quarterback Aaron Murray, who has committed to Georgia.
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Tech commit Chaun Gresham checking out other schools
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Apalachee linebacker Chaun Gresham says he remains committed to Georgia Tech, but is “studying other options.”
“I just want to be sure I’m making sure the right decision,” Gresham said. “I’m still committed to Georgia Tech for now … but who knows what the future holds?”
South Carolina is strongly pursuing Gresham, who is rated as the nation’s No. 47 outside linebacker by Rivals. Gresham attended the Gamecocks’ prospect camp last month and had a lengthy conversation with coach Steve Spurrier.
“He was really cool,” Gresham said. “He told me I could have a chance at starting after my red-shirt year, or he told me I could compete as a freshman. He said if freshmen are good enough to play, then they’ll play for him immediately.”
Gresham said he will take official visits to Tech and South Carolina. He also holds offers from Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, among others.
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Henry County QB Little looks at Georgia State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator John Bond was recruiting Henry County quarterback Drew Little for the Yellow Jackets. So when Bond joined Bill Curry’s staff down the street at Georgia State, it made sense that Little would be one of the first players Bond contacted.
Little visited the campus earlier this week and met with Curry and Bond.
“I went to Georgia State and looked around at how everything was going,” said Little, who has offers from several SEC and ACC schools. “They told me it’d be a good chance to be the first recruit ever there. They’re definitely on my list. Their name’s getting out there.”
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Clemson and Tech eyeing Eastside QB Wray
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Eastside’s Justin Wray contemplated pulled the trigger on a commitment to Central Florida earlier this summer.
But the dual-threat quarterback opted to wait on additional scholarship offers.
“Georgia Tech, Indiana, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Clemson and Presbyterian are real interested,” the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Wray said. “I think they’re just waiting on my senior season and the first couple of games. That will determine if they offer me or not.”
Wray, who has been clocked in the 40 at 4.5 seconds, has been compared by his coach, Rick Hurst, to former Georgia prep stars Fred Gibson and Fabian Walker. Hurst had the opportunity to coach each in years past.
Wray’s first official visit this fall will likely be to Clemson.
“I like that program,” he said. “It seems to be established.”
He is being recruited by Tech, Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee State as a quarterback. Everyone else has him on the board as an athlete.
Wray and his teammates practiced in pads for the first time this season earlier today during Eastside’s version of midnight madness.
“We were out there at 12 a.m.,” he said. “It was fun to have pads on. It’s a tradition we’ve had for the past four years.
“Hopefully, they’ll keep it going after I graduate.”
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Georgia holds spot for Washington’s Branden Smith
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Booker T. Washington cornerback Branden Smith, one of the country’s top prospects, said Georgia is holding a spot for him while he decides which college to attend.
“When I last talked with [Mark Richt], we had a real good conversation,” Smith said. “He said they really wanted me, to take my time because they were holding a scholarship open for me, and to make a good decision.”
Smith is ranked as the nation’s No. 4 cornerback by Rivals. Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Clemson and LSU have drawn Smith’s interest, but he has declined to name favorites.
Georgia was the first college to offer Smith’s teammate, wide receiver Antonio Goodwin, who will be a rising junior this year at the Atlanta school.
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Tucker LB Jonathan Davis gets another offer
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Tucker’s Jonathan Davis was offered by Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
“I just got the news,” he said. “We’ve been talking back and forth for a while, and they told me they were sending me a scholarship letter in the mail.”
The 5-foot-8, 205-pound Davis also has offers from South Carolina, Louisville, Central Florida, and Alabama-Birmingham.
Davis said Oklahoma State is recruiting him to play the “star” position on its defense, which is a hybrid safety/linebacker.
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Clemson and FSU interested in Prince Avenue’s Van Halanger
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Prince Avenue center Matt Van Halanger has scholarship offers from Charleston Southern and West Georgia.
But with national signing day still six months away, the son of Dave Van Halanger, Georgia’s strength and conditioning coach, is content to play the waiting game and see if several other projected offers materialize.
“Clemson is interested,” the 6-foot-3.5, 275 pound Matt Van Halanger said. “If they have a scholarship open, they’d give it to me. And Navy said they will most likely offer.
“Florida State is pretty close too. They’re just waiting and seeing and being patient. I think FSU will offer. It just depends on how the season plays out.”
Van Halanger has attended camps this year at Appalachian State, Clemson, Furman and Georgia.
He hopes to have an opportunity to decide whether to accept an offer from the Tigers and become reunited with longtime friend Jon Richt, a freshman at Clemson.
“Jon is gone and I don’t get to see him as much,” Van Halanger said. “But I went to football camp at Clemson and saw him. So that was good.”
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Collins Hill QB Michael Box headed to Big East
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Michael Box hasn’t played a down for Collins Hill. He’s only played two years at quarterback, while he was at Duluth. But, with a slingshot arm, he’s shown enough to get the attention of major colleges.
The 6-3, 195-pound Box verbally committed to the University of Connecticut after a visit to the school late last month. Box liked the atmosphere, the academics and the coaches at UConn.
“It felt right,” he said. “The whole place was the best choice for me. “
Box also had an offer from Tennessee-Chattanooga and interest from other schools, including South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, South Florida and Vanderbilt. Box said it was “tempting” to wait out an offer from a more prominent football school, “but the Big East is on the way up,” as is the UConn program, he said. He also liked that UConn had the confidence in him and “pulled the trigger” with the offer. Box threw for 1,005 yards and three touchdowns at Duluth last season. Often forced to scramble, Box, a former receiver, also ran for 540 yards and two touchdowns.
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Top-rated TE may be Georgia’s next commitment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., one of the nation’s top prospects, will arrive in Athens on Wednesday for his second unofficial visit to Georgia.
Fontaine, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end, lists his four finalists as the Bulldogs, Boston College, Virginia and Maryland. Fontaine is ranked as the country’s No. 4 tight end by Rivals.
“I never really considered Georgia until I went down there the first time and was just blown away by the experience,” Fontaine said. “So my family and I want to go back and see if I feel the same way this time as I did the first time.”
When Fontaine was asked if he would consider committing if the Georgia trip met expectations, he said, “We’ll have to see what happens, how everything goes. I definitely plan on making a decision before my first high school game on Sept. 12, if not sooner.”
Fontaine said he plans to meet with some other Georgia commitments, including Oconee County quarterback Zach Mettenberger, and will watch practice on Thursday.
“During my first visit, we got to sit down and eat dinner with Georgia coach [Mark Richt],” he said. “He is such a great person. This time, I’ll get to meet some of the Georgia players. And I’ll get to see how the coaches interact with them at practice.”
Fontaine is excited to see the Bulldogs ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.
“It’s like a dream come true to be recruited by the No. 1 team,” he said. “Recruiting has gone very well for me, but I never thought I’d be in this position, to be wanted by the No. 1 team.”
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LaGrange-to-Kentucky pipeline continues with Johnson
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The LaGrange-to-Kentucky pipeline will be evident on national signing day in February after defensive end Tristian Johnson committed to the Wildcats.
Kentucky has four former LaGrange players on its roster and will add two more in February. Two weeks ago, Johnson’s teammate, Qua Huzzie, committed to the SEC school.
“Qua committing really helped in my decision,” Johnson said. “I wanted to go somewhere I wouldn’t be by myself. So what is new to him will also be new to me.”
It also helped that former Grangers Randall Burden, Braxton Kelley and DeMoreo Ford are on the Wildcats’ roster.
“It is sort of a LaGrange family up there,” said Johnson, who also considered East Carolina. “It is a great school, and they really welcomed me when I went up there. There are a lot of guys I played with and against up there.”
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Johnson is on the AJC’s Georgia Top 150 list. He likely will move to linebacker.
“They said I’m not heavy enough to play defensive end on that level,” Johnson said. “I’m cool with that. There is a chance I could move to defensive end once I get a little bigger.”
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JUCO receiver from Dacula commits to Auburn
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Cameron Kenney, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound receiver from Dacula, became the latest member of Auburn’s 2009 recruiting class after committing to the Tigers Sunday night.
Kenney, who is set to begin his sophomore season at Garden City (Kan.) Community College in a few weeks, will have two years of eligibility remaining when he joins the Tigers next fall.
“LSU and Auburn were the only schools from the southeast that I had on my mind,” Kenney said. “I went to visit Auburn on an unofficial visit during the summer, and that’s all I needed to see.”
He spoke with Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and several of his assistants earlier today.
“All the coaches were just as excited as I am, maybe even a little more,” Kenney said.
Kenney caught 43 passes for 633 yards and three touchdowns during his freshman season at Garden City. He also rushed for 322 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries.
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Henry County’s Jamal Patterson names two finalists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Henry County’s Jamal Patterson, one of the nation’s top prospects at wide receiver with nearly 50 offers, said two of his official visits will be to Central Florida and Stanford.
Patterson, an AJC Super Southern 100 selection, said his remaining three visits will be decided between Florida, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, and Oregon.
Patterson on Central Florida: “I know there will be some people surprised to hear that because it’s a Conference USA school, but it’s very under-rated. Central Florida has one of the best campuses I’ve ever been to, and they play big-time football there. They were also the very first school to offer me.”
Patterson’s choice of Stanford is proof of the Pac 10 school’s ever-increasing presence in Georgia. The Cardinal signed Walton linebacker Chase Thomas last year, and have commitments from Lassiter offensive lineman Camden Wentz and Northview tight end Brock Sanders.
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Miller Grove’s Stephen Hill picks Central Florida
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Miller Grove receiver Stephen Hill has committed to Central Florida, according to his head coach, Jasper Jewell.
The 6-foot-4 Hill is a AJC Georgia 150 selection and is listed by Rivals as the nation’s 92nd best receiver. He had 25 catches for 500 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He also had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Jewell said Hill has family in Florida. His relationship with UCF recruiting coordinator David Kelly, a former Georgia Tech assistant who also won a Class AAAA state championship in 1993 as the head coach at Dunwoody, also was a major factor in Hill’s decision.
“They made a very good impression on him, and he felt comfortable with the school and the coaching staff,” Jewell said.
Hill was considering offers from Connecticut, Kent State, Marshall, Miami of Ohio, Richmond and Samford. While he was being recruited by Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Maryland and North Carolina, Jewell said he had “no idea” why none of those SEC or ACC schools offered Hill.
“That’s a great question,” Jewell said. “A lot of them wanted him to come to their camps, and he did go to the Mississippi State camp, but some previous obligations kept him from attending any others. Maybe that’s a reason.”
Hill was this year’s Class AAAA state champion in the long jump and is a standout basketball player for the Wolverines. But Jewell said he committed totally to football this summer.
“He’s had a great off season,” Jewell said. “We’re looking for him to have a really big year for us.”
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Lifelong UGA fan sticking with East Carolina
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Kyle Tudor of Lakeside High of Evans is a big Georgia fan, with his parents owning season tickets for Bulldogs games.
However, when East Carolina offered a scholarship, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass on. Tudor also had serious interest from Vanderbilt, N.C. State, and Duke, among others.
Before Tudor committed to East Carolina, he went to Georgia’s prospect camp in June. However, a strained muscle in Tudor’s back limited his participation in the workouts. Georgia’s coaches were intrigued, but not enough to offer, and Tudor went ahead and picked the Pirates a few weeks later.
“If anybody else offered, I’d hear them out, hear what they had to say,” Tudor said. “But I’m going to stick with East Carolina. I really like it there and think I have a chance to help the team out early.”
Tudor played safety for Lakeside last year, but now is expected to play linebacker after a growth spurt. He projects to play linebacker in college.
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Evans DE Reuben Faloughi on Vanderbilt’s watchlist
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Evans High defensive end Reuben Faloughi is generating interest from Vanderbilt, Connecticut and Harvard, among others.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder attended “Dawg Night” prospect camp at Georgia last month. Faloughi said Georgia’s coaches seemed interested, especially because of his athletic potential and solid academics, but did not offer a scholarship.
“Right now, Georgia wants me to be a preferred walk-on, which I am debating,” Faloughi said. “I really like the program. I haven’t ruled out [being walk-on], but I’m checking out all my options.”
Faloughi, whose parents are from Nigeria, said he feels more confident about Vanderbilt, who said he was “high” on its recruiting board: “I just need to have a good senior season, and then I think everything will take care of itself.”
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UGA to offer Gainesville junior receiver Jones?
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The next scholarship offer to come out of Athens could contain the name of Gainesville junior Tailer Jones.
The 6-foot, 170-pound receiver said Georgia is one of a handful of schools actively recruiting him.
“I’m hearing from Georgia, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Clemson and Virginia Tech,” said Jones, who recently transferred from Roswell to Gainesville.
“And Florida has started sending me letters. And I’m hearing from Notre Dame.”
Jones, the son of former NFL player Andre Jones, believes he is on the verge of an offer from the Bulldogs.
“I’d say Georgia [is close to offering], and possibly South Carolina,” he said. “But it’s still really early for me with South Carolina. They’ll probably wait until halfway through the season to watch me play more.”
Jones was impressed with Georgia’s class of 2009 quarterback commits Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger during a camp he attended in Athens on July 18.
“They remove all doubt when you see them play,” he said. “They don’t miss. Everything is perfect.
“I would have either one of them as my quarterback. That would be great.”
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Tucker’s Jonathan Davis talks with Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis said he talked recently with Georgia Tech and liked what he heard.
The 5-foot-8, 205-pounder has offers from South Carolina, Penn State, Central Florida, Louisville, and Alabama-Birmingham. He said Tech has not offered but told him that they are interested.
“[Tech] said they could see me playing on either side of the ball,” Davis said. “They are still evaluating me. I think it’s great that they are giving me a look. I like Georgia Tech a lot.
“They are located just down the road, which would be convenient for my family to come watch me play. And if you graduate from Georgia Tech, you can’t go wrong. If you don’t make it to the NFL, you have one of the best college degrees around to fall back on.”
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Alabama LB Nico Johnson recovers from camp injury
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Andalusia (Ala.) linebacker Nico Johnson, one of the nation’s top prospects, has declared himself “100-percent healthy” for his senior season after recovering from an injury at Alabama’s football camp.
Earlier this summer, Johnson had an experience that is one of the worst nightmares for all recruits: He was injured while participating in a prospect camp. Johnson said heard his hamstring “pop” while going through drills at Alabama’s camp. He was immediately pulled from the workouts, and he observed the rest of the action from the sidelines.
Johnson said he may have rushed to get back to the field too soon, as two weeks later he re-injured his hamstring while participating with his high school team in passing league. He has spent the rest of the summer recuperating.
“My hamstring feels great,” Johnson said. “It is back to full strength and I’m ready to go for the football season.”
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Tennessee edges Tech for Stephenson’s Mitchell-Thornton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tennessee narrowly defeatedGeorgia Tech in an intense recruiting battle for Stephenson linebacker Nigel Mitchell-Thornton.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder said he was influenced after a “4-0” vote in favor of Tennessee during a recent meeting with his parents and Stephenson coach Ron Gartrell. All four wrote down a list of five schools which would be the best for Mitchell-Thornton.
“Tennessee was No. 1 on all four, and that was important to me, that those people closest to me felt the same way about the same school,” Mitchell-Thornton said. “However, they all told me to think more about it, and that the final decision had to be mine.”
Mitchell-Thornton felt the timing was right on Friday, calling Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer: “He thought I just calling to talk. When I committed, he said it was a great day for linebackers because they [Tennessee] had gotten another linebacker commitment just a few minutes earlier.”
D.T. Shackelford of Decatur, Ala., also committed to Tennessee on Friday.
Mitchell-Thornton said Tech was the runner-up: “I really like the new coaches and think Georgia Tech’s program is going in a great direction. But they are doing a lot of changes on both offense and defense. On defense, it seems like they will be using smaller linebackers who will be used more in coverage. Georgia Tech didn’t tell me that, but that’s just the way I saw it. I just felt like my style of play fit in better at Tennessee.”
Thornton-Mitchell’s other offers included Stanford, Duke, Mississippi State, Wake Forest and Nebraska, among others.
Jeff Hood contributed to this story
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Luella’s Richard Barnes and Sean Davis get college looks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Luella’s Roderick Sweeting, who committed to Georgia Tech, won’t likely be the last senior from the Henry County school to sign with a major college later this year.
Luella defensive back Sean Davis has been offered by Ball State and Akron, and is also being heavily scouted by Jacksonville State. Said Luella coach Paul Burgdorf: “He has good technique, plays very physical and plays the deep ball very well.”
Luella tailback Richard Barnes has attracted the attention of Memphis and Presbyterian. Burgdorf feels more schools could be after the 5-foot-9, 175-pounder if he improves his test scores: “We run the I-formation, and Richard is not the prototypical I-back. But he’s a tough runner with breakaway speed. He runs the 100 meters in track and I think his best time was 10.65 seconds. He’s a shifty type runner with good feet.”
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Louisville and N.C. State top choices for Calhoun DT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Calhoun defensive tackle Eric McDaniel will likely accept a scholarship offer from Louisville or N.C. State during the upcoming season.
The 6-foot-2, 290-pound lineman had been rumored to be on the verge of a commitment to the Cardinals last month. But McDaniel has decided to take a close look at the Wolfpack.
“[Louisville and N.C. State] are the front-runners,” Calhoun coach Hal Lamb said. “He’ll visit N.C. State this fall before deciding. But he’s also going to visit Purdue, and probably East Carolina.”
McDaniel, who logged 52 tackles and three sacks during his junior season, also has an offer from UAB.
“He had a great summer,” Lamb said. “I think he’ll do well this season. I’m looking forward to coaching him.”
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