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Friday, September 26, 2008
Recruiting Q&A: Washington’s Branden Smith, state’s No. 1 prospect
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Washington defensive back Branden Smith, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 and considered by some to be the state’s top prospect, electrified fans in the stadium and on ajc.com with a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown last week. He talked with staff writer Jay Stone about his career goals and being recruited.
— On what he looks for in a visit to a college: “Looking at my position, see how everybody plays and see how the coaches coach.”
— On being a fan: “All schools. I’ve been a fan of all schools. I’ve always been more of an NFL fan, but I like all the teams.”
— If he weren’t a football player he’d be … “A sports broadcaster. I like them all. I’m really just kind of getting into it. I’ve done interviews. I interviewed a player on my team one time for a class.”
— On what’s a deal-breaker for you with a school recruiting you? “I’m a laid-back person. Things like that don’t get to me.”
— On how many autograph requests he gets: “Not that many. Just a couple. Not that many people from my school. Some teachers want me to sign stuff for them. Being the person I am, I understand people wanting to have those memories.”
— On college games he has been to as a fan: “I’ve been to games at UAB to watch my brother [Darrell Hackney, now with the Denver Broncos] and Roddy White.”
— On how big of a factor a schools’ current depth chart is in his college choice: “It’s a factor. I’m not worried about being challenged or working, but when I get there as a freshman I’ll be at the end, and it’d be pretty hard to work through it.”
— On how much of a factor the team’s current season is: “It’s not a big factor. Right now all the teams are good, and they’re all recruiting big and hard. Every year different teams win.”
— On what he wants to study in college: “Communications. Basically Deion Sanders and other people like that. My brother’s major was communications, and he told me the things he did in school. It looked pretty interesting.”
— On his brother’s influence: “It’s very good to have Darrell. I’m just following in his footsteps. Not necessarily doing everything he did, but going to college and getting the education and playing. Then I’ll make a name for myself.”
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UGA’s biggest recruiting weekend of the season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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There may be more talented football players in the stands than on the field Saturday when Georgia plays host to Alabama.
Several of the nation’s top high school recruits are scheduled to attend, including Georgia’s highest-profile commitment for its 2009 recruiting class, quarterback Aaron Murray of Tampa.
About 10 of Georgia’s 14 commitments are expected to be in Athens, including Emanuel County Institute tailback Washaun Ealey and Troup offensive lineman Chris Burnette.
The rest of the recruiting entourage likely will consist of some of the nation’s top uncommitted players, including Washington High cornerback Branden Smith and Carver-Columbus linebacker Jarvis Jones, who are ranked as the state’s No. 1 or 2 overall prospects by every recruiting publication.
Northside-Warner Robins defensive tackle Abry Jones, who committed to Georgia, said he will bring his teammate, linebacker Eric Fields, who recently backed off his commitment to Clemson in order to consider the Bulldogs.
Perhaps the most important guest will be wide receiver Marlon Brown of Memphis, who selected Georgia this weekend as the first of his five official visits. The 6-foot-5 Brown, who has denied rumors he is leaning toward Tennessee, also is considering the Volunteers, Florida, LSU, and Ohio State.
Question to our audience: Which uncommitted prospects visiting this weekend do you think Georgia has the shot at? And do you think any of them will commit on Saturday?
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Norcross QB celebrates Oregon State’s upset of No. 1 Southern Cal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Norcross quarterback Charles King was scheduled to attend Oregon State’s upset over No. 1-ranked Southern Cal on Thursday night.
However, he enjoyed it just as much watching it on TV.
“Man, oh, man, I wish I was Oregon State right now,” King said. “[They] are going to be good for several years because the offense is young and the front seven on defense is even stronger. I’m so excited …”
King postponed his official visit to Oregon State after Norcross lost to North Gwinnett last week. He is working on a new date. Nevada, Idaho and Western Carolina have offered scholarships to King, while Oregon State and Arizona State have extended invitations for official visits.
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Brookwood’s Williams declines UGA invitation to Alabama game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The hype surrounding a game between two of the top 10 teams in the country wasn’t enough to lure Brookwood’s Kellen Williams to Athens — not even for a day.
Williams called Saturday’s Georgia-Alabama game one of the biggest that the Crimson Tide has had in a while. But he won’t be there after declining Georgia’s invitation to attend about a week ago. The Alabama-bound Williams said he talked it over with his parents and they decided to watch the game at home with friends and avoid the traffic.
“They called just to invite me to the game, but I’m not going to go,” Williams said.
Williams visited with Georgia, Vanderbilt and Florida, but he has been sold on Alabama from the start. “When Alabama offered, I jumped on it,” he said. “Their fan base is ridiculous. They live, eat and sleep football, which is the kind of place I want to be at.”
Williams initially planned to visit Boston College, but changed his mind once the Alabama offer came. “I said, ‘What’s the use in traveling?”
Williams, a 6-4, 300-pound tackle, said he will travel to Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s game against Kentucky next weekend and attend the rest of the Tide’s home games.
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Road Trip: North Cobb’s Lott working out details with South Carolina
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Cobb defensive tackle Derrick Lott, who is a scholarship candidate with Georgia, said he is in the process of setting up his first official visit.
Lott said he will make one of his five recruiting trips to South Carolina, while his other four are undetermined. He also has offers from Louisville, Michigan State, Central Florida, and Ole Miss.
“I really like a lot of things about South Carolina, and they showed against Georgia they can play with the nation’s best,” Lott said.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Lott said Georgia promised an offer if improves his grades enough to meet college entrance requirements. Lott won over the Bulldogs with his performance at last summer’s prospect camp. He will make an unofficial visit to Georgia on Saturday for the Alabama game.
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Brunswick players starting to get recruiting attention
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Even though Brunswick’s Darius Slay has drawn most of the attention, he has three teammates who will play college football next fall.
Harold Small (5-foot-9, 170 pounds) leads the pack with offers from Tulsa and Kentucky, according to Pirates coach Victor Ellis.
“He has a 3.2 GPA and is a big-play guy — he already has run for over 400 yards,” said Ellis. “They are looking him as a slot back or maybe as a corner.”
Cornerback Dominique Patterson (5-11, 180) has received attention from Vanderbilt and others, and the stock of quarterback David Hoyt (6-2, 190) is rising.
“Nobody knows about [Hoyt], but I’m sending tapes to a lot of places. Against Tucker, he went 18-of-32 for 230 yards,” said Ellis. “He’ll end up going to a smaller Division I program or definitely 1-AA.”
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Boston College offers Henry County QB Drew Little
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Henry County quarterback Drew Little was already planning an official visit to Boston College, and the Eagles gave him an extra incentive to go north Wednesday, when head coach Jeff Jagodzinski called and offered him a scholarship.
“I’m really excited about it,” said Little, a member of the AJC’s Georgia 150, who also has an offer from Georgia State and is drawing interest from Kentucky and South Carolina. “They were really honest with me and they were very focused on my up side. I’m very interested.”
Little said the quarterback lineage at the ACC school is a plus; Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan starred at BC, as well at longtime NFL player Doug Flutie.
Former Northview quarterback Justin Tuggle is the only Georgia currently on BC’s roster.
“How they develolped Ryan in the system and seeing how he’s doing in the NFL, they definitely know what they’re doing,” said Little, who was already planning to fly to Boston for an Oct. 11 visit.
The Eagles have an open date that week, and he was told their preference was to do the visit on a non-game day so the coaches could spend more time with him. Little considering going on a game weekend, though.
“If I’m going to go all the way to Boston, I want to see some football,” he said.
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Road Trip: Tech recruit to visit Auburn and Ole Miss
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Daniel Hood of Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic High says he’s narrowed his college choices to three programs. And the 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end is in the middle of weekend road trips to evaluate each school.
“My top three are Auburn, Georgia Tech and Ole Miss,” said Hood, who attended Saturday’s Mississippi State-Tech game at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
He’ll take in the Tennessee-Auburn game at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday, and is scheduled to visit Ole Miss the following weekend.
Hood is somewhat familiar with the campuses at Auburn and Ole Miss.
“I went to Auburn once last year on an unofficial visit when I went to the New Mexico State game,” he said. “And I’ve been to Ole Miss on a visit, but not for a game.”
Hood doesn’t have a commitment timetable.
“I haven’t made any made any [commitment] plans yet,” he said. “It depends on how the next couple of visits go.”
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Road Trip: McEachern TE traveling to UGA instead of West Virginia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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McEachern tight end Terrell Mitchell, who Georgia has promised an offer if he scores well on the SAT, said he postponed his official visit to West Virginia this weekend.
“I talked to West Virginia, and they said it would be better for me to visit another weekend,” Mitchell said. “They said they had 20-something recruits coming on Saturday, and they wanted me to be there another time where they could spend more one-on-one time with me.”
“That was fine with me. We decided to move my official visit to Oct. 10 when West Virginia plays Syracuse. That works out better for me anyways because my high school team has that Friday off.”
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Mitchell said he will now attend Georgia’s game against Alabama. He has offers from Clemson, Michigan and South Carolina.
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Road Trip: Henry County junior WR up to nine early offers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Henry County’s MarKeith Ambles, perhaps the state’s top junior at wide receiver, got offers from Arkansas and Nebraska.
Ambles now has nine offers, which includes Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
He is scheduled to attend Georgia’s game against Alabama on Saturday. Georgia has yet to offer Ambles.
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North Gwinnett’s Tyler Jarry looking for more offers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Gwinnett running back Tyler Jarry has only one offer, from Portland State of the Big Sky, but Bulldogs coach Bob Sphire thinks Jarry could play at a lot of schools, if the situation was right.
“He’s one of the best play-makers I’ve ever coached,” Sphire said. “It’s how (a college program) would utilize him; is he a running back, wide receiver, slot receiver?”
“I look at a program like Georgia Tech, just as an example: I look at that slot position where they could use him.”
Jarry has a high-ankle sprain and is doubtful for North Gwinnett’s game with Mill Creek, Friday. The 5-11, 180-pound back had 192 total yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over Norcross.
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Miller Grove’s Stephen Hill noticed by UGA and Alabama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Miller Grove’s Stephen Hill might be the best wide receiver in Georgia, according to his coach.
Jasper Jewell, coach of the DeKalb school, made that comment after watching film of his team’s loss to Tucker, which is ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Hill had a 99-yard kickoff return and 65-yard punt return for touchdowns and finished with 240 all-purpose yards.
“Tucker is No. 1 and loaded with big-time college prospects, and Stephen proved what he could do against the best,” Jewell said. “Just wait until some more of these colleges get a copy of this film. I expect my phone to ring a lot in the next few weeks.”
Hill was an early commitment to Central Florida, but has been contacted by Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Ole Miss within the last month. None have offered, but all have hinted at scholarships. Hill is making an unofficial visit to Georgia for the Alabama game on Saturday.
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