AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 07
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Georgia Tech’s Giff Smith breaks down the Jackets 2009 recruits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
A look at Georgia Tech’s signees, with a comment from recruiting coordinator Giff Smith:
RAYMOND BENO OT/6-1/280/Newman Smith on Beno: “He’s a kid that we knew about, weren’t sure about offering him until he came to camp. He had a great camp, competed well. He’s a kid that really grew on us. He’s very physical, he’s nasty. That’s one of the things that we look for in these linemen, to be really aggressive, to get after it. He brings that to the table.”
JULIAN BURNETT LB/5-10/210/Westside-Macon Smith on Burnett: “We’ve been tracking him for a long time at Westside. Coach (Robert) Davis has always raved about him down there. We truly respect his opinion. He’s a productive kid.”
CHRIS CRENSHAW DE/6-2/240/Jefferson County Smith on Crenshaw: “Chris Crenshaw is a kid that we liked as a junior and wondered if he was going to get big enough. He came into camp, weighed 240 pounds, had a big frame to get bigger. He’s extremely quick off the ball, long-armed, able to get off blocks and we think he can rush the passer pretty well.”
IZAAN CROSS SE/6-3/250/Flowery Branch Smith on Cross: “We felt like his body’s pretty mature. He was a kid that we definitely liked that we thought maturity-wise might have a chance to play early with the graduations we had on the defensive line.”
EUCLID CUMMINGS DE/6-3/230/Centennial Smith on Cummings: “He’s got a tremendous burst off the ball. We had him and Izaan in camp and were able to work with him personally. We feel like he’s got a chance to be a tremendous player.”
EMMANUEL DIEKE DE/6-7/230/North Clayton Smith on Dieke: “He’s a kid that we feel like could develop into a heck of a player. He really came on as a senior. He’s actually in school right now and we’re excited to see what he can do for us in the spring.”
DANIEL DRUMMOND RB/6-3/230/Flowery Branch Smith on Drummond: “We thought he was a heck of an athlete that could do a lot of things. We think he can be an excellent B-back. Fast, big, strong athlete that we’re really excited to have here.”
JAY FINCH OT/6-4/265/Kennesaw Mountain Smith on Finch: “He’s nasty, aggressive. He’s probably athletic enough to play on the defensive side of the ball, but we think he can fit in with the rest of the offensive line. He’s a kid that we were on early and that made a decision early.”
ANTONIO FOSTER G/6-4/290/Valdosta Smith on Foster: “Antonio Foster is a kid that we really liked off his junior tape, an offensive linemen that we recruited hard. He had committed to another school and coach (Todd) Spencer had stayed in good contact with him. We were fortunate that when he came up on his official visit, it reaffirmed that this was the place that he wants to be. “He’s very athletic, very physical at the point of attack, brings a little nastiness to the position.”
STEPHEN HILL WR/6-4/190/Miller Grove Smith on Hill: “He’s got a chance to get a lot of catches and make a lot of big plays. He’s a kid we’re extremely excited about. He’s got excellent speed and he’s got a great frame. He’s willing to block; he’s a great team player.”
WILL JACKSON G/6-4/280/Farragut (Tenn.) Smith on Jackson: “He’s a tough, physical kid that fits the same mold that we were looking to get.”
J.C. LANIER DT/6-3/335/ECI Smith on Lanier: “He brings a great presence inside at 326 pounds. He’s a kid that we thought, in losing the three d-tackles that we had, that we had that might have an opportunity to come in and compete for some playing time.”
JORDAN LUALLEN QB/6-3/190/Center Grove (Ind.) Smith on Luallen: “Jordan’s a very good athlete we really liked off of tape, and after meeting him and his family, it was a no-brainer on both ends. He’s just a tremendous kid that we think is going to be a heck of a football player for us.”
CARL MILES DB/5-10/175/Cypress Bay (Fla.) Smith on Miles: “Good ball skills, able to play the ball in the air, aggressive kid as a corner and has the ability to match up one on one.”
JEREMY MOORE WR/6-3/175/Johnson (Texas) Smith on Moore: “He’s very productive. He’s got big-play capability. He’s got good size to him and he’s willing to block.”
LANCE RICHARDSON S/6-2/190/Ware Shoals (S.C.) Smith on Richardson: “We had gotten some calls on him playing in an all-star game. Some coaches we really respect out there called and thought he was a prospect. Coach (Brian Jean-Mary) and Coach (Dave) Wommack went to see him. We felt like he was a safety that had good size that could be a physical player for us.”
DAVID SIMS ATH/5-11/205/Calhoun County (S.C.) Smith on Sims: “David is a very athletic quarterback out of South Carolina that we had liked for a long time that we thought fit the bill for us. He’s the type of kid that when you go after at the quarterback position, you want to come home with.”
ORWIN SMITH RB/6-0/190/Central (Ala.) Smith on Smith: “We really liked what he can do with the ball in his hands and also like the size that he’s got, and being able to block on the perimeter, too. Ideally, you’d like a kid that can play either (A-back or B-back), which he can. B-backs are a little bit bigger, but he can play either one.”
RODERICK SWEETING DB/6-0/175/Luella Smith on Sweeting: “A really tall kid, long-armed kid that can lock up man to man and cover. We’ve been wanting some kids at corner that had some length to them that are used to locking up man to man.” JEMEA THOMAS S/5-10/185/Fitzgerald Smith on Thomas: “He’s just been a tremendous player down there. He’s a kid that can play either side of the ball. He can play a number of positions. We’re just glad to have him as a Yellow Jacket.”
BRANDON WATTS LB/6-2/220/Washington County Smith on Watts: “Brandon Watts is a kid that’s been on our radar for a long time. We actually offered him when he was a sophomore. He’s a kid that’s been true to Georgia Tech the whole time. He’s a big athlete that can play outside linebacker or hybrid strong safety.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Do you want to take a look at all recruiting stories around signing day? Click here for the lengthy rundown of all recruiting stories
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech
UGA waiting two weeks, maybe longer, on TE Orson Charles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Georgia will have to wait at least two more weeks to get an answer from tight end Orson Charles of Tampa. Maybe longer.
Charles, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 62 overall prospect, will make his college decision after returning from an official visit to Southern Cal. He had considered traveling to USC this weekend, after taking the ACT on Saturday. However, he postponed the recruiting trip to Feb. 20.
“The other date [Feb. 20] just works out better for me because of school, basketball … a lot of reasons,” Charles said.
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Charles is mulling over offers from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Southern Cal. He said all four of the colleges have told him they will wait as long as he needs to make a decision.
Charles has not set an exact date for his announcement. He said he will wait until after returning from California and discuss matters with his friends and family before having a better idea on his deciding date.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Do you want to take a look at all recruiting stories around signing day? Click here for the lengthy rundown of all recruiting stories
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (20) | Post your comment | Categories: FSU, FSU, Florida, Florida, Other schools, Other schools, Tennessee, Tennessee, UGA
Mark Richt addresses “academic standing” of Georgia’s 2009 recruits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
It’s one thing for a college to sign some of the nation’s best football players. It’s another thing to see if that heralded recruiting class actually makes it to campus this summer.
At least six of UGA’s 18 recruits have told reporters over the last few months that they were “close to meeting college entrance requirements,” with the biggest names being ECI teammates Washaun Ealey and Dexter Moody, along with defensive end Montez Robinson of Avon, Ind.
Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked on signing day about the academic standing of this year’s class.
“Technically, no one is qualified until they graduate from high school. When we sign these young men, we have every intention of them making it.”
“Every once in a while, a guy has to go the prep-school route … but I don’t foresee that [with any of our recruits] right now. We feel like everyone has an outstanding shot of qualifying and being with us next year.”
Last year, Georgia lost only one player to academics, defensive end Toby Jackson of Griffin. Jackson committed to signing again with Georgia on Wednesday. He enrolled at Hargrave (Va.) Military prep school last fall, and was not on pace to qualify. He ended up transferring to a Texas junior college earlier this month, and can sign with Georgia in two years.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Do you want to take a look at all recruiting stories around signing day? Click here for the lengthy rundown of all recruiting stories
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (120) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA
M.L. King RB Mack Brown adds offers from Alabama, Auburn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
One of the state’s top juniors, M.L. King running back Mack Brown said he received scholarship offers from Alabama and Auburn on Friday.
The 5-foot-11, 185 tailback has already gotten early offers from Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Arkansas and several other smaller schools.
Brown attended junior day at Florida last weekend. He runs a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. He finished the 2008 season with 21 touchdowns on 1,700 yards rushing.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Do you want to take a look at all recruiting stories around signing day? Click here for the lengthy rundown of all recruiting stories
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Other SEC schools, South Carolina, Tech, UGA
