Demetris Robertson will be at Nike’s “The Opening” this month. (AJC)
Savannah's Demetris Robertson is the nation's top prospect at the athlete position. The four-star recruit de-committed from Alabama and had Stanford at the very top of his list soon afterward.
He’s on his way to Oregon this week to participate in Nike’s all-star “The Opening” combine and 7-on-7 tournament. He told the AJC he’s not looking for anything specific out of the event.
Robertson, 18, has a lot of travel ahead of him this summer. He hopes to check out Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and several West Coast schools. That may sound like fun, but the rising senior might already be experiencing the best part of his summer right now.
His paid summer job is serving as a fitness instructor with middle school kids across the Savannah area. He logs about five hours a day.
“I work with elementary school kids doing fitness stuff everyday,” he said. “Being a big brother to them and doing things with them is pretty fun.”
The typical day consists of warm-up exercises before lots and lots of games. They play basketball, flag football, jump rope and hold foot races. Everyone tries to impress the Savannah Christian football star.
“We had a jump rope marathon one day and this kid jumped 16 minutes straight while I did 15,” Robertson said. “I just let him win it.”
The schools he’s thinking the most about right now are Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Notre Dame, Stanford and USC, but stated he didn’t have a clear-cut leader. He said Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Stanford are recruiting him the hardest at this time.
Playing in Athens has always meant a lot to him. He said the best game experiences he’s been so far would either be in Athens or in Tuscaloosa.
Nation’s No. 1 athlete for 2016, Savannah’s Demetris Robertson (AJC/Michael Carvell)
"UGA was my dream school growing up," he said. "I loved Musa Smith."
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder said UGA receivers coach Bryan McClendon was one of two coaches right now he had the best recruiting relationship with. That's his idea of a coach he felt understood him the most. The other was LSU receivers coach Tony Ball.
"Athens is a great place and I admire Coach (Mark) Richt a lot," Roberston said. "I like all the coaches and the direction they are going. The pitch (from Georgia) is to stay home."
One element to consider is the possible recruiting of his twin sister Shanetris Robertson. She attends Dawson Christian in Newnan. She's a sprinter who runs the 100 and 200 meters. She has some of the family speed. Demetris said he's been timed as low as 4.37 seconds in the 40 and at a 10.4 in the 100.
Shanetris Robertson finished fourth in AA girls in the 100 meters at the Georgia Independent Schools Association state championships this year with a time of 13.47 seconds. She came in third in the 200 meters with a 27.71 time. She’s taken extra courses over the years and will graduate this summer. She hopes to enroll this December, he said.
“She’s pretty good,” said Robertson, who will not be an early enrollment candidate. “(The two of us) going to the same school is something we are looking at.”
He's from an athletic family. Demetris is bringing his nephew to Georgia's elite "Dawg Night" prospect camp on July 18. His nephew Mike Robertson is a rising eighth-grade running back in the Class of 2020.
“My nephew is going to be a stud,” he said. “He is already six feet and 170 pounds at 13. He’s an athlete just like I am.”
The rising senior learned a lot from his initial commitment to Alabama last July. He was committed to the Crimson Tide for more than 11 months.
“I was young when I committed then so I just wanna be sure (now) I’m making the right decision,” he said.
Robertson said he carries a 3.8 grade-point average at Savannah Christian and is awaiting the results from his test scores. Academics are a major factor. That’s why he’s considering schools like Georgia Tech and Stanford.
“It is the educational factor blended with athletics,” said Robertson, who said his first offer was from Georgia Tech. “I like the challenge in the classroom and what a degree from either one could mean one day.”
Robertson hopes to play both sides of the ball in college and even return kicks. He said he will at least wait until he takes all five of his official visits this fall and then decide.
RELATED: What does UGA's Big Board look like for 2016?
Jeff Sentell covers UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges.
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