Georgia is still basking in the glow of having five high schoolers selected in the opening round of Monday’s major-league draft.
The second day of the three-day, 50-round draft begins at noon today. Join us on ajc.com to talk draft coverage.
Continue reading LIVE: Second day of MLB Draft coverage: Another strong day for Georgia players? »
Why did Calhoun wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers, the state’s No. 1-rated football prospect, make the last-minute switch from UGA to Tennessee last February?
Rogers isn’t talking, but his high school quarterback provided some insight into the infamous flip, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
“The [UT] coaches are a lot more professional … He had a lot of bad dealings with Georgia coaches,” said Nash Nance told the newspaper.
Nance and Rogers both signed with Tennessee, and enrolled in summer classes last week. Neither Nance nor the News-Sentinel disclosed any specifics on the “bad dealings.”
Da'Rick Rogers (left) isn't talking but QB Nash Nance is (AJC)
Here are a few other items of interest from the article:
Shall we call them the Fab Five?
Who was No. 1 out of Georgia? DeShields (Brian Christian photo)
Georgia sent shockwaves across the baseball world when five homegrown products were selected in the first round of Monday’s major-league baseball draft. Three of the five were grabbed by the one team — the LA Angels
Here’s the roll call:
Continue reading SHOW ME THE MONEY! Five Georgia high schoolers drafted in baseball’s first round »
Georgia Tech football recruit Jake Skole drafted No. 15 overall by MLB's Texas Rangers (AJC)
Georgia Tech will likely lose one of its top football recruits, Blessed Trinity’s Jake Skole, after he was selected in the first round of Monday’s baseball draft.
The Texas Rangers picked Skole with the No. 15 overall pick. He was one of the fastest “late risers” in the country in the weeks leading up to the draft, due to an explosive playoff performance and making it clear with baseball front offices that he was willing to give up football.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder missed nearly all of …
Continue reading Georgia Tech football recruit Jake Skole drafted No. 15 overall by Texas Rangers »
This year’s crop of Georgia high school baseball prospects for the major-league draft is considered one of the best — and deepest — in years.
Which Georgia HS baseball prospect do you think BOTH will likely be available and heavily considered at No. 35?
Loading …Depending on negotiations over the final hours, as many as five high schoolers from the Peach State could be selected in the top 50 of Monday’s opening day of the draft: Cook High pitcher/infielder Kaleb Cowart, Woodward Academy outfielder Delino DeShields, South Forsyth middle infielder Zach Alvord, Blessed Trinity outfielder Jake Skole and Marietta outfielder Chevez Clarke.
What about the Atlanta Braves? Will they dip into Georgia’s deep talent pool with the No. 35 overall …
When the AJC’s Mr. Basketball attended his first day of college classes on Friday, he officially became a member of the Georgia Bulldogs.
AJC's Mr. Basketball officially became UGA recruit after attending first day of Friday's college classes (AJC)
Westlake High’s Marcus Thornton committed to UGA on May 18, and signed non-binding athletic grant-in-aid papers the same day. Because Thornton had signed a letter-of-intent with Clemson last November — and later was released after the departure of coach Oliver Purnell, Thornton was prevented from signing a second LOI with another school in the same calendar year under NCAA rules.
In other words, despite Thornton’s commitment to Georgia two weeks ago, he was eligible to pick another college until attending his first day of summer school. Thornton reported to Georgia for summer-session orientation last Monday, and then began classes on Friday, which made him a binding member of the UGA’s 2010 basketball recruiting classes, according …
Connor Mason has a different background than most pitching prospects for Monday’s major-league baseball draft.
Connor Mason (Photo by Cheryl Mason)
Mason was home schooled from kindergarten until his recent graduation.
The Suwanee resident has signed a baseball scholarship with Rice. Mason, who has been clocked at 94 mph, was projected to be drafted within the top 10 rounds before a recent elbow injury.
“He was really looking forward to making a statement to the baseball scouts this spring, ” said his father, Mike Mason. “Maybe a team will still draft him. But if he ends up going to Rice, then that’s a great thing, too.”
How did Mason do it? How did he earn the Division I baseball scholarship and get looks from pro scouts while being a home schooled student? Mason got high visibility after playing for club teams during the summer and fall seasons the past three years. MLB’s scouting service called earlier this week to get an update on Mason.
“I definitely think he’s still …
Continue reading Home-schooled pitcher from Atlanta area intrigues scouts for Monday’s MLB draft »
Georgia Tech’s football staff has accepted that they may lose one of their prized recruits, Blessed Trinity safety Jake Skole, to Monday’s major-league baseball draft.
What advice would you give Jake Skole?
Loading …Skole is one of the state’s hottest baseball prospects after seeing his stock soar over the past month. He is projected to be selected within the draft’s top five rounds.
Tech football assistant Buzz Preston contacted Skole and his family last week to discuss the issue.
“[Preston] was kind of laughing about it,” Skoke said. “He said, ‘We’re hearing a lot of good news about you in the newspapers. Too bad it’s not the sport we’re coaching you for.’
“I’m pretty close to most of the football coaches. We have a good enough relationship where I think they would understand if I signed a pro baseball …
Continue reading Georgia Tech accepts it may LOSE top FOOTBALL RECRUIT to the MLB Draft »
Cook P-3B Kaleb Cowart, who is projected to be selected in the first round of Monday’s major-league baseball draft, was named as Gatorade’s National Baseball Player of the Year on Thursday afternoon.
Cowart was surprised by the news on Thursday by Delino DeShields, who played 13 years in the majors. He currently manages in the minors for the Cincinnati Reds. Ironically, DeShields’ son by the same name, Woodward Academy CF Delino DeShields (not Jr. because of different middle names) is competing with Cowart to be the first Georgia high school player drafted. Georgia Tech pitcher Deck McGuire is projected for the top 10 picks.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Cowart led Cook to the Class AA championship series, where it lost to Calhoun on Tuesday. Cowart finished his senior year with a 10-1 record and 1.05 ERA, while striking out 116 batters in 73 innings. He also batted ,654 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs. Cowart, who has signed a baseball scholarship with Florida State, said he hopes to …
The No. 1 pitching prospect from a Georgia high school for the major-league baseball draft would prefer not to pitch in the pros.
What would you advise to Kaleb Cowart?
Loading …Cook High’s Kaleb Cowart, whose fastball has been clocked at 97 mph, is projected by several draft analysts to go as high as the first round Monday. In the college ranks, Georgia Tech pitcher Deck McGuire likely will be selected within the first 10 picks.
What’s the deal with Cowart, a rocket-armed right-hander? Why does he have low interest in a pitching career? The explanation is surprisingly simple — and refreshing.
“I want to play baseball every day,” Cowart said. “I’d much rather play in the field every day than pitch once every five days.
“I really enjoy baseball and have a …
Continue reading The next Chipper Jones? Cook High pitcher throws 97 mph, but wants to play 3B »
Julian Suber's photo on Gwinnett County Sherriff's website
Georgia Southern coach Jeff Monken had major concerns about one of his top football recruits, Brookwood tailback Julian Suber, long before his recent arrest for armed robbery, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Monken confirmed to newspaper that Suber was released in late April from the Georgia Southern football letter-of-intent that he had signed last February. Last week, Suber was charged with armed robbery, felony weapons and marijuana possession from a alleged May 17 incident in Lawrenceveille.
“The deal we had [with Suber] was keep your nose clean, go to class, do everything your high school teachers tell you and show us you’ve matured,” Monken told the Morning News. Monken said Suber’s football scholarship was revoked on April 21.
“The opportunity to be on the football team is a privilege, not a right,” Monken told the newspaper’s Donald Health.
Suber (No. 20) helped lead Brookwood to an upset over McEachern …
Woodward Academy’s Delino DeShields will follow in the baseball footsteps of his famous father. But it was only after DeShields proved he could’ve taken another sports path, if he had wanted.
Which Georgia HS baseball player will be taken first in the MLB Draft?
Loading …DeShields, the one-time college football prospect, and Cook pitcher Kaleb Cowart are candidates to be the first Georgia high schoolers selected in Monday’s major-league draft.
“I’ve heard rumors about where I might get drafted, but we’ll see what happens,” DeShields said. He said a “fair offer” with bonus money — and not where he is drafted — will be the determining factor on going pro or attending LSU on …
(This is part of the AJC’s “30 in 30″ series — with quick hits on top high school football teams across the metro area and state during spring football practice. We’re doing 30 football teams in 30 days. Click here for a master list. Hey AJC, what about spring sports? You know, the non-football sports? Go here)
How did spring practice go at Pace Academy? It didn’t.
The Atlanta private school did not hold spring drills for football.
How important is spring football practice?
Loading …“The reality for us is that spring sports — even without playoffs — end only one week before AP Exams begin, so to ask our student-athletes to spend that time beginning another sport seems unrealistic to me,” Pace coach Matt Hall said. “With the entire summer to get players in the weightroom and to have the opportunity to work with specific athletes, I do not see the merit in a spring practice at this level.”
Pace, which has around 170 …
Continue reading How did spring football go at Pace Academy? They didn’t have one »
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