South Carolina defensive end lists UGA among top five
Defensive end Brandon Willis of Byrnes (S.C.), who was offered by UGA last summer, has the Bulldogs in his top five, according to GoUpstate.com.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder also lists Florida State, North Carolina, LSU, and California. Willis says he is considering all offers, but does not have hometown favorites South Carolina or Clemson among his current list of finalists.
Willis visited Tennessee last weekend. “I got to meet the Kiffins (Monte and Lane) and [recruiting coordinator] Ed Orgeron,” Willis told GoUpstate. “They’re really enthusiastic. We saw the team meeting and what the players go through. It was really cool.”
Byrnes High also has Marcus Lattimore, who is a candidate to be the nation’s top tailback. Lattimore has a UGA offer and made an unofficial visit to Athens last week.
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16 comments Add your comment
GeoffDawg
April 7th, 2009
2:22 pm
“They’re really enthusiastic” is code for dollar shot night at Swinging Richards.
sswinfordawg
April 7th, 2009
4:31 pm
WE NEED THIS KID!!! DE and DT is going to be hurting soon and we need some big time D-linemen that can step up in a year or two. Come to UGA and play for a powerhouse. We have the resources to put you in the NFL. You won’t regret it.
JustCallMeChamp
April 7th, 2009
9:38 pm
Don’t beg, it’s so unbecoming.
SCTally!
April 8th, 2009
8:32 am
“And he does not have South Carolina or Clemson amoung his favorites!” He sounds like a smart young man that wants to play major college football.
bob_wilder1
April 8th, 2009
8:59 am
It’s because SCAR and Clemson has signed the best DEs in the state for the past 3 years.
Brandon, please ask this Atlanta crowd who they think the best DE is in the NFL? The answer would be John Abraham. Where did he go to school? No, not big bad UGA. He went to the University of South Carolina.
South Carolina has put in just as many defensive player to the NFL as UGA in the past few years.
Roger Martin
April 8th, 2009
10:27 am
Clemson and SC are stacked at DE for the next few years. A highly rated DE from the state is looking at other schools.
UGA is stacked at QB for the next few years. A highly rated QB from the state is going to Bama.
Don’t you idiots see how this works?!?!?! Kids want to go to school and get playing time. Coaches need to address their weaknesses and not have 6 scholarship QB’s on the roster.
if you cannot understand this basic concept of fielding a football team, why do you even comment at all?
OcillaGeneral
April 8th, 2009
10:35 am
Actually bob, Abraham would be the most overpaid and oft-injured defensive end in the NFL.
Voice of Reason
April 8th, 2009
1:43 pm
“South Carolina has put in just as many defensive player to the NFL as UGA in the past few years.”
hahahahahhahahaahaha!!!
please give a source for this “stat”
Gamecock Joe
April 8th, 2009
1:48 pm
Top DE Salaries: J. Abraham is #16 in salary for DE’s in 2008:
http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playersbyposition.aspx?pos=136
Abraham was 3rd in the league in sacks in 08, trailing only Demarcus Ware at the DE position.
Listed in order of 2008 Salary:
Allen, Jared Vikings
Smith, Will Saints
Odom, Antwan Bengals
Smith, Justin (DE) 49ers
Peppers, Julius Panthers
Castillo, Luis Chargers
Tuck, Justin Giants
Grant, Charles Saints
Williams, Corey Browns
Suggs, Terrell Ravens
Taylor, Jason Redskins
Long, Chris Rams
Gbaja-Biamila, Kabeer Packers
Schobel, Aaron Bills
LaBoy, Travis Cardinals
Abraham, John Falcons
Voice of Reason
April 8th, 2009
1:49 pm
oh, and before Abraham I would go Dwight Freeney, Osi Umenyiora, Jared Allen, Julius Peppers, Mario Williams, Robert Mathis, and then maybe John Abraham
Gamecock Joe - current NFL players
April 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
SC:
John Abraham Defensive End Atlanta Falcons
Fred Bennett Cornerback Houston Texans
Casper Brinkley Defensive End Carolina Panthers
Sheldon Brown Cornerback Philadelphia Eagles
Kalimba Edwards Defensive End Oakland Raiders
Andre’ Goodman Cornerback Denver Broncos
Johnathan Joseph Cornerback Cincinnati Bengals
Lance Laury Linebacker Seattle Seahawks
Langston Moore Defensive Tackle Detroit Lions
Dunta Robinson Cornerback Houston Texans
Ko Simpson Safety Buffalo Bills
Shaun Smith Defensive Tackle Cleveland Browns
Rod Wilson Linebacker Tampa Bay Buccaneers
UGA:
Champ Bailey Cornerback Denver Broncos
Boss Bailey Linebacker Denver Broncos
Tra Battle Safety Dallas Cowboys
Chris Clemons Defensive End Philadelphia Eagles
Nic Clemons Defensive End Denver Broncos
Phillip Daniels Defensive End Washington Redskins
Thomas Davis Linebacker Carolina Panthers
Demetric Evans Defensive End San Francisco 49ers
Jason Ferguson Defensive Tackle Miami Dolphins
Robert Geathers Defensive End Cincinnati Bengals
Tony Gilbert Linebacker Atlanta Falcons
Kedric Golston Defensive Tackle Washington Redskins
Charles Grant Defensive End New Orleans Saints
Arnold Harrison Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers
Marcus Howard Defensive End Indianapolis Colts
Tim Jennings Safety Indianapolis Colts
Charles Johnson Defensive End Carolina Panthers
Sean Jones Free Safety Philadelphia Eagles
Brandon Miller Defensive End Seattle Seahawks
Quentin Moses Linebacker Miami Dolphins
Paul Oliver Cornerback San Diego Chargers
Jermaine Phillips Safety Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Richard Seymour Defensive Lineman New England Patriots
Marcus Stroud Defensive Tackle Buffalo Bills
Will Witherspoon Linebacker St. Louis Rams
Gamecock Joe - current NFL players
April 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
Abraham was 3rd in the league in sacks last year
GeoffDawg
April 8th, 2009
4:36 pm
I would put Abraham up there with anybody when he’s healthy. This is unfortunately, not very often.
GoodJobJoe
April 9th, 2009
12:20 pm
You basically made the point that UGA has twice as many defensive players in the NFL. It’s over 2 to 1, btw, whatever happened to Sidney Rice? Is he still with the vikings? He was a man among boys but haven’t heard much from him in the NFL which suprises me, I imagined the next Moss/Harrison/Owens type stats.
Voice of Reason
April 10th, 2009
10:39 am
Sidney Rice has T. Jackon as a QB. Jerry Rice would have no stats in that situation
CAL fan
April 20th, 2009
11:23 pm
He should think a lot about California. They’re the top public school in the world for academics and he could make a big impact coming in right away.