‘Prospects on Parade’ in N. Clayton-Griffin game

It’s Friday afternoon and that means it’s almost time for Friday night lights!

We turn our attention south of Atlanta tonight to find the biggest conglomeration of talent on the gridiron as North Clayton plays host to Griffin in a battle of Class AAAA unbeatens.

There will be a bunch of Division 1 talent on both sides of the ball but Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS), which is broadcasting the game live at 7:30 p.m., will surely focus on one matchup in particular — North Clayton’s Clarence Jackson vs. Griffin’s Xzavier Dickson.

Jackson is a longtime Ole Miss commitment who has been making a case as one of the best running backs in Atlanta and is way above average as a linebacker. Staring him down from the other side of the ball will be Dixon, a huge defensive end who the Bears move all over the place to gain matchup advantages and keep offenses guessing where he’ll be. Though just a junior, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Dixon already holds offers from Alabama and Auburn (says Bama leads right now) and is getting recruiting interest from Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida State and every other major program around the South.

There are some who say that Jackson, who has 956 yards rushing and 14 TDs his season, hasn’t been tested to the degree he will tonight. His coach is not so sure.

“That’s hard to say,” North Clayton coach Rodney Hackney said. “Mt. Zion was a pretty good test. I don’t think it will be a big shock for him. He’s played in high-intensity games like this before and usually plays his best in them.”

The Eagles also feature center Torian Box, who is a North Carolina State commitment, and Marlo Herrera, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior linebacker who will likely go to a major college next season.

Griffin counters Jackson with senior running back Buck Hancock, the son of basketball star Darrin Hancock, who is holding several mid-major offers. But the majority of the Beats’ talent is in its junior class with DE Brandon Williamson, S Dontre Morris, S Corey Moore, TE Tyrizes Turner and CB Chandler Worthy.

Here’s a few other games holding recruiting intrigue:

• Troup County vs. Carver-Columbus: Call it the Chick-fil-A Bowl West as it pits the ACC versus the SEC. Troup has three players committed to SEC schools in DE J.C. Copeland (Tennessee), DB Cadarious Sanders (South Carolina) and FB Brandon Worle (LSU commit). Carver features three committed to ACC colleges  in G David Beasley (Clemson), DE Corey Crawford (Clemson) and QB Devin Burns (Maryland). There are other prospects to boot on both sides as well. Carver has as many as a dozen D-1 prospects total so don’t expect an upset.
• Valdosta at Lowndes: While it’s not quite what it once was and the Wildcats are inundated with injuries, the two South Georgia schools still produce bus loads of football talent. Valdosta QB DaShay March (502 yards passing, 407 rushing, 8 TDs) is supposed to play despite and injury and he’ll definitely have top receiving target Jay Rome (6-5, 210). Lowndes OT Ed Christian, a one-time FSU commitment, has reopened his recruitment. He’ll be trying to open holes for Khary Franklin, one of the top backs in the state.
  
• ESPNU’s High School Game of Week: Tonight it’s Kapaun-Mt. Carmel at Bishop Carroll Catholic in Wichita, Kan. Bishop Carroll is led by Oklahoma commitment Blake Bell, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound gunslinger rated No. 3 quarterback in the country by Scout.com. Note: ESPN will be at James R. Hallford Stadium next week to broadcast the M.L. King-Stephenson game to a national audience.