Archive for June, 2011

Jonathan Jones, who is considered “Georgia’s fastest football recruit,” recently picked up an offer from reigning BCS champion Auburn and visited Georgia Tech earlier this week.

The 5-foot-10 1/2 cornerback from Carrollton High School is a track star who led his team to a state championship last month and is a candidate for the Junior Olympics in the hurdles. Jones, who has a 3.7 GPA, prefers a future in football and is a three-year starter for one of Georgia’s top high school programs. He has around a dozen early scholarship offers and will begin to narrow down after visiting both Tennessee and Florida State next month.

“In my 26 years, I don’t think I’ve ever had a corner as good as Jonathan — that has that tenacity with hitting and tackling and that kind of speed,” Carrollton coach Rayvan Teague told the AJC. “I’ve had guys who had more picks but not a kid that is the total package like Jonathan. The sky is the limit for him. He’s a great kid and a great competitor. There’s …

Continue reading Georgia’s ‘fastest football recruit’ visits Auburn and Georgia Tech; Next stops are Tennessee and FSU »

Buford OL Vadal Alexander has Alabama, LSU and Auburn as his leaders and said he has been invited to visit UGA this summer (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Vadal Alexander, who is a candidate to be Georgia’s No. 1 college football prospect on the offensive line, is favoring three SEC West schools as his leaders.

“It’s LSU, Alabama and Auburn that I like the most,” Alexander told the AJC. “I’m trying to get to know Miami and North Carolina better. But the top tier would be LSU, Alabama and Auburn because I know them better — they would be my leaders.”

The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Buford High School had around 25 early scholarship offers, including both Georgia Tech and UGA. Alexander hasn’t had contact with Georgia Tech in a couple of months. He is considering an unofficial visit to UGA to meet with coach Mark Richt this summer but hasn’t set a date.

“I’ve been around Georgia since I was in the ninth grade because we’ve had some Buford offensive lineman go to …

Continue reading Georgia’s No. 1 OL prospect, Vadal Alexander, lists leaders: Alabama, LSU and Auburn »

Wayne County QB Greyson Lambert has nine offers, and may add a few more in July

Georgia’s No. 1 college football prospect at quarterback, Greyson Lambert, is nearly fully recovered from a leg injury that sidelined him for three months and is sprinting through schools on the recruiting trail.

Lambert made unofficial visits to South Carolina and N.C. State last weekend. He plans to make recruiting trips to Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, FSU — and maybe a few other schools — in July.

The 6-foot-6, 195-pounder from Wayne County High School said he has nine early offers: Alabama, South Carolina, Miami, N.C. State, Virginia, Louisville, Purdue, Boston College and Mississippi State. He also had early offers from UGA and Clemson which are no longer available (see below).

Nearly every elite quarterback commits before his senior season, but Lambert is unsure.

“That all kind of got pushed back with the whole leg thing; With not being able to visit many schools in June, I might wait …

Continue reading QB Greyson Lambert on mend, will visit Alabama, Florida, FSU and South Carolina »

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Jordan Watkins, who is one of Georgia’s most-heavily recruited football prospects, is really serious about his college major.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive tackle from Woodward Academy has a 3.7 GPA and wants to study Broadcast Journalism or Communications in college. Watkins started with around 30 offers, and has narrowed down to eight finalists, with his college major being an important factor: Alabama, Florida, UGA, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Stanford.

Why UGA? “Just the fact you get the combination of two big things I’m looking for. You get a great education from one of the better known journalism schools in the country, and also at the same time the chance to play great SEC football. With the combination of those two, there’s no way Georgia couldn’t make the top eight.”

There were two surprises among …

Continue reading Jordan Watkins trims to 8: UGA, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford »

Nick Tompkins, RB for reigning GHSA Class AAAAA state champion Brookwood High School (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

The star running back on the high school football team that won last year’s state championship in Georgia’s largest classification committed to Michigan State on Sunday night.

Nick Tompkins picked Michigan State over Illinois, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin and Maryland, among his 20 early scholarship offers.

“Michigan State felt like the perfect place for me, it was the complete package,” Tompkins told the AJC. “I gave it a lot of thought. I got that gut feeling about Michigan State and went with it. I knew they were only going to take one running back and I wanted it to be me.”

The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Tompkins will be following two of his teammates from Brookwood High School’s 2010 GHSA Class AAAAA state championship team to Michigan State. DB Andre Sims Jr. signed with Michigan State last February, while kicker Erick Yang will walk-on with the Spartans. Tompkins has …

Continue reading RB Nick Tompkins commits to Michigan State over Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, Illinois and Maryland »

Maryland picked up a football commitment out of Georgia on Sunday.

“A.J. Liddell, our senior wide receiver, committed to Maryland,” Chris Parker, football coach at Chapel Hill High School, said.  “He talked to Coach [Randy] Edsall to let him know of his intentions today.”

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Liddell said Maryland, UConn and East Carolina were his leaders earlier this month, according to Rivals. Liddell is Maryland’s second commitment from the state of Georgia within the last few days. Luella DB Alvin Hill, whose older brother plays at Virginia Tech, has also pledged to the ACC school.

– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog Got a recruiting item? mcarvell@ajc.com

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Continue reading AJ Liddell commits to Maryland Terrapins »

It's between Florida and South Carolina for Columbia HS two-sport standout Jhaustin Thomas (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

One of the Georgia’s top defensive ends has named four finalists.

However, Jhaustin Thomas, says its really down to two schools.

“It’s between Florida and South Carolina,” Thomas told the AJC on Saturday evening.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder from Columbia High School attended Will Muschamp Camp earlier this month, and admits he nearly committed on the spot to Florida.

“At first, I was going to do it,” Thomas said. “Then I decided I wanted to visit some other schools to have something to compare with Florida, and to be sure I’m making the right choice. Because once I commit, it’s over.”

Thomas plans to visit South Carolina in July, and possibly his two other finalists — Alabama and Clemson. He wishes to commit before the start of his senior season.

“It’s going to be interesting where he goes,” Columbia coach Mario Allen said. “I know Florida, from my …

Continue reading DE Jhaustin Thomas nearly commits to Florida Gators, also considering South Carolina, Alabama and Clemson »

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Some people think Georgia’s No. 1 college basketball prospect is already starting to pack his bags for UCLA.

Shaq Goodwin, the 6-foot-8 power forward from Southwest DeKalb High School, said that’s not the case. He’s heard the rumors, about how he will follow his AAU basketball coach to UCLA, and he said they are untrue because he’s undecided. However, Goodwin confirms that UCLA is one of his leaders, along with UGA, Memphis, Florida and Alabama.

“I havent’ decided anything,” Goodwin told the AJC.

Goodwin got a “shout out” when his AAU teammate with the Atlanta Celtics, Jordan Adams, committed to UCLA earlier this week.

Will Shaq follow his AAU coach to Cali? (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

“I want Shaq Goodwin to come with me [to UCLA],” said Adams, the former Central Gwinnett shooting guard who transferred to Oak Hill (Va.) prep school last year.

Goodwin heard the words loud and …

Continue reading Shaq Goodwin: Is Georgia’s No. 1 prospect headed to the West Coast? »

UGA WR commit CJ Curry (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Two members of UGA’s 2012 recruiting class have transferred to another high school for their senior year of football.

WR CJ Curry has transferred from North Hall High School to Flowery Branch, while Florida kicker Marshall Morgan switched schools in the Miami area.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Curry has looked like maybe the best wide receiver in the state this summer, helping Flowery Branch win at least two passing league tournaments. It will be the fourth school in four years for Curry but there’s a good reason for the moves — he played football where his father accepted a job as an assistant football coach. As a freshman, CJ played for his father at Greater Atlanta Christian; as a sophomore, CJ returned to the public school near his home and played for Loganville (while his father remained at GAC); as a junior, CJ played for his father at North Hall; as a senior, CJ will be playing for his father again at Flowery Branch.

CJ’s …

Continue reading UGA football recruits CJ Curry and Marshall Morgan transfer high schools (UPDATED) »

After thinking it over for a couple of days, Alvin Hill decided to accept a Maryland football scholarship on Thursday.

The defensive back from Luella High School had been overlooked early in the recruiting process, and was just beginning to generate interest from big-time schools after making rounds at summer college camps.

Hill auditioned for a scholarship at Maryland’s camp on Tuesday, performed so well he was offered within an hour afterwards, and committed to the Terrapins on Thursday. He’s the younger brother of Virginia Tech cornerback Detrick Bonner.

Luella DB Alvin Hill

“I took a couple of days to think about it; I talked with my family and my brother and they all felt like it was a good opportunity,” Hill told the AJC. “I called Maryland and they were a little surprised that I committed within two days. I told them that they had showed me a lot of love and I was comfortable with my decision. They were really excited about coming there.”

Hill, who was just beginning to …

Continue reading DB Alvin Hill commits to Maryland; brother plays at Virginia Tech »