DE Kenderius Whitehead declares UGA as leader, followed by Ohio State, Tennessee and North Carolina
Loading ...Kenderius Whitehead, one of Georgia’s top college football prospects at defensive end, earned an offer from UGA at June’s Mark Richt Camp.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder from M.L. King High School, who has more than 25 early scholarship offers, admits he thought long and hard about accepting it in following days.
M.L. King plays South Gwinnett in WSB-TV’s “Thursday Night Football” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. (click on link to watch)
“My mom is very religious; she’s a strong Christian,” Whitehead told the AJC. “She was like ‘Let’s just talk and pray with our pastor and the church before we make any decisions. She doesn’t want me to make any wrong decisions. So she was basically saying ‘Hold off and check out other schools before you commit. There might be something out there different that you might see that you like.’”
Whitehead still likes UGA a lot. In fact, he lists the Bulldogs as his frontrunner, followed by Tennessee, Ohio State and North Carolina.
“Georgia is still my leader,” Whitehead told the AJC. “That’s my hometown school. I like the coaches. Georgia has a great coaching staff. I feel like they are going to have a great year this year.”
UGA is recruiting Whitehead to play outside linebacker, a position he had never even practiced at until Mark Richt camp. “They said I could be like Justin Houston. I actually did pretty good at outside linebacker at camp. I liked it. I guess there’s a first time for everything. I’m glad I went to the camp and got some more experience at that position.”
Kenderius Whitehead has UGA among his 25+ offers
Whitehead has set up an official visit to North Carolina for Sept. 17. He may go to UGA for the South Carolina game, and is in the process of setting up trips to Ohio State and Tennessee. He has ruled out Florida. “I heard about Florida telling that kid they didn’t have any more scholarships,” said Whitehead, referring to Woodward Academy defensive tackle Jordan Watkins. Whitehead say he may take his fifth visit to either Arkansas or N.C. State.
At M.L. King, Whitehead has been nearly unstoppable in the preseason at defensive end. “He’s definitely the difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball for us,” M.L. King coach Mike Carson said. “The kid’s motor never stops. He’s a sideline-to-sideline player. I mean, he just gets it done.”
Whitehead transferred to M.L. King for his senior year after playing at Monroe Area. Last year, he played alongside Monroe Area All-America defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who switched his commitment from Georgia Tech to sign with Notre Dame.
Whitehead has a 3.1 GPA and wants to study Computer Science.
BIG NEWS OF THE DAY
- M.L. King WR Blake Tibbs got a long-awaited offer from UGA a few days ago. Will Tibbs commit to the Bulldogs? (click on story link)
- Lassiter FS-LB Kene Orjioke is officially Georgia’s “hottest college football prospect.” The 6-4, 217-pound senior transfer from California has 3 offers in 5 days, with UGA, Auburn, Tennessee and Clemson expressing heavy interest. Read more by clicking here
- Thomson DT John Atkins will announce between UGA, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Florida and Clemson on Friday. Atkins offers a few hints with his comments here.
- Note: How good is Kenderius? You can watch him yourself on WSB-TV “Thursday Night Football” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. It’s M.L. King vs. South Gwinnett on Channel 2.2, WSB-TV ’s second digital channel. You can also watch games live on wsbtv.com and watch the rebroadcast Friday nights at 1:06 a.m. on Channel 2. It can also be found on the follow cable channels:
- Comcast 248- Metro Atlanta, Calhoun, Rome
- Charter 126 – Metro Atlanta, Athens
- Windstream 871- Dahlonega, Hiawassee, Cornelia, Commerce
- ETC 190- Ellijay, Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer & Fannin counties
- Plantation 601- Green and Putnam Counties; Knology 168- West Point
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- Thomson DT John Atkins will pick UGA, Georgia Tech, Florida, Auburn or Clemson (click on story link)
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- Basketball: Tony Parker to visit Duke, Ohio State, UCLA, Memphis and Georgetown (click on story link)
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- What if a Georgia HS led nation in D1 football recruits and none of them signed with UGA or Georgia Tech (click on story link)
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57 comments Add your comment
Viking87
September 1st, 2011
9:05 am
Whitehead and Tibbs need to come on down and join the Red and Black. Like to hear kids talk about wanting to stay home.
Mad Dawg
September 1st, 2011
9:12 am
Oh good, another 3 star. Richt is really burning down the house with his stellar recruiting. Hopefully, we are still on track for Jordan Jenkins too.
suwaneedawg
September 1st, 2011
9:19 am
Mad Dawg, he has 25 big time offers, WTF are you speaking about?
Worm
September 1st, 2011
9:23 am
Dawgs would love to have you..
well said
September 1st, 2011
9:25 am
@Mad Dawg, David Pollack and David Greene were 3 stars. I guess you didn’t want them either. Support your team dude or don’t wear the name.
JM
September 1st, 2011
9:32 am
Ga Tech has an awesome computer science program. Plus they have a great need for D-linemen. Quick playing time is available.
GTJason
September 1st, 2011
9:41 am
The 3 stars are given by recruiting services that rate players that pay to go to recruiting combines. As a GT fan I’ve seen plenty of 2 star recruits do pretty well (baybay thomas besides dropping the pass in the UGA game was an okay player.) The offers from colleges are what matters. If he doesn’t want to study CS at GT hopefully he stays in state and gets the flu every thanksgiving. Good luck doggies
ColoradoDawg
September 1st, 2011
9:49 am
Amen Well Said! I’m tired of these optimistic so called Dawgs. Either be all in or just jump off the train and find another school.
flanigan
September 1st, 2011
9:50 am
Enter your comments here
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
10:09 am
Whitehead would be a good addition this article is breath of fresh air after yesterday also hearing that Jordan Jenkins will be visiting UGA again .
Red Clay Hound
September 1st, 2011
10:10 am
Michael, was that video showing Whitehead going against the younger Theus brother? Just curious.
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
10:17 am
Atkins , Whitehead and Tibbs would be great pickups for the dawgs .
Big Dirty Dawg
September 1st, 2011
10:18 am
Need some Oline!!
RedandBlackDAWG
September 1st, 2011
10:24 am
Notice, his main reason for picking UGA is that he likes the coaches, and thinks they have a great coaching staff. Ok folks, you heard it from the only person that matters and that is the player who will choose his school. It could not be last years record or a host of other negatives some post on these blogs. Say what you want but these young kids are still looking for a man with good morales, a good record, even with a few down years and I would bet, a coach that is going to be truthful with them, and help them grow into solid men.
I guess I am a homer, because I still think he is the best thing to happen to UGA football in a long time. He is not perfect, nor am I by a long shot, but if I had a kid, and he could be eligible for a college athletic scholarship, this is the coach I would want him to play for.
Let the negative comments and put downs of this homer begin!
GO DAWGS and GATA
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
10:38 am
I was reading on 247 sports that Jordan Jenkins has been growing fond of UGA and has us in his top four now that sounds like good news dawgs making a huge push for his services we are also very close to offering a JUCO O-linemen .
b
September 1st, 2011
10:47 am
I thought Whitehead was still at Monroe.
Why did he transfer?
In my opinion, he is better than his more heralded and former teammate, Tuitt.
Saban passes
September 1st, 2011
10:54 am
Kid must not really set the woods on fire since Saban hasnt offered. just saying……
AnnapolisDawg
September 1st, 2011
11:05 am
RedandBlack: Well said! I think many fans lose sight of what’s truly important.
Bob Loblaw
September 1st, 2011
11:06 am
Playing Linebacker is awesome. Lets go KD! Go Dawgs!
I also love hearing recruits saying that the Dawgs are going to have a big season. “Can’t wait!!!”
Just sayin'
September 1st, 2011
11:19 am
Richt doesn’t cheat, graduates players and mostly wins over his career. Richt has also had more players drafted than any other SEC school since he’s been at Georgia. I can understand why Whitehead would have them as his leader.
Brown Dog
September 1st, 2011
11:46 am
RRT, UGA has miles to go in the Jenkins derby. It’s Alabama, then Florida. Lot can change, as is always the case.
Zoli
September 1st, 2011
12:04 pm
Dude you would look great in Red and Black! If you want to play in the League, UGA will get you there!
1eyedJack
September 1st, 2011
12:30 pm
Lot of recruits will want to jump on board after Saturday night. Since this is not officially a “home” game can Georgia have recruits on the sidelines?
Hmmm
September 1st, 2011
2:15 pm
Saban passes- Saban also didn’t recruit Cam Newton. How’d that turn out for him?
KD
September 1st, 2011
3:05 pm
b, he left Monroe under alot of contraversy, being recruited from a former coach that got fired from Monroe. He left Monroe only a month ago.His mother works in Dekalb, supposely not even close to where MLK is. But she has worked in Dekalb for years, so why leave a school district you have attended for 11 years. Also a 3.1, really,according to the coaches he hasn’t even passed the graduation tests with help from tutoring.
dekalbfootball1
September 1st, 2011
3:11 pm
Congrats! Kenderius Whitehead you are very level headed and have a sound foundation (parents) to assist you in this process. Next year will take of itself; you and the rest of your team go out and win a state Championship!!!!!!
BIGDAWG37
September 1st, 2011
3:23 pm
Welcome to Georgia, Mr. Whitehead!!! Go Dawgs!!!
OC_Dawg
September 1st, 2011
3:38 pm
Mad Dawg,
ESPN and 247sports have Whitehead as a 4-star, and both Rivals and Scout say he has a very good shot at moving up to 4-star when the rankings are redone. And this is probably Grantham’s choice more than it is Richt’s.
WnE
September 1st, 2011
3:44 pm
GT really needs to do something about the way we are perceived and marketed in the Metro Atl. Area.
Whitehead that plays in DeKalb said that uga was the Hometown School, rarely if ever do hear a HS FB Recruit that grows up and plays in Atlanta refer to GT as the Hometown School.
It is as if GT FB has 2 strikes against them, before they ever put postage on the Letters of interest that they send out to Recruits.
GrantParkGator
September 1st, 2011
3:45 pm
UGA’s backup plan for missing on Jenkins? Jordan will visit UF and Bama twice this fall and he’s giving UF his last OV.
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
4:07 pm
@GrantParkGator Jenkins is visiting UGA also per 247 Sports it is not lock for UF and Bama .
Paddy
September 1st, 2011
4:31 pm
Mad dawg…..the star system means NOTHING! It is what the coaches see and how you play in college that determines your ranking. The star system is a suckers play. dig deeper to see what really matters. That system is only for amusement purposes only!
dawgster
September 1st, 2011
4:46 pm
@GrantParkGator…Please tell us how the dawgs are missing on Jenkins…Obvisously you do little homework before making any remarks…perhaps you are right he may not be a dawg, if I had to bet I say Bama…but no one knows and that includes many on here with so called inside infor…makes me laugh….As i have said many times…its a long ways till NSD and I won’t be at all surprised if the dawgs and yes your gators lose a recruit or two and possibly gain a surprise here and there….go dawgs
Lion's Den
September 1st, 2011
4:51 pm
It’s about time my Dawgs have started recruiting at M.L. King HS, this is long overdue. They’ve really let some good talent slip get away the past few years….
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
4:53 pm
A lot will depend on our season to get JJ but UGA is not out of the running for services but i would say that UF and Bama lead .
dawgster
September 1st, 2011
5:11 pm
@RRT Dawgs..agree we are probably a little behind for his services, I believe he is Bama bound unless there are some coaching changes or other issues that come up…We just need to take care of business on the field and let things play out as they may….go dawgs
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
5:20 pm
I hope we get some good news with John Atkins tomorrow dawgster kick the weekend off to a good start i think it looks pretty good .
dawgster
September 1st, 2011
6:13 pm
@RRTDawgs…the news will be good….at least thats what i hear, but still a long ways from NSD…go dawgs
RRTDawgs
September 1st, 2011
6:25 pm
Murray St. vs Louisville on ESPN U right now college football underway get your popcorn ready .
Blake
September 1st, 2011
6:44 pm
I actually got to see this kid play and in my view was even more of a threat than Tuitt for Monroe. I mean Before those two guys got there Monroe was pretty much a group of losers but they did have a special year last year. would be a great pick up for the dawgs
Ra'mon
September 1st, 2011
6:59 pm
A 6′5 Outside Linebacker! Once again he would be a 6′5 outside linebacker! If he allows CTG to coach him up, he would be a sure bet to end up playing on Sundays.
KD
September 2nd, 2011
8:31 am
Blake, Monroe throughout the 70’s,80’s& into the late 90’s, Monroe was very competitive in football. It seems like in the last 10 years they have gone down hill, I can’t explain it, maybe, COACHING or lack of it.
Commit! NT John Atkins is No. 13 for UGA recruiting class | AJC College Sports Recruiting
September 2nd, 2011
8:36 am
[...] DE Kenderius Whitehead names UGA as leader over Ohio State, Tennessee and UNC (click on story link) [...]
RedandBlackDAWG
September 2nd, 2011
9:35 am
Annapolis Dawg. I grew up living by the Naval Academy and always being proud of them, because of the code they lived by and how, even though under sized, they were always well coached and decent folks both on and off the field. I remember the Staubachs, Bellinos, and a few other lesser know, but just as professional and honest as those two. The coaches were always held to the highest standards and folks need to demand that more today of the coaches out there. I love to win at everything I compete at, and I sure want my favorite team to succeed just as much as anybody, but at the end of the day, it is just as important as how the represent themselves and their school.
GO DAWGS and GATA
Dekalb Fan
September 2nd, 2011
10:00 am
Tibbs and Whitehead will be some big dawgs in Athens. UGA should take a hard look at Toran Davis of South West Dekalb, he would make a great strong safety . The team that gets him will be getting a great ball player and student.
licious
September 2nd, 2011
10:35 am
@ KD. You obviously don’t read well! Kenderius Whitehead clearly said that Athens is his hometown, so that would mean that he is a native the last time I checked! He was born in Athens and did not move to Monroe until around middle school, so that would mean that he was attending the Clarke County School System until then, right? Exactly. What school he attended, and for how long is besides the point! It is also besides the point to where his mother works, what county she works in, and why he is at MLK this year! What does matter is that he is there and looooong before he got there he had 25 plus offers at the high school he last attended. That would obviously mean that he didn’t transfer for recognition because clearly he brought scout with him to MLK, hence giving some of his fellow teammates there an opportunity to shine. He also mentioned that his mother is a devouted Christian which is what his foundation is built upon. So have you ever stopped to think that just maybe, he would like attend UGA so that he could continue to go to his HOMETOWN CHURCH every Sunday with his mother? The drive from Athens to Lithonia is only 20 minutes shy of what she was already commuting to Dekalb for work you say, so I’m certain that they make it to worship on Sundays. As far as the Graduation test goes, how many parents have lobbied for that unneccessary declaration of a nightmare to be inexistent to go away? Kids who have had 4.0 gpa’s have struggled to get pass that test so whether he has passed it or not (because only he and his mother would know) is non of your business!!!! Seems a though you went waaaay past the fact that the kid is doing something positive and is obviously pretty good at it and should be rewarded FREE EDUCATION for it. Logging off…………….
joe
September 2nd, 2011
10:43 am
Of those 4 schools, the only one on the way up is UT, which will have a much better season than people think…NC & OSU have huge NCAA issues/sanctions and UGA will be going through a coaching change after this season when they finish 6-6.
RedandBlackDAWG
September 2nd, 2011
11:47 am
Joe,
Can your crystal ball give me some lotto picks for the week? Never played it before but obviously, you have one. Better even, tell me where you got yours from and I can just buy one and use it.
GO DAWGS and GATA
KD
September 2nd, 2011
1:18 pm
@licious, I was responding to a earlier posts stating that they thought Whitehead was still at Monroe, and I just explained what happened, with him and the coach that got fired and went to MLK. I also was repeating about his testing what I was told by his coaches and a teacher that they was hoping he would just get help at MLK like he was getting at MAHS to try and past his test. Also, it seems really funny that a kid that has been attending a school system since MIDDLE SCHOOL,allof a sudden decides to transfer just to follow a coach or tell the other players on the team that hw will not play his Senior year like he said he was when that coach got fired. I was there when all this took place and heard him say these things, WERE YOU..probably not..so you don’t know what YOU’RE talking about.
Auburn’s Gene Chizik makes personal appearance to see AJC Super 11 DE Jordan Jenkins | AJC College Sports Recruiting
September 3rd, 2011
7:23 am
[...] DE Kenderius Whitehead names UGA as leader over Ohio State, Tennessee and UNC (click on story link) [...]