Archive for the ‘Florida State’ Category

Ohio State-bound LB Trey Johnson (right) with his Central Gwinnett coach Todd Wofford

ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – The best linebacker from Georgia not named Reuben Foster committed to Ohio State on national TV on Friday.

Central Gwinnett High School’s Trey Johnson picked Ohio State over Florida and Tennessee during the Under Armour All-America football game on ESPN. Johnson de-committed from Auburn last month after the coaching change.

“Ohio State is getting an SEC-caliber player, which is what Urban Meyer is trying to bring to his Ohio State teams,” Central Gwinnett coach Todd Wofford told the AJC.

“It’s the same format that Brian Kelly did with Notre Dame and their defense – bring as many kids from the south up north, and have them outrun the offenses.

After Friday’s game, Johnson was scheduled to meet in the team hotel with Meyer. He’s also supposed to sit down with Auburn’s defensive coaches, which are desperately trying to lure him back to the Tigers before the Feb. 6 signing …

Continue reading Trey Johnson: Ohio State beats out Florida and Tennessee for ex-Auburn LB commit »

In recruiting, there’s the initial commitment and flip. The rarest? A double flip.

AJC Super 11 WR Demarcus Robinson of Peach County High School completed the double flip on Monday when he switched his commitment for a second time, this time going from Florida to Clemson after returning from an official visit with the Gators over the weekend, according to his coach.

For the moment, Clemson appears to have won an intense recruiting battle for AJC Super 11 WR Demarcus Robinson of Peach County HS (AP)

Robinson, who is considered one of the state’s top prospects at his position, originally committed to Clemson but switched to Florida last week after an in-home visit last week with the Gators coaches, including Will Muschamp.

Despite losing Robinson, Clemson never gave up, dispatching several assistants to meet with the 4-star wide receiver last week.

Florida will have a tough time convincing Robinson to switch for a third time since Sunday night was the end of the NCAA’s contact …

Continue reading Demarcus Robinson: AJC Super 11 WR switches again, picks Clemson »

Over the last few months, the recruiting process has taken a backseat to high school football for Vonn Bell, the 5-star safety from Ridgeland.

All of that will change after Saturday when Ridgeland plays Sandy Creek for the Class AAAA state championship at 5:30 p.m.

AJC Super 11 DB Vonn Bell (AJC)

After Saturday, Bell will listen to the sales pitches and maybe visit his three finalists of Alabama, Ohio State and childhood favorite Tennessee. UGA was eliminated when Bell trimmed from seven to three schools.

“Nothing has changed with recruiting recently, and Vonn isn’t talking to anybody about it until after Saturday,” Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis told the AJC.

“About halfway through our season, he cut it off to focus on our team, which we appreciated. It has worked out well for Vonn.

“After our season is over on Saturday, I think it will be soon that he will make his decision between those three schools.”

Bell has had a monster senior season for Ridgeland, and surprisingly …

Continue reading Vonn Bell: Decision could be near for 5-star safety »

One of UGA’s former recruits will be playing for the archrival Florida Gators.

Trenton Brown, a 6-foot-8, 350-pound offensive lineman from Georgia Military junior college, revealed that he had committed to Florida over Oklahoma and Florida State this weekend. Brown had been secretly pledged to the Gators for a while, and finally went public on Sunday.

Florida landed ex-UGA OL recruit (AP)

“It was because Florida’s faithfulness, and them being here with me throughout the whole process, even when I was committed to Georgia,” Brown told the AJC. “They’ve been with me since day one. They were the most faithful.”

UGA and Brown had a tumultuous recruiting relationship. He originally committed to the Bulldogs in August, but began to waiver after Brown said Florida’s coaches let him know that another recruit (5-star OL Laremy Tunsil) talked to UGA’s coaches and said Brown might be playing offensive guard there. (Note: Tunsil is being recruited by UGA to play tackle)

Brown aspires to …

Continue reading Trenton Brown: Ex-UGA football recruit will be playing for archrival Florida Gators »

Alabama RB commit Tyren Jones (AJC)

Running back Tyren Jones, who has committed to Alabama, was diagnosed with Grade 1 MCL knee injury on Saturday and will miss at least two weeks.

The 5-foot-8, 192-pound Jones suffered the injury in the first half of Walton High School’s win over Etowah on Friday.

“It was one of those things where he got wrapped up in a pile with everybody else, and he just came down kind of funny,” Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo told the AJC on Saturday.

Jones, who is the leading rusher in the state’s largest classification, underwent an MRI on Saturday morning. The good news is that Jones could be back in two weeks, although he might be out longer depending on how he responds to treatment.

“Tyren is a great kid,” Hidalgo said. “Even though he got hurt, he was excited that we won, and was cheering on the other players. When DJ Smith broke the long run later in the game, Tyren was screaming ‘I taught him that move, I taught him that move.’

“Tyren has a great …

Continue reading Tyren Jones: Alabama RB commit suffers knee injury (UPDATED) »

Some of Atlanta’s college football prospects will be writing a weekly diary for the AJC until February’s signing day. They will be sharing their thoughts, opinions, adventures and perspectives on the recruiting journey.

Rashard Fant is considered one of the state’s top sleeper prospects. He has been overlooked by many colleges because he attends the small private school of Our Lady of Mercy. However, he has impressed enough as an “athlete” to earn early college football scholarship offers from Florida State, Utah, Ole Miss and Kentucky, among others. Many other colleges will be evaluating him as a senior.

Rashard Fant

My top five schools as of today are Indiana, Florida State, Western Kentucky, Utah, and Penn.

Indiana offered me about a month ago. They are recruiting me primarily as a corner; however, the opportunity to play on the offensive side of the ball as well as return kicks has been mentioned.

Florida State offered me this past May during spring ball. Initially, FSU …

Continue reading Recruiting Diary: ATH Rashard Fant sets up visits to FSU, others »

Darren Dowdell, who has missed half of his senior season with a leg injury, committed to Kentucky on Sunday.

Kentucky-bound TE Darren Dowdell of Grady HS (AJC)

The 6-foot-4, 232-pound tight end from Grady High School picked Kentucky over Louisville and N.C. State among his football scholarship offers, which also Wake Forest, Maryland and Indiana.

“They’ve been my leader for a while,” Dowdell told the AJC. “When I went up there again this weekend with my dad, I got a chance to interact with the coaches and players. I felt like I was at home.”

Dowdell plays both sides of the ball at Grady, but is being recruited by Kentucky as a hybrid tight end.

“I think Kentucky is getting a super player, a guy that can make plays,” Grady coach Ronnie Millen said. “At tight end, he’s a guy that can catch, and he can block. They will be able to use him in a lot of different ways in that offense.”

Dowell, who has a 3.4 GPA and plans to major in Sports Medicine or Mathematics, has only played in …

Continue reading Darren Dowdell: Kentucky edges Louisville and NC State for TE-DE »

How much of a challenge is it for a non-SEC school located in SEC territory to recruit against the almighty conference that has won six national championships in a row?

Jimbo Fisher would know. He’s the coach at Florida State, one of the few schools that hasn’t been smashed, clobbered and choked to death on the recruiting trail during the SEC’s golden era.

FSU's Jimbo Fisher on recruiting vs. SEC: “It’s a challenge but you need to remember this: Florida State and Miami were winning them (national championships) in the 80s and 90s" (AP)

“It’s a challenge but you need to remember this: Florida State and Miami were winning them [national championships] in the 80s and 90s,” Fisher told the AJC. “So Florida State is one of the teams that can line up and play with the SEC. We can recruit against them, and we have as good of a football tradition as any of those guys.

“We’ve had just as many great football players come through FSU, and kids know that. We just want to go get more …

Continue reading Jimbo Fisher: FSU is one of teams that can play and recruit against SEC »

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Stephenson High School RB Mike Davis liked Thursday’s recruiting trip to UGA so much that he plans to come back in January for an official visit.

When asked to rate Thursday’s trip on a scale of 1-10, Davis said, “I’d give it a 10. I was really impressed. They really showed that they wanted me, they really need running backs, and I think I could fit in very well in their offense. It was good visit, they want me to come back for an official visit, and I’m planning on going back there on Jan. 28.”

The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Davis, who de-committed from the Florida last week after being pledged to the Gators for around a year, got the royal treatment during his four-hour tour UGA on Thursday.

After arriving on campus, Davis attended a meeting between UGA assistant Bryan McClendon and the team’s running backs. When practice started, Davis said he spent the entire …

Continue reading RB Mike Davis liked UGA trip so much he will return for official visit »

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Will it be Georgia Tech or UGA for Robert Carter?

He’s the 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward from Shiloh High School who is ranked among the nation’s top 25 overall basketball prospects.

Carter is scheduled to announce his college decision at 5 p.m. Thursday at Stats Restaurant. Carter is reportedly torn between the two in-state schools, Georgia Tech and UGA. He took official visits within the last month to both schools, along with Florida. Don’t count out the Gators in the chase for Carter.

Georgia Tech has a few things in its favor. When Carter made his recruiting trip with the Yellow Jackets on Oct. 22, he arranged it where he would be visiting the campus at the same time as Georgia Tech’s two signees, North Gwinnett guard Chris Bolden and North Clayton swingman Marcus Hunt. They all got to be good friends while playing basketball on the AAU circuit.

Another good …

Continue reading DECISION Day: Georgia Tech or UGA for Robert Carter? »