Archive for the ‘NC State’ Category

Charlie Hegedus (right, black shirt) with former Lassiter QB Hutson Mason at UGA in 2010

If a D1 cornerback is lucky during his senior season of high school football, he may get to match up once or twice against a wide receiver who has also earned a major-college football offer.

It happens around four times per week for Lassiter cornerback Niles Clark, who has committed to NC State. He goes head-to-head in practice every day against teammate Charlie Hegedus, the Lassiter wide receiver who has also committed to NC State.

Lassiter (7-2) plays Etowah (5-4) at 7 p.m. Thursday in a game that will be broadcast live on WSB-TV digital channel 2.2 and at www.wsbtv.com

“Charlie is fast; he’s the fastest player on our team and could be one of the fastest in the state,” Clark said. “He has a great size at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. He runs great routes, he can stop on a dime and has good hands. He’s a really good wide receiver.”

This is a great recruiting story: It was the speed of Hegedus …

Continue reading UGA keeps in touch with NC State WR commit »

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Shadrach  Thornton, who is a candidate to be Georgia’s No. 1 prospect at running back, will make an official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Liberty County High School is a “soft verbal commitment” to Kentucky, picking the Wildcats while visiting there last month. “Even when I made that commitment to Kentucky, I felt like I made a haste decision,” Thornton told the AJC. He vowed to finish out his recruiting trips, visiting N.C. State and Vanderbilt after Kentucky. Georgia Tech will be his fourth and final official visit.

“Georgia Tech gave me a scholarship offer this past summer,” Thornton said. “They had been looking at me for two years and when I went to camp last summer, that was the first time that coach [Paul Johnson] got to see me in person. I went to camp to have fun, and they really liked what I did up there and offered …

Continue reading RB Shadrach Thornton will make official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend »

Raphael Kirby won't be able to make an official visit to UGA but is still considering the Bulldogs (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Raphael Kirby, one of Georgia’s top linebackers, said it was between UGA and USC for his fifth and final visit.

He ended up picking neither. At least for now. It could change.

The top prospect from Stephenson High School told the AJC on Tuesday night that he will only take four recruiting trips – he has already been to Vanderbilt, with upcoming visits planned for Miami, Florida and South Carolina.

“Yes, more than likely it will be those four,” Kirby said. “I mean, I’m not … I don’t know, I don’t know. I will probably take four visits, but I’m not sure.”

The recruiting process has been grueling on Kirby, who pledged to Miami last spring and insists he’s still committed to the Hurricanes – but began looking at options after Miami was accused of massive NCAA violations in August. Kirby’s attention has been divided between playing for Stephenson’s …

Continue reading Recruiting Insider: Will LB Raphael Kirby take an official visit to UGA? »

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Georgia Tech still has a chance for one of the state’s top running backs who committed to Kentucky on Sunday.

Shadrach Thornton of Liberty High School said he will go ahead and take his official visit to Georgia Tech next month despite his pledge to Kentucky. He will also visit N.C. State.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder said he talked with Georgia Tech assistant Lamar Owens.

“I called to let him know that I did commit but that I still wanted to take my official visit there to make sure Kentucky is where I want to go,” Thornton told the AJC. “Coach Owens totally understood. Kentucky was my first official visit, and I’ve got to factor in the distance from home, and what are the pros and cons of each school.

“I’m going to take my official visits to Georgia Tech and N.C. State. If I feel the same way about Kentucky after all of that, then I will pick those guys.”

Thornton will …

Continue reading RB Shadrach Thornton commits to Kentucky but will still visit Georgia Tech »

Lassiter High School safety Kene Orjiokie is the hottest college football prospect in Georgia.

The senior transfer from California landed his third football scholarship in five days on Wednesday night. N.C. State offered, following in the footsteps of Georgia Tech and Ole Miss a few days ago.

“I talked to N.C. State, and I’m very appreciative of the offer,” Orjioke told the AJC. “They asked me what position would I like to play, safety or linebacker? I told them I’ll play anywhere that helps the team win. Yes sir, I’m fine with any position.”

Which college will be next? UGA, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Mississippi State and East Carolina have all expressed interest. Orjioke will be making an unofficial visit to Auburn on Saturday.

Kene, which is pronounced “Kenny”, is the stuff of recruiting legends.

He was virtually unknown to college scouts after moving from California to Georgia over the summer.

Kene is a native of Nigeria and has lived in Australia and Chicago, among other …

Continue reading Which college will be next to offer Kene Orjioke? UGA, Tennessee, Auburn interested »

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UGA hasn’t given up with its recruiting of Josh Dawson, one of Georgia’s top college football prospects.

The 6-foot-4, 227-pound defensive end from Tucker High School made the surprising decision to commit early to Vanderbilt. In June, Dawson picked Vanderbilt over Georgia, Notre Dame and South Carolina, among his 23 early scholarship offers.

It hasn’t discouraged Georgia. Dawson said UGA mailed him a written scholarship offer earlier this month, and that he stays in touch with Bulldogs recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner on a regular basis.

“Right now, I’m committed to Vanderbilt, but I’m still taking offers and listening to what people have to say,” Dawson told the AJC. “I just know my final decision will be in February. That’s when everything matters.”

Dawson said he will likely take only two official visits – to Vanderbilt and UGA. “I might go to …

Continue reading Josh Dawson: Committed to Vanderbilt but will visit UGA »

Cameron Fordham, who was granted his release from LSU’s football team after one season, has decided to transfer to NC State.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound offensive lineman from Northview High School picked the ACC school after making official visits to both NC State and Central Florida this past weekend.

“I chose NC State because I felt like it was the best place for me both academically and athletically,” Fordham told the AJC. “I felt like there was a lot of integrity in the program at NC State. The coaches are all about the right things, and they really wanted me — which made me go for it.”

Fordham will have to sit out this season at NC State, per NCAA transfer rules, and then have three years of football eligibility. Fordham briefly considered the possibility of staying closer home at UGA, saying “I talked to Georgia a little bit but I think they are full at this time.”

When asked about the circumstances surrounding his decision to transfer from LSU, Fordham said, “I’m going to …

Continue reading Ex-LSU offensive lineman Cameron Fordham transfers to NC State »

Eastside DE Sheldon Rankins was "shocked" by the firing of Butch Davis. But not enough to still consider signing with North Carolina.

One of Georgia’s top college football prospects was “shocked” with the firing of North Carolina coach Butch Davis.

Sheldon Rankins, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound defensive end from Eastside-Covington High School, is a prime UNC recruiting target and admitted he would be committed to the Tar Heels right now if they weren’t under NCAA investigation. Rankins was caught off guard by Wednesday’s turn of events.

“It’s always a shocker to hear the head coach of the football team you really  like got fired … but you take it as it is and go with it,” Rankins told the AJC. “I was already looking at other options because of the NCAA sanctions, so it didn’t really affect me that much. Everything is still wide open.”

Rankins said his top two options are South Florida and Auburn, while he’s also communicating with N.C. State, Mississippi State, Louisville and …

Continue reading DE Sheldon Rankins ’shocked’ about firing of UNC’s Butch Davis »

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 »

Vanderbilt is raiding the state of Georgia for college football prospects.

Josh Dawson, a 6-foot-4, 226-pounder from Tucker High School, picked Vanderbilt among his 23 football scholarship offers, which also included Notre Dame, Boston College, South Florida, and UGA. He will play defensive end or outside linebacker in college.

Vanderbilt has seven commitments for its 2012 recruiting class, including six from Georgia.

Josh Dawson is the second Tucker defender to commit to Vanderbilt

“I felt like Vanderbilt wanted me more than any other school that offered me or recruited me,” Dawson told the AJC. “It felt like a family there. All the coaches and players have the same  mindset. They want to win SEC championships and the whole BCS championship. That put Vandy over the top with me.”

Who is generating all the excitement among Georgia recruits and generating the high expectations for Vanderbilt? It’s none other than James Franklin, the first-year coach at Vanderbilt.

“Coach …

Continue reading LB-DE Josh Dawson commits to Vanderbilt over Notre Dame, UGA, others »