Archive for the ‘Insider’ Category

Georgia Tech picked up commitment No. 14 on late Friday night.

After finishing his game for Lovejoy High School, wide receiver Jumichael Ramos committed to Georgia Tech over football scholarship offers from Cincinnati, South Florida and Middle Tennessee State.

WR Jumichael Ramos of Lovejoy HS (247sports)

“Well, I just played a good game tonight (Friday), and I just felt like Georgia Tech would be the best fit for me,” Ramos told the AJC.

Why is Georgia Tech the best fit? “I know I can block, and I can make big plays when needed. I feel like that’s what they do with wide receivers in their offensive scheme, and I’m a good fit for that.”

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Ramos is the second Lovejoy senior to commit to Georgia Tech, following in the footsteps of 4-star tailback Travis Custis. Ramos is a raw and undeveloped football prospect with a high ceiling of potential. He’s an established star in basketball, where he played every position but point guard for Lovejoy last year while …

Continue reading Georgia Tech picks up commitment No. 14 »

AJC Super 11 DE Robert Nkemdiche of Grayson High School has de-committed from Clemson (AJC)

• BREAKING: Robert Nkemdiche’s coach explains the reasons behind the Clemson de-commitment

One day after Robert Nkemdiche said “nothing is final” with his college situation, his coach told another media outlet that the nation’s undisputed No. 1 prospect has indeed de-committed from Clemson.

Grayson High School coach Mickey Conn told GwinnettPrepSports.com’s Will Hammock on Thursday that he notified Clemson’s coaches on Sunday:

“I think he’s still very interested in Clemson, but he’s got a brother (freshman linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche) who goes to Ole Miss and he’s got other schools that he likes as well. He’s going to clear his mind and take some other visits.”

Conn also told the website, “At this point, I think it’s a family decision. The family’s going to get together and make the best decision for Robert.”

Continue reading Robert Nkemdiche de-commits from Clemson »

Derek Dooley has the state of Georgia as a recruiting priority (AP)

The speculation about Derek Dooley’s future at Tennessee hasn’t stopped the coach from recruiting well in the state of Georgia.

Tennessee picked up its third Georgia commitment for 2013 when Joe Sanders pledged to the Volunteers on Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end from LaGrange High School said he picked Tennessee over football scholarship offers from South Florida, Western Kentucky, Central Florida, Eastern Kentucky and South Alabama.

“I committed tonight because I had it made up in my mind that I wanted to go to Tennessee,” Sanders told the AJC. “I liked the atmosphere, the coaches, and how they push you once you’re down there.”

Sanders said he gave the news directly to Dooley during a phone conversation. “Coach said, ‘I’m glad. I’ve been watching you since (summer) camp.”

What about all the rumors about Dooley? “I’ve heard things, but I haven’t really …

Continue reading Tennessee’s Derek Dooley lands third 2013 recruit out of Georgia »

Mark Richt won over the mother of 5-star DT Montravius Adams on Saturday (AJC)

The mother of Montravius Adams, the nation’s No. 2-ranked football prospect by 247sports, finally visited UGA with her 5-star son this past weekend.

And the Bulldogs made quite the impression.

Montravius’ mother, Debbie Young, liked it so much that she told the AJC on Sunday night that she ranked the UGA visit ahead of her other college trips, once to Florida and twice to Auburn.

That’s a pretty big deal because the 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive tackle from Dooly County High School has made it very clear that his mother will play a big role in making his college decision.

“I enjoyed Georgia better than the other two places I’ve been; I enjoyed Georgia real good because … I don’t know … they just make me feel like family, I guess,” Young said. “Auburn and Florida, they made me feel good. But I just feel more comfortable at Georgia.”

Adams, who has not publicly named a favorite …

Continue reading Montravius Adams: 5-star’s mom likes UGA visit more than Florida or Auburn »

Tennessee freshman defensive back Deion Bonner, who was one of the Southeast’s most-highly recruited college prospects before being arrested last year as part of a UGA lockerroom theft, has been named as the suspect in the campus theft of a cell phone.

Bonner, who played with Isaiah Crowell at Carver-Columbus High School, signed with Tennessee over Miami and Arkansas last February.

On Friday evening, Bonner had neither been arrested nor does he face any charges while the investigation proceeded at Tennessee, reported the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

According to a University of Tennessee Police Department report filed Wednesday evening, Bonner is alleged to have stolen a cell phone valued at less than $500 from a room inside the Health and Physical Education Building (HPER) on Tennessee’s campus earlier Wednesday.

After signing day last year, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley told the AJC that Bonner would be held to a higher code of conduct than other Tennessee players because …

Continue reading Deion Bonner: Tennessee DB listed as suspect in campus theft »

Daughter of former NBA All-Star, Kaela Davis (AJC)

Georgia Tech has landed the most celebrated recruit in history of the women’s basketball program.

Kaela Davis, the daughter of former NBA All-Star Antonio Davis, committed to Georgia Tech over Tennessee and UGA, among others.

The 6-foot-2 Davis is a guard from Buford High School and ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect by ESPNU.

“For Kaela being a Georgia girl and staying in the state, I think that’s a great thing,” Buford coach Gene Durden told the AJC. “No doubt about it, Kaela is an impact player. I think she will do really well for Georgia Tech.”

Davis originally committed to Tennessee, but decided to reopen her recruiting after the sudden retirement of Volunteers coach Pat Summitt. Georgia Tech beat out some of the biggest names in college basketball for Davis.

“From talking with Kaela, it was a combination of the program, the academics, and also wanting to go to a program where she thought she …

Continue reading No. 2 recruit picks Georgia Tech over Tennessee and UGA »

When Denzel Nkemdiche committed to Ole Miss two seasons ago, he told everybody that asked that his parents wanted him and his brother to play on the same college football team one day.

"The other brother" aka Denzel Nkemdiche is already an All-SEC candidate as a freshman linebacker at Ole Miss (AP)

Most people didn’t take Denzel too seriously – after it all it was Ole Miss (which was about to fire its head coach), and younger brother Robert Nkemdiche would have bigger and better opportunities. The younger Nkemdiche, they said, could play anywhere in the country.

Flash forward to this week: The older Nkemdiche has transformed into one of the SEC’s best young linebackers, and will lead Ole Miss when they play at UGA at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

And even though Robert has committed to Clemson, Denzel hasn’t backed an inch off his stance from two seasons ago.

“I’ve said from Day One that Rob is going to be with me, and that’s still how I feel,” Denzel told the AJC this …

Continue reading Denzel Nkemdiche: “Rob is going to be with me, and that’s still how I feel” »

The nephew of the most decorated player in UGA history, Herschel Walker, has been offered a football scholarship by archrival Georgia Tech.

Milan Richard is a 6-foot-2, 223-pound tight end from Savannah’s Calvary Day high school. His parents both ran track at UGA, and his mother Veronica is Herschel’s sister.

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner is not pushing his nephew to play football at UGA (AP)

Georgia Tech is offer No. 9 for Richard, following UGA, South Carolina, NC State, UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss, among others. Richard is a junior and considered one of the state’s top 20 prospects for 2014.

Calvary Day coach Mark Stroud was informed of the offer by Georgia Tech assistant Lamar Owens. Richard, who will likely talk directly to Georgia Tech early this week, is interested in what position he is projected to play, since the Yellow Jackets don’t employ a tight end in the triple-option offensive formation. His coach said it didn’t really matter.

“I don’t know …

Continue reading Herschel’s nephew offered football scholarship by Georgia Tech »

Somewhere in the middle of Kansas, there has been a rebirth of the football career of one of UGA’s former star recruits.

And the kid is doing it at the position that earned all the original accolades and praise – quarterback.

Nick Marshall is putting up Nintendo-like numbers this season while playing quarterback at Garden City junior college in Kansas. He has passed for 2,168 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 714 yards and 13 touchdowns.

After a legendary high school career at QB, Nick Marshall played one season at UGA at DB before being dismissed

It seems like an entirely different world than last season at UGA, when Marshall showed promise as a freshman by appearing in a few games at defensive back but was later dismissed for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Multiple sources told ESPN that Marshall and another player were connected to an incident involving theft of money.

Marshall then landed at Garden City, where he wasn’t necessarily supposed to play …

Continue reading Nick Marshall: Dismissed UGA player revitalizes football career … at QB »

Peach County High School’s Demarcus Robinson is considered by some recruiting analysts to be the state’s best prospect at wide receiver.

Robinson pledged to Clemson over the summer, but now considers himself to be a “soft commit.” He wants to visit both Florida and Notre Dame.

Here’s what Robinson, an AJC Super 11 selection, had to say about the recruiting process:

Continue reading Demarcus Robinson: Clemson “soft commit” talks recruiting, etc. »