And this one, 6-foot-6, 270-pound Dylan Bostick, picked the Mountaineers site unseen. He just finished his prep career at Neptune Beach (Fla.) Fletcher High.
Bostick is a quality player who had been drawing interest from Florida State, Tennessee and a number of other majors. He had a handful of offers from FCS-level schools.
But he picked Appalachian without ever having visited Boone.
He studied the recruiting materials the school sent him, and saw all kinds of pictures of the university on the internet.
“I talked to my family, and we just felt like it was a really good option,” he told MountaineerIllustrated.com. The coaches were really excited when I told them I was coming to Appalachian.”
As well they should be. The Mountaineers are putting together a remarkable group of offensive line recruits in their class of 2010. All four of their commitments are huge, and all four have drawn some interest from FBS schools.
Expect their future O-line to be a key in the school’s annual quest for the national championship.
--Stan Olson
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tar Heels receive P.J. Clyburn’s commitment
North Carolina was the school that West Iredell senior LB/S P.J. Clyburn had always been waiting on.
“It was my dream school; I grew up loving them,” Clyburn said moments ago. “They offered me last Friday and I’ve been excited ever since then.”
He accepted, and Tar Heels coaches will visit him this afternoon to present him with the official offer.
“They offered last Friday and I’ve been excited ever since then,” Clyburn said.
Clyburn was slowed late in the season by a torn meniscus, but played anyway.
“The most frustrating thing is that I won’t be able to play in the Shrine Bowl (he was selected),” but I still have my career in Chapel Hill to look forward to.”
He chose North Carolina over Illinois, South Carolina and East Carolina, all of whom had offered earlier.
Clyburn said he is now 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, and while he would prefer to play safety, he understands that OLB makes for sense as he fills out.
He’s a remarkable athlete; he has returned two punts and two kickoffs for scores this year.
“I had about ten sacks and around 60 tackles,” Clyburn said.
He’s ranked No.17 on our NC Top 25 prospects list.
One sticking point remains—a math class he must complete to qualify. He plans to try to take it over the summer, and if that isn’t possible, he’ll attend prep school for a semester. But Clyburn said regardless of what he has to do, he’ll eventually be a Tar Heel.
“It’s where I’ve always wanted to go,” he said.
--Stan Olson
If you have any recruiting information, pop it to me at solson@charlotteobserver.com
“It was my dream school; I grew up loving them,” Clyburn said moments ago. “They offered me last Friday and I’ve been excited ever since then.”
He accepted, and Tar Heels coaches will visit him this afternoon to present him with the official offer.
“They offered last Friday and I’ve been excited ever since then,” Clyburn said.
Clyburn was slowed late in the season by a torn meniscus, but played anyway.
“The most frustrating thing is that I won’t be able to play in the Shrine Bowl (he was selected),” but I still have my career in Chapel Hill to look forward to.”
He chose North Carolina over Illinois, South Carolina and East Carolina, all of whom had offered earlier.
Clyburn said he is now 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, and while he would prefer to play safety, he understands that OLB makes for sense as he fills out.
He’s a remarkable athlete; he has returned two punts and two kickoffs for scores this year.
“I had about ten sacks and around 60 tackles,” Clyburn said.
He’s ranked No.17 on our NC Top 25 prospects list.
One sticking point remains—a math class he must complete to qualify. He plans to try to take it over the summer, and if that isn’t possible, he’ll attend prep school for a semester. But Clyburn said regardless of what he has to do, he’ll eventually be a Tar Heel.
“It’s where I’ve always wanted to go,” he said.
--Stan Olson
If you have any recruiting information, pop it to me at solson@charlotteobserver.com
Deacons, Tar Heels, Wolfpack checking out WR
I couldn’t find Winston-Salem Reynolds junior wide receiver Jake Gainey mentioned on any of three national recruiting sites I checked, but that doesn’t mean that young Mr. Gainey hasn’t recently been discovered by the big boys.
“His recruiting really picked up during the second half of the season,” Reynolds coach Mike Propst said. “All the ACC schools and East Carolina are looking at him.”
And for good reason; Gainey had an amazing season, finishing with 49 catches for a whopping 1,308 yards, a stunning average of 26.7 yards a catch. Even more remarkable was that Gainey turned 23 of the 49 receptions into touchdowns.
“I’ve never heard of a stat like that,” Propst said.
Gainey also returned two kickoffs and a punt for scores before teams began regularly kicking away from him.
“He’s a legitimate 4.5-second (in the 40-yard dash) guy,” said Propst. “And he can catch everything you throw at him. He had one drop all year.”
Gainey is 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, so he can add muscle before next year. Right now, his three favorite schools are Wake Forest, North Carolina and N.C. State, in that order, according to Propst.
The sudden interest by so many schools shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, game-breakers are in short supply.
--Stan Olson
“His recruiting really picked up during the second half of the season,” Reynolds coach Mike Propst said. “All the ACC schools and East Carolina are looking at him.”
And for good reason; Gainey had an amazing season, finishing with 49 catches for a whopping 1,308 yards, a stunning average of 26.7 yards a catch. Even more remarkable was that Gainey turned 23 of the 49 receptions into touchdowns.
“I’ve never heard of a stat like that,” Propst said.
Gainey also returned two kickoffs and a punt for scores before teams began regularly kicking away from him.
“He’s a legitimate 4.5-second (in the 40-yard dash) guy,” said Propst. “And he can catch everything you throw at him. He had one drop all year.”
Gainey is 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, so he can add muscle before next year. Right now, his three favorite schools are Wake Forest, North Carolina and N.C. State, in that order, according to Propst.
The sudden interest by so many schools shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, game-breakers are in short supply.
--Stan Olson
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tar Heels swipe early Duke recruit Lipford
Long-time Duke commitment and OLB Darius Lipford of Lenoir Hibriten, who had been wavering in his pledge to the Blue Devils for some time, made it official over the past week, telling North Carolina coach Butch Davis he was switching to the Tar Heels and sending the Duke staff an email to that effect.
While Hibriten coach Chuck Cannon said, “I don’t know anything about it; I stay out of that stuff,” Lipford confirmed it to InsideCarolina.com.
“I had been thinking about it for the last three months, pretty much, on and off,” Lipford said. “(I've been) trying to figure out what school I like better. Pretty much, I came to the conclusion that Carolina seemed like a better fit for me.”
Lipford, who is 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds with 4.6 speed, had also been considering taking official visits to Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia.
He says now that he’ll take his official to Chapel Hill and no others.
“I had been thinking about it for the last three months, pretty much, on and off," Lipford said. “(I've been) trying to figure out what school I like better. Pretty much, I came to the conclusion that Carolina seemed like a better fit for me.”
--Stan Olson
While Hibriten coach Chuck Cannon said, “I don’t know anything about it; I stay out of that stuff,” Lipford confirmed it to InsideCarolina.com.
“I had been thinking about it for the last three months, pretty much, on and off,” Lipford said. “(I've been) trying to figure out what school I like better. Pretty much, I came to the conclusion that Carolina seemed like a better fit for me.”
Lipford, who is 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds with 4.6 speed, had also been considering taking official visits to Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia.
He says now that he’ll take his official to Chapel Hill and no others.
“I had been thinking about it for the last three months, pretty much, on and off," Lipford said. “(I've been) trying to figure out what school I like better. Pretty much, I came to the conclusion that Carolina seemed like a better fit for me.”
--Stan Olson
And some other top SC juniors as well
We didn’t have room for some of South Carolina’s top juniors on our list, and even the addition of this group doesn’t come close to making us all-inclusive in S.C. But here are a dozen more names to familiarize yourselves with:
Columbia Riverside CB D.J. Bolden, Greenville WR Joe Bowen, Summerville RB D’Angelo Henderson, Seneca DT Jalen Hunter, Fort Dorchester DL Tracey James, Pauley’s Island OL Jerome Maybank, Greenville Mann DB Pat Martin, Anderson Westside DL Fredricus Mattison, Duncan Byrnes OL C.J. Pulley, Camden DL Jerel Robertson, Simpsonville Hillcrest LB Mike Rose and Hanahan S/LB Sebastian Short.
Which juniors will play major college football? These guys have a shot, and we'll be tracking them,
Stan Olson
Columbia Riverside CB D.J. Bolden, Greenville WR Joe Bowen, Summerville RB D’Angelo Henderson, Seneca DT Jalen Hunter, Fort Dorchester DL Tracey James, Pauley’s Island OL Jerome Maybank, Greenville Mann DB Pat Martin, Anderson Westside DL Fredricus Mattison, Duncan Byrnes OL C.J. Pulley, Camden DL Jerel Robertson, Simpsonville Hillcrest LB Mike Rose and Hanahan S/LB Sebastian Short.
Which juniors will play major college football? These guys have a shot, and we'll be tracking them,
Stan Olson
Here are some more N.C. juniors to watch:
One thing publishing a list does is stir things up, and our Thanksgiving Day ranking of the Top 20 junior prospects in each of North and South Carolina certainly got things buzzing.
Keep in mind, I have no clue as to whether these players will wind up being highly recruited members of the Class of 2011 by the end of their senior seasons. Right now, though, they are highly thought-of, some more for their physical tools than what they’ve accomplished so far.
Here is another group of 20 juniors who either just missed the cut or were politely (in some cases) pointed out to me by alert readers:
Mocksville Davie LB Jared Barber, Ardrey Kell RB/DB Justus Pickett, Butler DB Mark Bridges, Fayetteville Sanford LB Nick Broussard, Fayetteville Sanford RB Anthony Clanton, Carson WR Cody Clanton, Independence RB Nyjee Fleming, Butler WR/LB Kris Frost, Hopewell RB Dondre’ Lewis-Freeman, Asheville WR/DE Jeoffrey Pagan, Fayetteville Sanford WR Dante McDonald, West Iredell CB Dominique Noble, Salisbury S Darien Rankin, Kannapolis Brown RB Travis Riley, Country Day QB Morgan Roberts, Country Day RB Jalen Ross, West Charlotte RB Scoot Simmons, Fayetteville 71st RB/DB Maurice Scruggs, Athens Drive QB Ben Snotherly and Southwest Guilford RB Airwyn Willis.
Welcome back, Stan!
Thanks guys, and since you possibly considered asking, Thanksgiving was great. Relatives, massive quantities of food stuffed with fat grams, and lots of ping pong to (sort of) work it off. Well, not quite; I gained 5 pounds over the long weekend.
But back to work—send me any recruiting stuff I’ve missed, and I’m always missing something, as many of you let me know. The address is solson@charlotteobserver.com.
--Stan Olson
Keep in mind, I have no clue as to whether these players will wind up being highly recruited members of the Class of 2011 by the end of their senior seasons. Right now, though, they are highly thought-of, some more for their physical tools than what they’ve accomplished so far.
Here is another group of 20 juniors who either just missed the cut or were politely (in some cases) pointed out to me by alert readers:
Mocksville Davie LB Jared Barber, Ardrey Kell RB/DB Justus Pickett, Butler DB Mark Bridges, Fayetteville Sanford LB Nick Broussard, Fayetteville Sanford RB Anthony Clanton, Carson WR Cody Clanton, Independence RB Nyjee Fleming, Butler WR/LB Kris Frost, Hopewell RB Dondre’ Lewis-Freeman, Asheville WR/DE Jeoffrey Pagan, Fayetteville Sanford WR Dante McDonald, West Iredell CB Dominique Noble, Salisbury S Darien Rankin, Kannapolis Brown RB Travis Riley, Country Day QB Morgan Roberts, Country Day RB Jalen Ross, West Charlotte RB Scoot Simmons, Fayetteville 71st RB/DB Maurice Scruggs, Athens Drive QB Ben Snotherly and Southwest Guilford RB Airwyn Willis.
Welcome back, Stan!
Thanks guys, and since you possibly considered asking, Thanksgiving was great. Relatives, massive quantities of food stuffed with fat grams, and lots of ping pong to (sort of) work it off. Well, not quite; I gained 5 pounds over the long weekend.
But back to work—send me any recruiting stuff I’ve missed, and I’m always missing something, as many of you let me know. The address is solson@charlotteobserver.com.
--Stan Olson
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Top 40 junior prospects (with video)
Coming next season to a high school football field near you: "The Year of the Quarterbacks."
Here's The Observer's first list of the top college football prospects in North and South Carolina among high school juniors (we've been listing seniors since the 1980s). The most noticeable thing is that there are quality quarterbacks everywhere.
Consider that our current list of Top 50 senior prospects for the two states includes one player widely considered to be a quarterback at the collegiate level - Waynesville Tuscola High's Tyler Brosius.
Our smaller group of juniors - 20 ranked in each state for a total of 40 - includes 11 fairly certain to play the position and several more of the "athlete" variety who could.
To cull this group, we've left out a bunch of other quarterbacks, some of whom could be among our Top 50 seniors next spring.
Anyway, the only thing certain about this list is that it will change. So Happy Thanksgiving. Our postseason Top 50 Seniors list will be in your stocking on Christmas Day.
--Stan Olson
NORTH CAROLINA
1. Christian LeMay, QB, Butler, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds: Already has 17 offers from major schools, most recently getting one from Alabama. LeMay has confidence in the pocket, is strong and accurate and has 35 touchdown passes with two interceptions.
2. Stephone Anthony, OLB, Wadesboro Anson, 6-3, 220, 4.65 time in the 40: A top-100 player on all the recruiting service lists, Anthony's speed and strength make him ridiculously hard to block. He has already scooped up a bushel of offers, from as far away as UCLA.
3. Norkeithus Otis, LB/DE, Gastonia Ashbrook, 6-3, 205, 4.6: Tremendous speed and pursuit ability, a prospect drawing more interest every day. Offers from South Carolina, Florida and Maryland. "His motor won't quit," coach Mike Briggs said. "He's got long arms, big hands, a long stride and a big frame."
4. Marquise Williams, QB, Mallard Creek, 6-4, 220: This guy has been shooting up the recruiting ladder, and is now receiving interest from every ACC school and most of the SEC. Strong-armed and quick for his size.
5. Nigel King, WR, Raleigh Wakefield: 6-3, 185, 4.55: Despite missing half of this season with a hip injury, King returned to his dominant receiver form. He has a half-dozen offers, including North Carolina and N.C. State.
6. Drew Owens, TE, Ardrey Kell: 6-5, 230, 4.75: Blessed with good speed for his size and an ability to go up and get the ball, Owens already has seven offers, with more expected.
7. Eric Ebron, TE, Greensboro Smith, 6-5, 225, 4.75: This big guy didn't play football as a sophomore because of transcript problems after transferring from Rhode Island. Once back in action, everyone noticed him.
8. K.J. Brent, WR, Marvin Ridge, 6-4, 185, 4.65: Finished the season with 44 receptions for 679 yards and six TDs. North Carolina offered first, and East Carolina, Duke and South Carolina have followed.
9. Brandon Ellerbe, RB/S, Wadesboro Anson: 6-1, 205, 4.5: This early Clemson commitment was shifted to RB after three games, and has produced more than 1,400 yards and 11 TDs since. Probably a college safety.
10. Brian Taylor, QB, Harnett Central, 6-3, 200: Passed for 1,783 yards and ran for 861 more for an undefeated team. Also a standout baseball and basketball player, and already offered a scholarship by North Carolina.
11. Eric MacLain, TE, Fayetteville Britt, 6-5, 265: An early commitment to Tennessee, MacLain is a solid blocking tight end who has the size to shift to offensive line for the Vols.
12. Christian Russell, RB/LB, Fayetteville Westover, 6-0, 210, 4.55: He finished the season with 1,729 rushing yards and 23 TDS. He also totaled 120 tackles at middle linebacker. North Carolina was his first offer and is considered the early leader.
13. B.J. Sherrill, QB, West Rowan, 5-11, 220, 4.8: Has the Falcons on track for a second straight state 3A title. Sherrill, solid and muscular, has thrown for 1,853 yards, 20 TDs and 6 interceptions. But how will he do without RB K.P. Parks next year?
14. Garrett Leatham, QB, Apex Middle Creek, 6-5, 230: This guy has blown up quickly and is starting to attract considerable attention. Through 12 games, he passed for 3,400 yards.
15. Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside, 6-0, 194, 4.5: Moved from WR to QB this season and had a strong year, throwing for 1,700 yards and rushing for 700 more.
16. Brian Riggins, WR/DB, Tabor City S. Columbus, 6-1, 185: Quick and sure-handed, and impressive enough that as soon as official offers were permitted, North Carolina, East Carolina and Virginia Tech jumped in.
17. Maurice Harris, WR/CB, Northern Guilford, 6-3, 205, 4.6: Harris had 14 regular-season TD receptions. "Everybody's interested in him, and he gets better each week," coach Johnny Roscoe said. Harris is still growing and could morph into a TE or DE in college.
18. Price Litton, QB, Providence Day, 6-3, 209, 4.64: After a slow start, Litton finished strong, justifying the major prospect status that was bestowed on him after excellent camp showings.
19. Zeek Bigger, LB, Gastonia Ashbrook: 6-3, 215, 4.7: Almost a carbon copy of teammate Otis, Bigger is, well, slightly bigger and not quite as fast. "He's mission-guided; a hard worker who won't quit," coach Mike Briggs said. South Carolina has offered.
20. Kyle Kinnaird, QB, Alexander Central, 6-1, 175, 4.75: Coach Tom Harper thinks Kinnaird has a chance to be special. "He does not get rattled, and he's also a threat running-wise." This year, on a running team, he rushed for 1,139 yards.
Sleeper: Cory Hunter, RB, Fuquay-Varina, 5-10, 180, 4.5: You might not have heard of him yet, but he rushed for 1,993 yards and 34 TDs this season. Also had 463 rushing yards in a game, second-highest in state history.
SOUTH CAROLINA
1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Rock Hill South Pointe, 6-6, 240, 4.6: Clowney could well be the No.1 prospect in South Carolina next year. "That dude could very well be a first-round NFL draft choice a few years from now," coach Bobby Carroll said. Clowney has tremendous speed and a burst off the edge that often has him arriving at the QB untouched.
2. Charone Peake, WR, Roebuck Dorman, 6-4, 190, 4.4: Coach David Gutshall called Peake "big-time, one of the best prospects in the nation." As a freshman on the varsity, Peake turned the first four passes he caught into TDs.
3. Justin Worley, QB, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-5, 190, 4.85: Coach Jimmy Wallace said Worley was "the most mature 10th-grade player I've had in 37 years of coaching. He has tremendous potential." Worley is also a standout in baseball (pitcher) and basketball (forward). He has 3,819 passing yards and 37 TDs.
4. Shon Carson, RB, Lake City, 5-9, 195, 4.4: Blazing speed and surprising power have translated into numerous offers for Carson, whose team is still alive in the 3A playoffs. Scholarship offers have come from most major Carolinas schools, and even UCLA is in the hunt. Also an outstanding baseball shortstop and center fielder, he wants to play both sports.
5. Everett Golson, QB, Myrtle Beach, 6-0, 175: A remarkably strong arm, and he played well at the spring camps. Piling up huge prep numbers, as well as offers - North Carolina (leader), South Carolina, Clemson, Florida and Virginia Tech, among others.
6. Brandon Shell, OL, Goose Creek: 6-7, 310: Good quickness to go with massive size. Shell already has offers from Clemson and South Carolina, along with SEC powers Florida, Georgia and Louisiana State.
7. Phillip Dukes, DT, Manning, 6-3, 280: A prep DE, he has forced six fumbles and had seven sacks among about 60 tackles. Expected to move to DT in college, and Dukes is already collecting offers from the likes of South Carolina, Clemson and Alabama.
8. Lateek Townsend, LB, Marlboro County, 6-2, 215, 4.7: Clemson, N.C. State, South Carolina, Illinois and Maryland have already offered. He moved from suspect to prospect with a monster junior season. Projected as a linebacker in college, he also was a dominant RB.
9. Dexter Staley, LB, Williston-Elko, 6-2, 220, 4.6: A powerful hitter who's probably a linebacker in college, although also a RB as a high school star. Offers from Clemson, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Maryland.
10. Tony McNeal, QB, Chester, 6-2, 165: Although he missed four games to injury, McNeal still put up stellar numbers, finishing with 1,732 passing yards and 18 TDs, and helping Chester finish with a 10-2 record.
11. Shamir Jeffrey, QB/WR, Calhoun County, 6-3, 220, 4.55: Shifted from WR to QB in the middle of the season and didn't miss a beat. "Everybody's recruiting him, and I mean everybody," coach Walter Wilson said.
12. Ronnie Martin, CB/WR, Spartanburg, 5-11, 170, 4.3: "He's just faster than everybody else," coach Freddie Brown said. "He'll be able to pick from places like Miami, Oklahoma, Florida State, Michigan and Southern Cal. He'll be that good."
13. Roderick Byers, DL, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-4, 250, 4.8: "Rod has tremendous potential," coach Jimmy Wallace said. "He's played very well this year." Playing mostly in the middle, Byers has 65 tackles, two sacks and 10 QB pressures.
14. Robert Smith, QB/ATH, Dorchester Woodland, 5-11, 190, 4.7: Smith has been offered by Clemson, and a number of ACC schools are interested. If he doesn't grow, expect him to be a safety in college.
15. Dominique Cooper, RB, Darlington, 6-1, 195, 4.4: "That speed is legit," coach Justin Danner said. "When he breaks out, you might as well go ahead and warm up the band." Despite two nagging injuries, Cooper rushed for 1,200 yards and 11 TDs.
16. Gerald Dixon, DE, Rock Hill South Pointe, 6-3, 245, 4.6: "A great young man who obviously has great genes," coach Jimmy Wallace said. "His dad - also Gerald Dixon - played for South Carolina and in the NFL."
17. Gerald Dixon, DT, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-4, 275, 4.9: Playing DT and DE in high school, but likely to wind up at DT in college. Strong and powerful, with a burst capable of collapsing the pocket. Brother of South Pointe's Gerald Dixon.
18. DeShaun Williams, DT, Central Daniel, 6-1, 290: Clemson made an offer in the summer of 2009 and Williams accepted. He's been good but not great as a junior, and height could be an issue at the highest level.
19. Robert Joseph, WR, Rock Hill Northwestern, 5-10, 170, 4.55: Holds the state record with 128 receptions, and should expand that Friday. Worley's favorite target (Think Manning-to-Harrison) also has 1,596 receiving yards and 15 TDs.
20. Hakeem Flowers, WR, Greenville Hampton, 6-3, 180, 4.4: He has already passed two dozen offers - you don't often find a kid as tall as he is who can run as fast as he can.
Sleeper: Craig Weick, WR/TE, Duncan Byrnes, 6-6, 220, 4.8: "He's probably a TE in college," coach Chris Miller said. "He can put on a lot of weight, and he has good hands."
Here's The Observer's first list of the top college football prospects in North and South Carolina among high school juniors (we've been listing seniors since the 1980s). The most noticeable thing is that there are quality quarterbacks everywhere.
Consider that our current list of Top 50 senior prospects for the two states includes one player widely considered to be a quarterback at the collegiate level - Waynesville Tuscola High's Tyler Brosius.
Our smaller group of juniors - 20 ranked in each state for a total of 40 - includes 11 fairly certain to play the position and several more of the "athlete" variety who could.
To cull this group, we've left out a bunch of other quarterbacks, some of whom could be among our Top 50 seniors next spring.
Anyway, the only thing certain about this list is that it will change. So Happy Thanksgiving. Our postseason Top 50 Seniors list will be in your stocking on Christmas Day.
--Stan Olson
NORTH CAROLINA
1. Christian LeMay, QB, Butler, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds: Already has 17 offers from major schools, most recently getting one from Alabama. LeMay has confidence in the pocket, is strong and accurate and has 35 touchdown passes with two interceptions.
2. Stephone Anthony, OLB, Wadesboro Anson, 6-3, 220, 4.65 time in the 40: A top-100 player on all the recruiting service lists, Anthony's speed and strength make him ridiculously hard to block. He has already scooped up a bushel of offers, from as far away as UCLA.
3. Norkeithus Otis, LB/DE, Gastonia Ashbrook, 6-3, 205, 4.6: Tremendous speed and pursuit ability, a prospect drawing more interest every day. Offers from South Carolina, Florida and Maryland. "His motor won't quit," coach Mike Briggs said. "He's got long arms, big hands, a long stride and a big frame."
4. Marquise Williams, QB, Mallard Creek, 6-4, 220: This guy has been shooting up the recruiting ladder, and is now receiving interest from every ACC school and most of the SEC. Strong-armed and quick for his size.
5. Nigel King, WR, Raleigh Wakefield: 6-3, 185, 4.55: Despite missing half of this season with a hip injury, King returned to his dominant receiver form. He has a half-dozen offers, including North Carolina and N.C. State.
6. Drew Owens, TE, Ardrey Kell: 6-5, 230, 4.75: Blessed with good speed for his size and an ability to go up and get the ball, Owens already has seven offers, with more expected.
7. Eric Ebron, TE, Greensboro Smith, 6-5, 225, 4.75: This big guy didn't play football as a sophomore because of transcript problems after transferring from Rhode Island. Once back in action, everyone noticed him.
8. K.J. Brent, WR, Marvin Ridge, 6-4, 185, 4.65: Finished the season with 44 receptions for 679 yards and six TDs. North Carolina offered first, and East Carolina, Duke and South Carolina have followed.
9. Brandon Ellerbe, RB/S, Wadesboro Anson: 6-1, 205, 4.5: This early Clemson commitment was shifted to RB after three games, and has produced more than 1,400 yards and 11 TDs since. Probably a college safety.
10. Brian Taylor, QB, Harnett Central, 6-3, 200: Passed for 1,783 yards and ran for 861 more for an undefeated team. Also a standout baseball and basketball player, and already offered a scholarship by North Carolina.
11. Eric MacLain, TE, Fayetteville Britt, 6-5, 265: An early commitment to Tennessee, MacLain is a solid blocking tight end who has the size to shift to offensive line for the Vols.
12. Christian Russell, RB/LB, Fayetteville Westover, 6-0, 210, 4.55: He finished the season with 1,729 rushing yards and 23 TDS. He also totaled 120 tackles at middle linebacker. North Carolina was his first offer and is considered the early leader.
13. B.J. Sherrill, QB, West Rowan, 5-11, 220, 4.8: Has the Falcons on track for a second straight state 3A title. Sherrill, solid and muscular, has thrown for 1,853 yards, 20 TDs and 6 interceptions. But how will he do without RB K.P. Parks next year?
14. Garrett Leatham, QB, Apex Middle Creek, 6-5, 230: This guy has blown up quickly and is starting to attract considerable attention. Through 12 games, he passed for 3,400 yards.
15. Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside, 6-0, 194, 4.5: Moved from WR to QB this season and had a strong year, throwing for 1,700 yards and rushing for 700 more.
16. Brian Riggins, WR/DB, Tabor City S. Columbus, 6-1, 185: Quick and sure-handed, and impressive enough that as soon as official offers were permitted, North Carolina, East Carolina and Virginia Tech jumped in.
17. Maurice Harris, WR/CB, Northern Guilford, 6-3, 205, 4.6: Harris had 14 regular-season TD receptions. "Everybody's interested in him, and he gets better each week," coach Johnny Roscoe said. Harris is still growing and could morph into a TE or DE in college.
18. Price Litton, QB, Providence Day, 6-3, 209, 4.64: After a slow start, Litton finished strong, justifying the major prospect status that was bestowed on him after excellent camp showings.
19. Zeek Bigger, LB, Gastonia Ashbrook: 6-3, 215, 4.7: Almost a carbon copy of teammate Otis, Bigger is, well, slightly bigger and not quite as fast. "He's mission-guided; a hard worker who won't quit," coach Mike Briggs said. South Carolina has offered.
20. Kyle Kinnaird, QB, Alexander Central, 6-1, 175, 4.75: Coach Tom Harper thinks Kinnaird has a chance to be special. "He does not get rattled, and he's also a threat running-wise." This year, on a running team, he rushed for 1,139 yards.
Sleeper: Cory Hunter, RB, Fuquay-Varina, 5-10, 180, 4.5: You might not have heard of him yet, but he rushed for 1,993 yards and 34 TDs this season. Also had 463 rushing yards in a game, second-highest in state history.
SOUTH CAROLINA
1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Rock Hill South Pointe, 6-6, 240, 4.6: Clowney could well be the No.1 prospect in South Carolina next year. "That dude could very well be a first-round NFL draft choice a few years from now," coach Bobby Carroll said. Clowney has tremendous speed and a burst off the edge that often has him arriving at the QB untouched.
2. Charone Peake, WR, Roebuck Dorman, 6-4, 190, 4.4: Coach David Gutshall called Peake "big-time, one of the best prospects in the nation." As a freshman on the varsity, Peake turned the first four passes he caught into TDs.
3. Justin Worley, QB, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-5, 190, 4.85: Coach Jimmy Wallace said Worley was "the most mature 10th-grade player I've had in 37 years of coaching. He has tremendous potential." Worley is also a standout in baseball (pitcher) and basketball (forward). He has 3,819 passing yards and 37 TDs.
4. Shon Carson, RB, Lake City, 5-9, 195, 4.4: Blazing speed and surprising power have translated into numerous offers for Carson, whose team is still alive in the 3A playoffs. Scholarship offers have come from most major Carolinas schools, and even UCLA is in the hunt. Also an outstanding baseball shortstop and center fielder, he wants to play both sports.
5. Everett Golson, QB, Myrtle Beach, 6-0, 175: A remarkably strong arm, and he played well at the spring camps. Piling up huge prep numbers, as well as offers - North Carolina (leader), South Carolina, Clemson, Florida and Virginia Tech, among others.
6. Brandon Shell, OL, Goose Creek: 6-7, 310: Good quickness to go with massive size. Shell already has offers from Clemson and South Carolina, along with SEC powers Florida, Georgia and Louisiana State.
7. Phillip Dukes, DT, Manning, 6-3, 280: A prep DE, he has forced six fumbles and had seven sacks among about 60 tackles. Expected to move to DT in college, and Dukes is already collecting offers from the likes of South Carolina, Clemson and Alabama.
8. Lateek Townsend, LB, Marlboro County, 6-2, 215, 4.7: Clemson, N.C. State, South Carolina, Illinois and Maryland have already offered. He moved from suspect to prospect with a monster junior season. Projected as a linebacker in college, he also was a dominant RB.
9. Dexter Staley, LB, Williston-Elko, 6-2, 220, 4.6: A powerful hitter who's probably a linebacker in college, although also a RB as a high school star. Offers from Clemson, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Maryland.
10. Tony McNeal, QB, Chester, 6-2, 165: Although he missed four games to injury, McNeal still put up stellar numbers, finishing with 1,732 passing yards and 18 TDs, and helping Chester finish with a 10-2 record.
11. Shamir Jeffrey, QB/WR, Calhoun County, 6-3, 220, 4.55: Shifted from WR to QB in the middle of the season and didn't miss a beat. "Everybody's recruiting him, and I mean everybody," coach Walter Wilson said.
12. Ronnie Martin, CB/WR, Spartanburg, 5-11, 170, 4.3: "He's just faster than everybody else," coach Freddie Brown said. "He'll be able to pick from places like Miami, Oklahoma, Florida State, Michigan and Southern Cal. He'll be that good."
13. Roderick Byers, DL, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-4, 250, 4.8: "Rod has tremendous potential," coach Jimmy Wallace said. "He's played very well this year." Playing mostly in the middle, Byers has 65 tackles, two sacks and 10 QB pressures.
14. Robert Smith, QB/ATH, Dorchester Woodland, 5-11, 190, 4.7: Smith has been offered by Clemson, and a number of ACC schools are interested. If he doesn't grow, expect him to be a safety in college.
15. Dominique Cooper, RB, Darlington, 6-1, 195, 4.4: "That speed is legit," coach Justin Danner said. "When he breaks out, you might as well go ahead and warm up the band." Despite two nagging injuries, Cooper rushed for 1,200 yards and 11 TDs.
16. Gerald Dixon, DE, Rock Hill South Pointe, 6-3, 245, 4.6: "A great young man who obviously has great genes," coach Jimmy Wallace said. "His dad - also Gerald Dixon - played for South Carolina and in the NFL."
17. Gerald Dixon, DT, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-4, 275, 4.9: Playing DT and DE in high school, but likely to wind up at DT in college. Strong and powerful, with a burst capable of collapsing the pocket. Brother of South Pointe's Gerald Dixon.
18. DeShaun Williams, DT, Central Daniel, 6-1, 290: Clemson made an offer in the summer of 2009 and Williams accepted. He's been good but not great as a junior, and height could be an issue at the highest level.
19. Robert Joseph, WR, Rock Hill Northwestern, 5-10, 170, 4.55: Holds the state record with 128 receptions, and should expand that Friday. Worley's favorite target (Think Manning-to-Harrison) also has 1,596 receiving yards and 15 TDs.
20. Hakeem Flowers, WR, Greenville Hampton, 6-3, 180, 4.4: He has already passed two dozen offers - you don't often find a kid as tall as he is who can run as fast as he can.
Sleeper: Craig Weick, WR/TE, Duncan Byrnes, 6-6, 220, 4.8: "He's probably a TE in college," coach Chris Miller said. "He can put on a lot of weight, and he has good hands."
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