Latin's Myers kicking at North Carolina today

Who is the most heavily recruited player on Charlotte Latin’s football team?

How about kicker Sam Myers, who is being looked at closely by a number of major powers.

“Sam went to some of those kicking combines, particularly the one in Las Vegas, where he was the top guy, and suddenly the phone calls started,” said Latin coach Larry McNulty.

Sam, according to dad Dave Myers, has visited Alabama. LSU and Memphis would both like him to visit—unfortunately their camps happen to be on the same day, July 25.

“Stanford got in touch with us, but his mom (Leigh) vetoed that,” Dave said. “Too far away, and we’ll have a younger one playing on Friday nights.”

Illinois is recruiting Sam heavily, but that too, may be too long a trip.

“He’s thinking ACC and SEC, and really in the South,” his father said.

Today, Sam is camping at North Carolina. He’ll go to N.C. State Friday and Wofford on Saturday.

Kickers have always been something of an afterthought in college football recruiting. Yeah, we got all our tackles and wide receivers. Let’s invite a bunch of high school kicker/punters to walk on.

While it’s still like that to a degree, the kicking camps and combines, and players like Myers are changing that.

“He’s been working with an ex-professional kicker (former Tar Heels standout Dan Orner),” McNulty said. “He’s got great hang time and a very strong leg.”

Even before Myers began polishing his technique, he was a weapon for Latin last season as a junior, earning all-state honors. He made four of five field goals for a team that rarely attempted them. He also converted 47 of 54 extra-points.

“He kicked and punted for us, and I’d say 70 percent of his kickoffs went into the end zone,” McNulty said. “He’s really good and he’s getting better.”

--Stan Olson