It looks like Avery Atkins has
reaffirmed his commitment to Florida. I spoke briefly with Avery and the
distance factor is his biggest obstacle. The feeling I get is that his high
school coach is pushing him to Gainesville but I think LSU still has a remote
chance. I am taking a couple of things into consideration when I say that.
One, Hurricane Charley just
devastated Daytona Beach and the area a couple of weeks ago and anytime a
devastating event like that happens it can have a big affect on a life-changing
move for a 17-year-old. Once thing settle down and get back to normal in that
part of the country I think he may consider following his heart. From the
conversations we had his heart seemed to be a lot more in favor of the Tigers
than the Gators. When he left the LSU camp in July he was so jacked up on the
Tigers and coach Saban. Avery was talking about trying to make every LSU home
game this season and never once did he refer to heading to the Swamp on his days
off other that his official visit.
The other reason I think LSU may
still have a shot is because he had nothing but praise for Saban and Kirby Smart
(DB coach). Once again, Zook’s name never even came up and I can assure you I
asked him plenty of questions about Florida and Zook. How well Florida does this
season will also play a role at the end.
******
Stacey Dean of TheInsiders.com
spent an afternoon with the No. 1 tight end in the country Dajleon Farr and here
are some of Dean’s thoughts on how the Tigers rank with Farr’s top choices.
“Based on the time I spent with Dajleon a
few weeks ago I really think LSU is the leader at this point in time even though
he wouldn’t say it,” said Dean. “His mom really wants him to go to LSU and that
is her school of choice, though he did say it will be his decision. He comes
from a single-parent home so her opinion means a lot to him. His mom wants him
to stay close to home and his girlfriend who is a junior this year wants him to
go to LSU because that is where she is going. Of all of the coaches recruiting
Dajleon, Travis Jones is the coach he likes the most period. Dajleon told me
Jones is the coolest coach and most down to earth guy.”
Dean did say that Texas and
Oklahoma will be the Tigers’ stiffest competition and to keep in mind that both
are also pretty close to home.
******
Justin Mincey, one of the top
defensive ends in the South, had said earlier that he was going to visit LSU
officially but now he is saying he will probably give the Tigers a visit. He
said he had a top six and LSU did not make the cut but Miami, Florida, Georgia,
Florida State, Tennessee and Alabama did.
“I haven’t eliminated LSU I just
don’t know much about them,” Mincey said. “I know they won the SEC and the
national championship but that is it. They are probably going to get a visit
though.”
Mincey has not had much contact
with the LSU coaching staff since the May evaluation period but when coaches can
start calling recruits again in September I expect LSU will crack his top tier
of schools.
The team to watch here is Florida
because Mincey went to Gainesville three times over the summer and lists Florida
as one of the three schools he is leaning to along with Georgia and
Miami.
******
Winter Park (Fla.) Edgewater
offensive tackle Matt Hardrick lists the Tigers and Florida State as his two
leaders with LSU having a “slight edge”.
I asked him what the biggest
difference was between LSU and the Seminoles and he replied, “I’d have to say
the coaching staffs. Nick Saban and the rest of his staff are good. They are
real humble and down to earth.”
Now, that is not to say that he
doesn’t think FSU’s coaching staff is good because Bobby Bowden is one of the
best college coaches of all-time. However, Saban is in his prime while Bowden
may be on his way out in a couple of years.
The thing Saban will have to
overcome and I know you hate to hear this again is the distance factor. Hardrick
has friends at FSU and it is a lot closer to Tallahassee than it is to Baton
Rouge.
******
While we are in the Sunshine State
I will give you some things from my interview with Palm Bay’s talented
linebacker Neefy Moffett.
Moffett said he is focusing on
seven schools (LSU, FSU, Miami, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma and USC) with four
official visits already decided on (LSU, Miami, FSU and Ohio State). He said,
“All of those schools are pretty much the same,” but he spoke more highly on LSU
and Miami than the others.
When Moffett was at Saban’s camp in
July he got to spend a lot of time with the Tigers’ players and said he really
enjoyed hanging out with Amp Hill, E.J. Kuale, Early Doucet, Herman Johnson, and
LSU’s trump card, Xavier Carter.
If LSU lands Moffett then the
“X-man” deserves a lot of credit because he is doing his best to get his
longtime friend to the Capitol City.
******
St. Augustine’s Patrick Trahan told
the Auburn website that Auburn is his leader as of now. I know for a fact that
Trahan would like to go to LSU and a big reason is he lives in Baton Rouge with
his family. The LSU staff likes Trahan but the big question is where would he
play in LSU’s system? He plays defensive end for St. Aug at 6-1, 200 pounds but
is more of an outside linebacker. He has the size of a safety but the speed
(4.6) of a linebacker so that is the dilemma right now. He has a verbal offer
from Saban and I think if he gets one in writing to make it official then he
will be wearing purple and gold in college despite his latest
remarks.
******
With Barrington Edwards heading off
to North Carolina the Tigers could be looking for another running back because
Saban loves having a deep stable of backs for the pounding they take in the
SEC.
Houston’s R.J. Jackson is one the
coaching staff really likes and he will make an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge
for the Oregon State game next week.
He definitely took notice of
Edwards’ departure and has LSU as one of his leaders with Texas and Oklahoma State. “It opens things up a little bit but anywhere you go you are going to
have competition,” said Jackson. Spoken like a true competitor.
Jackson’s mother will have a big
say in where he plays his college football and from the sound of things it could
come down to a Texas/LSU battle.
“My mom really likes coach Saban
and Mack Brown,” R.J. said. “She goes back and forth with those two coaches
because she likes them both a lot. That is big because she is tough to
impress.”
When I asked R.J. if he knew of any
other guys from Texas making the Oregon State game he said no but he was going
to call Reggie Youngblood because they are good friends. Wouldn’t it be nice to
get Youngblood in town for an unofficial visit when LSU pays special tribute to
2003 National Champs not to mention the ESPN Gameday crew will be in town and
Tiger Stadium will be as crazy as ever?
******
From what I hear LSU would like to
pick up a commitment from one more defensive tackle to go with Lyle Hitt for
2005. Ekom Udofia, Vince Oghobaase and DeMarcus Granger appear to be the three
at the top of the Tigers’ wish list. I think LSU’s best chance is with Granger
but Udofia told OUInsiders.com he plans to visit LSU while Oghobaase is still
trying to decide if he will or not.
******
A lot of Tiger fans are a little
concerned about the receiver position and where the commitment or commitments
will come from. When was the last time LSU signed a kid from Missouri? Don’t
feel bad. I couldn’t tell you either but that could change if the nation’s 10th
rated receiver D.J. Hord signs with the Tigers. It is early but Hord told Josh
Clark of the Midland Region for TheInsiders.com that LSU, Florida, Tennessee and
Missouri currently stand out above the other schools he is considering. It is
worth mentioning that Tennessee and Florida have not offered Hord, who has good
size (6-1, 190) and speed (4.4) and is also a talented track athlete in the
100-meters and 200-meters. Could LSU’s track program help Saban lure one of the
country’s top receivers to Bayou Country again?
******
Here is a look at the defensive
recruits to keep an eye on heading into September and next week I will post my
complete board with an analysis on each position.
Tiger Rag’s
Recruiting Board
Defensive End
Commits 1 (Al Jones 6-3, 240, 4.8);
Needs 2
Top
Targets
Raymond Henderson 6-5, 255, 4.65
Averell Spicer 6-1, 244, 4.7
Ricky Jean-Francois 6-3, 245,
4.65
McKinner Dixon
6-3, 245, 4.85
Middle of the
Pack
Doug Worthington 6-6,
260, 4.8
J.B. Paxson 6-3, 260,
4.8
Richard Gordon
6-4, 240, 4.7
Henry Melton 6-3, 250, 4.65
On the Back
Burner
Curtis Smith 6-0, 240,
4.7
Justin Fulmer 6-4, 260, 4.9
Matt Slocum 6-5, 250,
4.8
Antwain Robinson 6-2,
230, 4.7
Zach Schreiber 6-2, 220,
4.6
Defensive
Tackle
Commits 1 (Lyle Hitt 6-3, 280,
5.0);
Needs 2
Top
Targets
DeMarcus Granger 6-2, 325,
5.2
Callahan Bright 6-2, 315,
4.9
Jerrell Powe 6-3, 322,
5.0
Vince Oghobaase
6-6, 300, 5.2
Ekom Udofia 6-1, 290, 5.1
Middle of the
Pack
Terrance Taylor
6-1, 285, 4.9
Rashad Roussel 6-2, 260,
4.9
Trey Bryant 6-2, 295,
4.98
Louis Ellis
6-2, 270, 4.8
On the Back
Burner
Cordero Moore
6-2, 260, 4.95
Charles Burns 6-2, 250, 4.9
Seth Adams 6-2, 285,
5.2
Thad Waters 6-2, 280, 5.0
Linebacker
Commits 1 (Derry Beckwith 6-1, 205,
4.5);
Needs 2-3
Top
Targets
Luther Brown 6-2, 227, 4.7
Tray Blackmon 6-0, 192,
4.5
Eugene Hayes 6-1, 218, 4.62
Ryan Reynolds 6-2, 220,
4.65
Rey Maualaga 6-2, 235, 4.65
Spencer Adkins 6-0, 228, 4.59
Todd Cox 6-1,
195, 4.6
Neefy Moffett 6-1, 220, 4.6
Jon Demps 6-3, 223,
4.65
Middle of the
Pack
Alonzo Horton 6-3, 217, 4.6
Antonio Clay 6-1, 207, 4.6
Antonio Coleman
6-2, 230, 4.69
Rodrick Muckelroy 6-2, 210,
4.65
Nic Harris 6-3,
207, 4.7
Rex Sharpe 6-3, 210,
4.6
Demetri Stewart
6-4, 215, 4.56
On the Back
Burner
Jamar Chaney 6-1, 215, 4.6
Zach Schreiber 6-2, 215,
4.6
Robert Russell 6-0, 205, 4.6
Cornerback
Commits 1 (Chris Hawkins 6-1, 185,
4.5);
Needs 2
Top
Targets
Bryan Evans 5-11, 177,
4.45
Avery Atkins 6-0, 185, 4.45 (Committed to
Florida)
Middle of the
Pack
Derek Pegues 5-10, 175, 4.5
On the Back
Burner
Anthony Johnson
5-11, 185, 4.6
Ramon McElrathbey 5-11, 180,
4.55
Tyson Andrus 6-1, 185, 4.6
Marcus Ezeff 5-11, 175, 4.6
Safety
Commits 2 (Clarence Ward 5-11, 175,
4.45; Chris Keys 6-2, 205, 4.5);
Needs 2-3
Top
Targets
Kenneth Phillips 6-2, 195, 4.45
Dorian Monroe 6-1, 185,
4.5
C.J. Byrd
6-2, 185, 4.5
Middle of the
Pack
Terrell Smith 6-0, 205,
4.5
Gary Riggs 6-2, 205,
4.6
Patrick Trahan 6-2, 205, 4.6
Terrell Smith 6-2, 205,
4.5
Xavier Kelley 6-1, 200, 4.5
Gerrod Sinclair 6-0, 208,
4.65
Marvin White 6-2, 210, 4.5
On the Back
Burner
Jacob Lennox 6-1, 180, 4.5
For questions or comments
please e-mail Tiger Rag Recruiting Analyst Sonny Shipp at
sonnyshipp@bellsouth.net.