AJC College Sports Recruiting

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Some people think Georgia’s No. 1 college basketball prospect is already starting to pack his bags for UCLA.

Shaq Goodwin, the 6-foot-8 power forward from Southwest DeKalb High School, said that’s not the case. He’s heard the rumors, about how he will follow his AAU basketball coach to UCLA, and he said they are untrue because he’s undecided. However, Goodwin confirms that UCLA is one of his leaders, along with UGA, Memphis, Florida and Alabama.

“I havent’ decided anything,” Goodwin told the AJC.

Goodwin got a “shout out” when his AAU teammate with the Atlanta Celtics, Jordan Adams, committed to UCLA earlier this week.

Will Shaq follow his AAU coach to Cali? (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

“I want Shaq Goodwin to come with me [to UCLA],” said Adams, the former Central Gwinnett shooting guard who transferred to Oak Hill (Va.) prep school last year.

Goodwin heard the words loud and …

Continue reading Is Georgia’s No. 1 prospect headed to the West Coast? »

UGA WR commit CJ Curry (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Two members of UGA’s 2012 recruiting class have transferred to another high school for their senior year of football.

WR CJ Curry has transferred from North Hall High School to Flowery Branch, while Florida kicker Marshall Morgan switched schools in the Miami area.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Curry has looked like maybe the best wide receiver in the state this summer, helping Flowery Branch win at least two passing league tournaments. It will be the fourth school in four years for Curry but there’s a good reason for the moves — he played football where his father accepted a job as an assistant football coach. As a freshman, CJ played for his father at Greater Atlanta Christian; as a sophomore, CJ returned to the public school near his home and played for Loganville (while his father remained at GAC); as a junior, CJ played for his father at North Hall; as a senior, CJ will be playing for his father again at Flowery Branch.

CJ’s …

Continue reading UGA football recruits CJ Curry and Marshall Morgan transfer high schools (UPDATED) »

After thinking it over for a couple of days, Alvin Hill decided to accept a Maryland football scholarship on Thursday.

The defensive back from Luella High School had been overlooked early in the recruiting process, and was just beginning to generate interest from big-time schools after making rounds at summer college camps.

Hill auditioned for a scholarship at Maryland’s camp on Tuesday, performed so well he was offered within an hour afterwards, and committed to the Terrapins on Thursday. He’s the younger brother of Virginia Tech cornerback Detrick Bonner.

Luella DB Alvin Hill

“I took a couple of days to think about it; I talked with my family and my brother and they all felt like it was a good opportunity,” Hill told the AJC. “I called Maryland and they were a little surprised that I committed within two days. I told them that they had showed me a lot of love and I was comfortable with my decision. They were really excited about coming there.”

Hill, who was just beginning to …

Continue reading DB Alvin Hill commits to Maryland; brother plays at Virginia Tech »

Marist K Austin Hardin

Georgia’s No. 1 kicker is a Gator.

Marist’s Austin Hardin auditioned at three football camps this summer, going 3 for 3 with offers from Tennessee, Auburn and Florida. He committed to Gators coach Will Muschamp while on campus on Wednesday.

“Coach Muschamp told me from his staff’s evaluation of me, and from what he heard from others, he considered me the best specialist in the nation,” Hardin told the AJC. “He put the offer out there for me, and said ‘We’d like you to come to Florida. You can come in right away and start off kickoffs.’

“I was very excited. This was the offer I had been waiting for. I told some other schools that I was going to wait until the end of July to commit. But I had been to enough camps and seen enough. I always knew I wanted to play at Florida so I committed. I didn’t want to drag it out any longer. I told Coach Muschamp that I was ‘100-percent Gator’ and happy to be part of the team.”

Hardin is ranked as the No. 1 kicker in the …

Continue reading Marist’s Austin Hardin commits to Florida Gators over Auburn and Tennessee »

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Geno Smith, one of the nation’s most-heavily recruited college football prospects with nearly 40 scholarship offers, says Alabama and Auburn are his frontrunners.

The defensive back from Atlanta’s St. Pius has Notre Dame, Texas and Tennessee in the rest of his top five. However, it’s the last two BCS champions — and bitter rivals Alabama and Auburn — with the inside position.

“They are my leaders, but it’s not a big lead; they are my two frontrunners, you could say,” Smith told the AJC.

Smith could make his college decision by mid-August. “I’m thinking about committing before the start of my senior season [of high school football]. I’m not sure yet, though.”

Smith has canceled plans to visit both Notre Dame and Texas over the summer due to team and family obligations. However, if Smith doesn’t commit by August, he will likely take official visits to both schools at a later time …

Continue reading Geno Smith says Alabama and Auburn are frontrunners »

Steve Spurrier has the Georgia-to-South Carolina pipeline working well for his 2012 recruiting class.

Or maybe it should be the McEachern High School-to-South Carolina pipeline.

Darius English committed to South Carolina over his other finalist of Arkansas.

The 6-foot-6, 210-pound defensive end is No. 5 from Georgia to commit to the SEC school for 2012. English is also the third McEachern player since last February to either sign or commit to the Gamecocks.

“South Carolina has always been the leader for me,” English told the AJC. “When I went down there this weekend, it really felt like home. I actually committed on Saturday but I had to talk to my parents a little more about it before telling the media. I did that, and told everybody today.”

Two of English’s high school teammates, LB Marcquis Roberts and TE Rory Anderson, signed with South Carolina last February. That made a big difference for English.

Steve Spurrier landed No. 5 from Georgia for South Carolina's 2012 …

Continue reading Steve Spurrier lands No. 5 from Georgia for South Carolina Gamecocks »

Atlanta basketball star Jordan Adams will follow his AAU coach to UCLA (Photo by Adidas)

One of the nation’s top recruits will follow his AAU basketball coach to UCLA.

Jordan Adams, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 69 college basketball prospect by Rivals.com, committed to UCLA over UGA, Memphis and Miami on Monday.

Earlier this month, UCLA hired Korey McCray, CEO of the Atlanta Celtics AAU basketball team, as an assistant coach. (click on story link)

Adams is a longtime member of the Atlanta Celtics and said McCray’s hiring influenced his college decision.

“It was a big factor,” Adams told the AJC. “I’ve been playing for Coach McCray since I was 12 or 13 years old. I used to always work out with him. He helped me get to where I am now as a basketball player. If it wasn’t for [McCray], I wouldn’t be this good and none of these college coaches would be recruiting me.”

The 6-foot-5 small forward transferred from Central Gwinnett High School to Oak Hill (Va.) prep school last …

Continue reading Jordan Adams will follow Atlanta AAU basketball coach to UCLA; runner-up was UGA (UPDATED) »

Buford DB Paris Head (R) is yet another Georgia player to commit to Vanderbilt

Another day, another Georgia football recruit committing to Vanderbilt.

Paris Head, a defensive back from Buford High School, picked Vanderbilt among his 10 scholarship offers, which he said also included Boston College and Louisville. He also had serious interest from numerous other SEC and ACC schools, including Georgia Tech and UGA, that wanted him to attend summer camp.

“I messaged [Vanderbilt's recruiting coordinator] on Facebook and I told him I was ready to commit,” Head explained to the AJC. “He told me to call the head coach [James Franklin]. I did, told him I was ready to commit, and Coach Franklin was excited and said ‘Welcome to the Vanderbilt family.’”

Vanderbilt has launched an all-out invasion on recruiting Georgia — 7 of 8 commitments for 2012 are from Georgia.

“I think that’s awesome because I feel like Georgia is one of the top states in the country for football,” Head said. “I …

Continue reading Paris Head commits to Vanderbilt Commodores »

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Just like in the business world, building and nurturing relationships is extremely important in college football recruiting.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson was the benefactor of maintaining a longtime friendship with a former player he recruited while as an assistant at Georgia Southern. Statesboro High School WR Micheal Summers Jr. committed to the Yellow Jackets over Florida, Pitt, Duke and Vanderbilt, among others — citing the connection with Johnson as a contributing factor in his college decision.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Summers was clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.39 seconds and has a 38-inch vertical jump. He had 10 early offers and would’ve likely doubled them within the next few months, but said his recruiting is over after the commitment to Georgia Tech (click on story link).

• Georgia Tech has landed its QB of the …

Continue reading ‘Relationships’ help Georgia Tech recruiting, Vanderbilt talks SEC championships »

Statesboro ATH Micheal Summers Jr. committed to Georgia Tech after a recent offer from the Florida Gators (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Georgia Tech landed the most highly-regarded member of its 2012 recruiting class — so far — when Micheal Summers Jr. committed to the ACC school on Sunday.

Summers, who is a multi-purpose athlete from Statesboro High School, picked Georgia Tech among his 10 offers, which also included Florida, Pitt, N.C. State, Duke and Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder is projected to play wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets, but may also get a look at running back.

“Georgia Tech was the offer I was waiting on, and once I got it, I decided to commit,” Summers told the AJC. He added that Georgia Tech was only going to sign one WR, and he wanted to be that one.

A longtime friendship between Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and Summers’ family was a deciding factor in the decision. When Johnson was an assistant at Georgia Southern, he recruited Micheal …

Continue reading WR Micheal Summers picks Georgia Tech over Florida, others »