This is completely unrelated to recruiting, but since most of you are college football junkies, I thought this would be appropriate.

Our site is hosting a college football pick'em contest, which kicks off tomorrow.

It's your standard pick'em setup -- make your picks before noon tomorrow, then proceed to watch all the games and sweat it out while Youngstown State gives Ohio State a run for its money (I hope).

You'll be picking against me and other baltimoresun.com readers for all sorts of nice prizes. Sadly, I'm not eligible for the prizes, so good luck to all who sign up.

Click here to sign up.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 3:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Checking in with three targets …

Word broke yesterday that the Maryland football team secured two verbal commitments for the class of 2008

Cameron Chism, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound cornerback from Bishop McNamara in Forestville, and Justin Lewis, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound offensive lineman from Johnsonville, S.C., both notified the UM coaching staff of their intentions earlier this week.

“[Cameron] really wanted to make his decision before the season started and concentrate on having a great senior season,” said Bishop McNamara head coach Bryce Bevill.

Chism, a three-star player according to Rivals, chose the Terps over offers from Pittsburgh and Connecticut among others.

Maryland defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, a Bishop McNamara alumnus, and former Terps defensive back and current graduate assistant Dennard Wilson both played a large role in landing Chism.

“Those two guys were very instrumental in making Cameron feel really comfortable with Maryland,” Bevill said.

Chism, Maryland’s fifth-highest rated commit according to Rivals, joins Tavon Wilson as the Terps’ second defensive back commit for the class of 2008.

“[Maryland is] getting a top-notch player,” Bevill said. “He’s a guy that finishes plays. He’s big corner -- a 4.4 guy that can run. He’s a complete corner. He’s physical, has great ball technique. He’s an awesome player.

“As good of a player as he is, he’s an even better person. He’s a great kid that’s very active in the community. He’s also a gym rat who loves to work out. He doesn’t mind the preparation that it takes to be good.”

Lewis, who chose Maryland over North Carolina State, also wanted to get his decision out of the way early in his high school season.

“I knew he was real interested in Maryland and I think his whole family really liked the the university, the classes and the coaches,” said Johnsonville head coach Lewis Lineberger. “I think he wanted to get the pressure off and he was real satisfied with what Maryland had to offer.”

Lewis becomes Maryland’s second offensive line commitment for 2008, joining Pennsylvania tackle R.J. Dill. Gonzaga’s A.J. Francis and Wilde Lake’s Cody Blue also have the potential to play on the offensive line, but are likely slated for defense.

A two-star recruit according to Rivals, Lewis was impressed with Maryland’s educational offerings. According to Lineberger, the offensive guard sports a grade point average better than 3.0.

“Well [Maryland is] getting a good person and a very good student and one that can be a very good football player,” Lineberger said. “I think his best football is ahead of him. He definitely has potential. I think his best football is yet to come. Here he plays offense and defense. I think he’s really going to mature when he just plays one side of the ball.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
                    

For today’s edition of "Five Questions", TerrapinTimes.com editor and publisher Keith Cavanaugh was kind enough to answer some of the most pressing questions regarding Maryland recruiting via email.

Cavanaugh started Terrapin Times magazine in 1991, launched TerrapinTimes.com in 1997 and has covered the Terps since 1988.

Cavanaugh recently authored My Way, a book about Ralph Friedgen’s life, UM coaching career and some of his most memorable recruiting 'war stories.'

1.) What's the latest on Quintrell Thomas? Is Maryland's biggest competition in this recruitment Kansas?

As a backdrop first, 'Q's' recruitment is kind of interesting, as he is still something of a 'newbie' to the process in general. He got a late start last winter, splashing on the scene at St. Pat's after being an unknown previously at his former school where he was not a national recruit.

His recruitment, and the scheduling of his visits and whatnot, are all being run by his AAU coaches, and they often know more about exactly where they are going and what is happening.

The Terps have long been in the drivers' seat for Thomas, and will stay there if Gary Williams locks this one down on his official campus visit on Sept. 21. Some of the other trips -- the UNLVs and Houstons of the world that recently cropped up -- seem a stretch/longshots at best, and may just be weekend recruiting trips. I do not see him going that far from home, or frankly anywhere but Maryland, as long as Gary shows the love -- which I think he will.

'Q' has already been on campus twice this summer -- the most of any school he is considering -- and I see Kansas as too far off as well. I think if Gary pushes hard -- and given the fact he wants to be a drive away for his family to see him play -- UM can get him if they push. It will come down to him or Massachusetts wing guard Chris Turner for the final ‘ship, and as things stand now, Thomas may have the edge. That is unless anything changes by the spring with 6-foot-11 Ralph Sampson III, who I still consider a long shot for the Terps.

2.) Who are some 2009 targets that Maryland's in good shape with?

You can mark it down now: Isaiah Armwood is the main guy for ‘09 and much will be dictated by his recruitment.

The long and bouncy athlete from Baltimore -- who plays for Stu Vetter at Montrose -- is the top priority in a bang-up class, especially locally. The only problem is the Terps may only have one 'ship to give.

We'll see what they do to finish up ‘08 first, but it may be only one, possibly two for ’09. Next to Isaiah, New Jersey power forward/center Greg Echenique, Montrose's Terrell Vinson and Tristan Spurlock, DeMatha's Naji Hibbert and former Oxon Hill standout Mo Creek lead the hit parade.

Armwood seemingly grows more each time we see him, and his face-up/perimeter range keeps getting better. Some liken him to a young Rudy Gay, and while he is not anywhere near there yet, he has a chance.

3.) How is Maryland's offensive line recruiting going thus far? Is this a major position target for the coaches, and are there any prospects that have Maryland in their final group?

Right now the bus is loading up, and Justin Gilbert and Justin Lewis are getting close to 'popping' and could do so soon. Both have UM in the lead.

Depending on possible attrition, the Terps may only take one or two more offensive linemen, at least for now, as they have several committed -- though some could easily swing between the defensive line and offensive line when all is said and done.

Otherwise, it has gone well, as has the entire class thus far. It is in the top 20-25 range nationally and should stay there. Jimmy Bennett, Jeff Braun, etc., among others, are still on the list as far as offensive linemen.

4.) Are there any local prospects that could earn offers at some point throughout the season?

Yes, and one visited camp last week -- Damascus QB Kyle Frazier, who would love a Terps offer.

He is a solid kid from a strong area program. One of the assistant coaches at Damascus is Tony Edwards, the former Terps offensive lineman who played under Ralph Friedgen when he was the Terps offensive line coach back in the day.

Given the low quarterback numbers with Jeremy Ricker and Bobby Sheahin gone and E.J. Manuel and Mike Glennon off the board, he is a local guy you’ve got to pull for. So far, no Terps offer yet, though.

5.) Is Maryland looking to add another running back to this class, or are they set with Gary Douglas?

Yes, they would like another I am sure with Lance [Ball] and Keon [Lattimore] being seniors. Heading the list is elite DeMatha athlete standout Kenny Tate, who UM is recruiting as a running back. Ralph loves big backs, and had Jason Crawford (6-foot-3) stayed eligible, he could have been the guy in his early years instead of Bruce Perry, or at least they would have platooned.

Tate is 6-foot-3 and a tremendous athlete/playmaker -- perhaps the greatest ever to come through the famed Hyattsville school. Florida and UM could be his top two, and the Terps have a very good shot.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

While most of the 2007 graduates of Hunterdon Central High School in Flemington, N.J. are getting set to begin college in the coming weeks, Matt Furstenburg is readying himself for another season of prep football, despite being a member of the ’07 HCHS class.

The delay in starting college will be brief for Furstenburg, who’s attending The Hun School in Princeton, N.J. before joining the Maryland football team in January. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end committed to the Terps earlier this month.

“This transition year is a lot better,” said Furstenburg, who is planning to study criminology at UM. “It’s not like I’m too far away from home. I’m here for a couple months … it’s kind of just preparing me for Maryland and for real college life.”

It’s not as if Maryland suddenly popped up on Furstenburg’s radar. He started receiving letters from Ralph Friedgen’s staff as a junior. After attending the Terps’ summer football camp before his senior year, the interest picked up even more.

“They really liked me there and they just kept calling me and writing me letters,” Furstenburg said. “They wanted to see my senior film.”

Then came a serious blow to Furstenburg’s Division I plans.

At Penn State’s summer camp, Furstenburg suffered a fairly significant hamstring injury, sidelining him for the remainder of camp/combine season – and placing himself squarely off the radar of college coaches.

“I think that’s where I got killed with the recruiting,” Furstenburg said.

Furstenburg aggravated the hamstring later that summer, and the injury lingered through his senior season. Despite missing three games, Furstenburg was able to manage roughly 30 receptions for 350 yards and two touchdowns, as well as seven sacks and one interception returned for a touchdown.

Still, he admittedly wasn’t 100 percent, and it showed at times on his senior film.

But while there was heavy DI attention for Furstenburg in lacrosse (Rutgers, Johns Hopkins and Virginia all expressed interest), he held firm in his desire to play football.

“I had offers from Division I-AA schools (New Hampshire, Wagner and Delaware among others), so I knew I was going to play football no matter what,” Furstenburg said. “If it came down to it, I was going to play Division I-AA, but I knew I would get to the Division I level.”

By the time January rolled around, however, Furstenburg was still without that elusive DI offer. On a tip from friend who went there, he made inquiries into The Hun School.

When Signing Day came, Furstenburg was committed to playing football and spending at least half of a post-grad school year at the Princeton, N.J. college preparatory school. Strangely enough, that choice may have been crucial in Furstenburg ultimately landing at Maryland.

“When [the Maryland coaches] heard I was going to The Hun, they started up [recruiting me] again.”

That interest finally led to a scholarship offer in July, which Furstenburg accepted about two weeks later, thus ending a long and seemingly never-ending recruiting process.

So while many of his teammates at The Hun will use this year as an audition for DI schools, Furstenburg will be fine-tuning his game for College Park.

“I’m going to give 100 percent,” Furstenburg said. “I’m not going to hold back anything. [Playing at The Hun] will keep me in football shape and the Maryland coaches want to see how I do. They’re still evaluating and I’ll show them what kind of character I have.

“I was just waiting for a school. I would have committed anywhere really. But I’m really glad that I didn’t and I’m going to be a Terp.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Many of the major figures in Baltimore AAU basketball were on hand for the State of Baltimore Basketball Summit Thursday night at the Baltimore Rowing & Resource Center.

The event, organized by bmorehoops.com publisher/editor Shawntrá Spence and the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, brought coaches and officials from Baltimore Select, the Baltimore Stars and others to discuss the most pressing issues in AAU basketball in the city.

There was nothing extraordinarily groundbreaking that took place, but there were three notable quotes that I thought summed up the evening.

“We’re getting so caught up in this territorial thing … we just need to represent Baltimore in the tournaments.”

-- Baltimore Select coach Keith Goodie, voicing his concern that the city AAU programs need to worry less about which kid belongs to which team, and be more concerned with representing Baltimore positively at tournaments.

“We shelter these kids … they don’t play outside anymore. On the Rec & Park side, we’re very limited in our resources.”

-- Tarik Brown of the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, responding to a criticism on the lack of suitable gym options for kids in the city.

“We’re trying to get kids in school. Our goal is to get kids exposure so they can get college scholarships.”

-- Baltimore Stars coach Troy Franklin, stating what he believes all AAU teams should be most concerned with.

Franklin’s quote sums it all up. The coaches need to work together to get as many Baltimore kids recruited as possible.

Shawntrá Spence deserves a ton of credit for putting together the event and making sure these issues were – and continue to be – adequately addressed.

Leftover links

• Maryland running back target Kevin Whaley had a pretty decent season opener.

• Football is all in the family for Terps offensive line target Rob Gumbita.

• This will probably be the last Sean Mosley link for awhile, but it’s a good one. PressBox examines the significance of Maryland landing a Baltimore kid.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 12:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Notable football recruiting links from the past week …

Nine years ago, Tony Martin was preparing to coach what would be his final season as head man at Archbishop Spalding. That team would go on to win the Baltimore Catholic League championship, finish 31-5 and produce eight Division 1 players.

Today, Martin is readying to coach his third season at John Carroll. This team, which moves up to the MIAA A league from the B conference, has the potential for similar success – and perhaps the same amount of future D1 players.

“There is a precedent; I think this team has eight D1 guys,” Martin said. “The one thing that Spalding had was a Big East starting point guard [at Villanova] in Derrick Snowden. You can’t really measure having a guy like that. … [but] we have some very good players.”

One such player is Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound junior and the star of John Carroll in the eyes of college coaches and an assortment of AAU teams who felt his wrath throughout the summer. Just a couple years ago many local AAU teams were uninterested, allowing Philmore to latch on with the Delaware Sharpshooters.

“They picked me up two years ago when I was horrible, so I just stayed loyal,” said Philmore, who has averaged more than 30 points per game throughout the summer. “A lot of other different teams see how I am now and they’re shocked that I actually turned out to be better than I was. Now they want me to come over and play with them.”

Virginia Tech, Loyola, Delaware, Miami (Fla.) and Marquette have all offered Philmore scholarships, but he says there’s no leader yet. For now, Philmore’s focused on improving – something that Martin believes is inevitable.

“Isaiah wills himself to play harder than anyone else on the court,” Martin said. “His athleticism is outstanding and his skill development is coming along. The sky’s the limit for him.”

Three seniors for the Patriots are likely D1 players – center Jakub Kusmieruk, forward Josh Wiegand and guard Mike Maczko.

Kusmieruk – who measures in at 7 feet 4, 275 pounds – came to the U.S. from Poland two years ago, enrolling at John Carroll as a sophomore.

“Jakub runs the floor well for a kid his size,” Martin said. “He has great hands and [he’s got] pro potential with the right kind of development. He speaks four languages (English, Polish, German and Russian) and has a tremendous sense of humor.”

Central Florida, LaSalle and Loyola are among several schools to step forward with scholarship offers. Georgetown, St. John's, Syracuse, N.C. State, Florida State, South Florida and Marquette are some of the high-major schools keeping on eye on the big man.

Wiegand wasn’t always a sure-fire D1 guy, spending a decent amount of time on Patriots’ bench as a junior. But coaches took note of the 6-foot-8, 3.7+ student over the summer.

“I’ve always wanted to play at [the D1] level,” Wiegand said. “When I really realized it [was possible] was probably this spring because I got a personal trainer and I started working out more. I went to George Mason’s camp for two days. After coming back from there … I really thought I could get a scholarship to a D1 school.”

Those thoughts were realized when The Citadel stepped forward with a scholarship offer. American, Oral Roberts and Quinnipiac are also heavily recruiting Wiegand, who Martin called a “rock solid student-athlete.” Wiegand’s combination of basketball and academics has drawn the attention of several Ivy League schools, as well.

Maczko – John Carroll’s third potential D1 senior – is also hearing from Quinnipiac frequently, in addition to serious interest from IUPUI, Richmond, Central Connecticut State and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

“I’m a major fan of Mike in that he’s a gym rat, a guy who loves the game,” Martin said. “He’s probably one of our most versatile guys. I’m really looking forward to seeing his game improve with the talent around him. He shoots it from very deep.”

John Carroll’s other D1 prospects are Dejan Gaspic, a 6-foot-0 point guard from Croatia, Wyatt Smith, a 6-foot-5 guard/forward, Erick Smith, a 6-foot-3 guard and Raphael Jordan, a 6-foot-1 guard. All four are juniors.

Martin will need major contributions from those eight -- as well as seniors Tim Pleiss and D'Metric Evans -- in order to compete with the likes of Towson Catholic, St. Frances, Calvert Hall and others on a weekly basis.

“We’re going to go in there ready to compete and play as hard as anyone,” said Martin, who has also scheduled the Patriots for the Charm City Classic, the Primetime Shootout in New Jersey and the City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. “Understand it’s going to be a major adjustment for our guys, but we know the challenges lying ahead.”

Those challenges, in addition to the knowledge that the Patriots could feature up to eight future D1 players, will likely place a target squarely on the backs of John Carroll’s players.

Count Philmore as one Patriot player that’s unconcerned with said target, and ready to embrace those challenges.

“I really don’t think we care,” Philmore said. “We just can’t wait to play in the 'A' conference and show them how great we are.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Yesterday I took a look at each ACC school's football recruiting at the unofficial halfway point of the recruiting season. Today, Scout.com's Bob Lichtenfels was kind to enough to go a little more in-depth with Maryland's class thus far, answering five questions via email.

Lichtenfels is in his fifth year as a recruiting analyst and second year as a regional manager at Scout. Lichtenfels, who specializes in East Coast and Midwest recruiting, coached high school football for eight seasons, has personnel experience working for the Johnstown Riverhawks of the American Indoor Football League and is a frequent contributor to Fox Sports Pittsburgh.

1. How does Maryland's class stack up with the rest of the ACC thus far? Does this class rate favorably with some of UM's most recent classes, and does it have the potential to be better?

I would say it's in the middle of the pack right now. Miami, Florida State and Clemson are doing very well and then you have everyone else. I would say if you look at the average ranking per player this class is in line with past Maryland classes. The 2006 class was ranked higher than most of the Terrapins classes the past five years. Obviously, this class has the potential to be better with only half of it completed thus far.

2. Who are some commits that you think have the best chance at making a major impact for the Terps?

I really like Kevin Dorsey. I have said multiple times that he may be the best wide receiver in the country that nobody knows. This class nationally is stacked at the position, so kids like Dorsey may not get as much press as they normally should, but he is a player. I like the pickups of Masengo Kabongo and Teddy Dargan on that defensive front as well. Your defense is only as solid as the guys up front and these two are stalwarts.

3. With fourth-string quarterback Bobby Sheahin transferring, might Maryland look to add a quarterback in the 2008 class? Are there any realistic options that the Terps may take a look at?

Ideally most programs like to have the equivalent of one quarterback per class in their system. The one kid I think the Terps should look at in-state is the Wayne Warren kid at Wicomico. He is one of the best dual-threat kids I have seen anywhere.

4. Are there any lower-rated Terp commits that you feel will surprise once they arrive in College Park?

Tyler Urban has the potential to be very solid. He is kind of a tweener right now, but I think once he fills out and has a chance to focus on one certain position he will excel. Kerry Boykins also has a chance to be pretty special.

5. Who are some recruits still on the market that might be good bets to eventually commit to Maryland?

I think the Terps still have a shot at Kenny Tate. Okechukwu Okoroha and Cameron Chism are two of the local kids I think they have a pretty solid shot at landing. I don't know if I'd say they are a safe bet, but they have a shot.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

With camps and combines finished and high school and college seasons ready to begin, this time of year is sort of an unofficial midway point in football recruiting.

Now, some schools are just a few guys away from finishing their classes and others are just getting started. But now’s a good time to assess where each ACC team is currently sitting, and where each school is projected to finish.

Maryland

Headliner: Kevin Dorsey, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound wide receiver from Forestville, is a four-star player according to Rivals and Scout. CSTV’s Tom Lemming thinks Dorsey has All-American potential.

Sleeper: Defensive back Tavon Wilson was initially rated as a two-star player by Rivals before earning his third star last week. The 6-foot-0, 175-pounder from D.C. runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, and possessed several BCS conference offers, including Boston College, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Michigan State, according to Scout.

Overview: Very nice start for the Terps, particularly in keeping local guys like Dorsey and Teddy Dargan home. Ralph Friedgen likely has Maryland headed for another top 25-30 class.

Boston College

Headliner: Ft. Washington Friendly running back
Josh Haden chose the Eagles over joining his brother, Joe, with the Florida Gators. The 5-foot-8 speedster also sported offers from Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee, according to Rivals.

Sleeper: Take your pick. BC has four or five two-stars, depending on which scouting service you trust.
Stephen Atkinson, a safety from Fort Lauderdale has some nice offers.

Overview: It goes without saying that procuring a commitment from Haden was huge. As for the rest of the class, there’s not much to write home about if you’re a star-gazer (which is what this entire analysis piece is based on). BC always wins without spectacular recruiting, so the class so far is a success based on getting its normal level of kids plus an absolute game-breaker in Haden.

Clemson

Headliner:
DaQuan Bowers, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive end is one of the biggest catches throughout the entire ACC conference. A five-star recruit according to both services, Bowers is planning to graduate in December and join the Tigers during the second semester, according to Rivals.

Sleeper: Brandon Ford is a two-star in-stater who will come in as a wide receiver for Clemson, but with a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame, might be able to transition to tight end with a year in a college strength program.

Overview: Tommy Bowden has the Tigers well on its way to another top 15 class. Recruiting has never been the problem for Bowden – it’s those pesky on-field results that have hurt. Regardless, Clemson remains one of the ACC’s top recruiting powers.

Duke

Headliner: Matt Daniels, a three-star defensive back from Fayetteville, Ga., is a rare Blue Devils recruit who actually had a plethora of other BCS conference offers – although many of those came following Daniels’ April commitment. According to Scout, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, South Carolina and others all extended scholarships.

Sleeper: There a lot to choose from here, but Lee Butler, a two-star defensive back from Anderson, S.C., sports 4.3 speed, according to Scout. If that’s anywhere near accurate, then Butler should be a special teams warrior, at the very least.

Overview: I was actually surprised by the number of three-star players the Blue Devils have procured (five, according to Rivals). That said, Duke will likely finish with the ACC’s lowest-ranked class … again.

Florida State

Headliner: Depending on which scouting service you prefer, E.J. Manuel is either the first- or second-ranked quarterback in the entire 2008 class. A pro-style quarterback who just so happens to run a 4.6 40, Manuel showed at the Elite 11 quarterback camp why he possessed scholarships from nearly every major college football power.

Sleeper: Schools like FSU don’t really have traditional sleepers – i.e. guys who they’ve unearthed and stolen before other schools get involved. Need proof? Toshmon Stevens, a defensive end from Crescent City, Fla., held offers from Colorado, South Carolina and North Carolina State among others.

Overview: A definite top-five class, the Seminoles could actually challenge for college football’s top-rated class in 2008. With the way FSU recruits, it makes you wonder how last season’s 7-6 debacle occurred.

Georgia Tech

Headliner: Wide receiver A.J. Jenkins had offers from Florida, LSU, Miami (and Maryland!), but chose the Yellow Jackets in late July. Jenkins was reportedly impressed with GT’s academics, but producing Calvin Johnson the year before certainly couldn’t have hurt their cause either.

Sleeper: A rangy safety from Atlanta, Cooper Taylor chose his hometown team over Virginia and possesses some intriguing measureables.

Overview: Fresh off an ACC runner-up finish, it doesn’t look like Tech will be able to reel in a better group than last year’s top-20 class. They have some nice pieces, but it looks like this class will fall in the 25-40 range.

Miami

Headliner: Cornerback Patrick Johnson is the gem of Miami, the ACC and arguably the country. Rated the No. 3 player overall and No. 1 cornerback in the country by Rivals, Johnson will be the key recruit in Randy Shannon’s first full class.

Sleeper: Just like Florida State, Miami doesn’t really possess a true sleeper, but quarterback Taylor Cook is the second of two Canes QB commits (the other being Elite 11 participant Jacory Harris), and one who, at 6-foot-7, 210-pounds, has potential at other positions – particularly considering his 4.6 speed.

Overview: Again, just like Florida State, Miami will challenge for the nation’s top-rated class in 2008. If recruiting is any indication, Shannon will turn the Hurricanes around in a hurry.

North Carolina

Headliner: Ebele Okakpu, a three-star linebacker from Roswell, Ga., sported offers from nearly all the Southern powers before selecting the Tar Heels. Scout likes him a little bit better than Rivals, rating Okakpu the nation’s No. 8 middle linebacker.

Sleeper: Tight end Randy White selected UNC over … nobody, according to both Rivals and Scout databases. White’s an accomplished long snapper as well, which is obviously an incredibly underrated, yet vital position.

Overview: With just five commits on board (according to Scout), Butch Davis has a long way to go in filling out the class. UNC receives an incomplete grade thus far, but Davis has proven both at Miami, and last year coming in late to Chapel Hill, that he can recruit with the best.

North Carolina State

Headliner: Brandon Barnes could’ve gone anywhere in the country, but decided to roll the dice and be a part of Tom O’Brien’s first full class at NC State. The five-star Barnes could make an impact at wide receiver, running back or defensive back for the Wolfpack.

Sleeper: No astute analysis here, but two-star defensive back Earl Wolff is pulling a Ricky Williams and wearing his helmet on camera in his Scout profile picture.

Overview: O’Brien’s off to a great start in Raleigh, already securing a quarterback for the future (Mike Glennon) and doing a nice job keeping some of the best in-state talent home. The Wolfpack look poised for one of the country’s surprise classes.

Virginia

Headliner: The Cavaliers’ gain was Maryland’s loss, as UVA reeled in a commitment from Stratford, Ct. running back Torrey Mack, a four-star player who had the Terps in his ‘top two or three,’ according to Scout. Virginia has quietly produced a solid stable of NFL running backs (Tiki Barber, Thomas Jones, Wali Lundy), and Mack has the potential to be the next.

Sleeper: Matt Mihalik, one of two UVA offensive line commits from Ohio, runs a 5.3 40. Not too shabby for a 6-foot-7, 270-pounder.

Overview: Al Groh seems to always pull in solid recruiting classes, and this one looks no different. It’s the on-field results that need improving. It’ll be interesting to see if the Ohio kids pan out. That state has plenty of talent to spare, and OSU can’t bring them all in.

Virginia Tech

Headliner: Bruce Taylor, an inside linebacker from Myrtle Beach, S.C., is VaTech’s only four-star player, according to both Rivals and Scout. Taylor, who chose the Hokies over offers from Florida State, Clemson and South Carolina among others, was hampered by a shoulder injury as a junior, according to Rivals.

Sleeper: This one’s easy, although it has nothing to do with football potential. Tight end Eric Martin sports a bright red mustache in his profile picture. Definitely worth the click.

Overview: Rivals is a bit higher on Virginia Tech’s class than Scout. Frank Beamer has filled up a lot of slots in the class already, but several big fish are still in play. The Hokies will probably finish with a nice class, per usual

Wake Forest

Headliner: Ted Stachitas, a dual-threat quarterback, sported several ‘athlete’ offers from a variety of BCS schools, but the Demon Deacons will bring him in as a signal-caller. He’s undersized at 6-foot-0, but plenty of quarterbacks that size have made huge impacts at the D1 level.

Sleeper: Linebacker Riley Haynes is another Nease standout (same school as Stachitas) headed to Winston-Salem. Haynes might be a little overlooked thanks to a 4.6 40, but he’s excelled at the highest level of Florida high school football.

Overview: The Demon Deacons seem to have gotten a little recruiting bump thanks to last year’s ACC championship. Sure, Wake’s class will probably rank near the bottom of the conference, but improvements are certainly being made.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Notable football recruiting links from the past week …

Checking in with a couple commits

One Maryland commitment who has slipped completely below the radar is Zach Brown, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound in-state linebacker who will be playing at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. for its post-graduate team.

Just how under-the-radar is Brown? For starters, he doesn’t even appear in the Rivals.com database. He does have a Scout.com profile, however, but only one article has been written about him. TurtleSportsReport.com’s Jeff Ermann broke the story of Brown’s commitment on March 27. Nothing has been written about Brown since, until a Scout preview of Hargrave this week mentioned this:

Columbia, Md., linebacker Zach Brown has quite the athletic resume. The Maryland commit could eventually end up as a safety at the next level due to his speed and athleticism.

You hear a lot about guys moving from safety in high school to linebacker in college. Athletes inevitably add muscle mass once they enter a college strength & conditioning program. So it’ll be interesting to see if 1.) Brown eventually makes that position move, 2.) takes care of business academically, and 3.) becomes part of Maryland’s 2008 class.

On their trip to Hargrave, the Scout writers spent a little more time with Brown, delivering this premium ($) video and photo gallery of the Terp commit. Looks like his under-the-radar status is becoming a thing of the past.

One athlete who will absolutely be part of this class is Terps defensive tackle commit Masengo Kabongo, who has been tough to track down. This week, however, MSNBC.com (via an older Rivals article) spoke with his coach at Fairfield College Prep, Billy Pinto. According to Pinto, there was a special comfort level Kabongo felt with the Maryland coaching staff

"He told me he was really comfortable with the coaches and trusted them,” Fairfield College Prep coach Billy Pinto said. "We went down on a visit in the spring and went to a basketball game. He met everybody on that trip, toured the facilities and had a real nice time.

“From what I know, he has always been leaning that way and called me up and told me he wanted to commit to Maryland."

Kabongo should be one of the headliners of the Terps’ ’08 class.

Checking in with a couple targets

A definite need for the ’08 class is offensive linemen. One possibility is three-star offensive tackle Nick Becton.

Becton’s coach at New Hanover High School in Wilmington, N.C., Kevin Motsinger, recently sat down with the Wilmington Star, and had this to say about Becton and another star lineman.

Q: You have two 300-pound linemen, Nick Becton and C.J. Brown. What are their strengths and how do you plan to use them this season?

A: We’re gonna run the football behind them. Against the teams we’re playing in our nonconference schedule, I don’t know too many people that can just line up and run against them, but we’re going to try. They’ve just got to continue to grow. … With Nick, it’s only his second year playing football and with C.J. it’s only his second year with his hand on the ground, because of the way they played before I got here. We’ve had to do a lot of teaching with both of them, a lot of work on technique. That’s what’s intriguing about them, their better football is to come. Some other guys there size around the state are more polished because they’ve been in the same system for four years.

It has been and will continue to be difficult for Ralph Friedgen and his staff to compete with the traditional football powers in recruiting. But Friedgen has done an excellent job identifying and landing guys who get overlooked for one reason or another. With just two years of football under his belt, Becton sounds like one of those guys.

One Maryland target who is most certainly not getting overlooked is Sanders Commings, a defensive back recruit from Augusta, Ga.

According to this article from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Commings is hoping to play football and baseball in college.

Commings, who is considering scholarship offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Florida and South Carolina, is scheduled to travel to Columbia on Saturday to visit the Gamecocks’ coaching staff.

Commings hopes to gain approval from South Carolina to participate in both sports. He says he’s already been granted permission to be a two-sport athlete at Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Maryland is noticeably absent from the list of schools mentioned above. However, three days earlier, the AJC ran this article:

Sanders Commings, Westside: The defensive back is mulling over offers from Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Maryland. "My parents want me to commit before the season because they don't want to risk losing anything because of an injury. I want to, because then I can focus totally on helping my team win and not worry about what might happen if I get hurt."

Georgia, Auburn and South Carolina are mentioned in both articles. The baseball story also throws Georgia Tech and Florida into the mix. So are in the Terps in contention or not? Is playing baseball a must?

Someone get Terry Rupp on the phone.

Other links of note

Thanks to an unusually long Wednesday (Sean Mosley’s noon press conference + waiting in the office to post the Matt Wieters story until 1:30 am = exhaustion), I’m going to lazily recycle a topic from last week with a new twist.

I asked ‘Recruiting Report’ readers who they most wanted to be Maryland’s second 2008 basketball commitment, and offered a list of Mosley, Chris Turner, Quintrell Thomas and Andre Young.

The poll results overwhelmingly favored a Mosley commitment, so it seems as if readers got their wish.

Now with Mosley on board, Young and Maryland going separate ways and Ralph Sampson emerging as a possibility, a new question must be posed:

How should Maryland handle its current scholarship situation?

Gary Williams and staff could use another scholarship on a 2008 player, or they could bank it and have two to work with for the class of 2009.

Here are the 2008 possibilities: