For the past eight years, Carroll Washington has been the quarterback.

From Pop Warner to the Edmondson varsity, Washington’s been used to running the show. The 6-foot, 185-pounder has played the position to high acclaim, throwing for nearly 1,800 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior, while rushing for 434 yards and six scores, according to Rivals.com.

But with recruiting in full swing for the 2009 prospect, it’s become clear that Washington’s collegiate future lies at a position other than quarterback. His size and speed (4.46 hand-timed 40) have college coaches eyeing him as a cornerback or slot receiver.

For Washington, who’s still waiting on his first scholarship offer, changing positions in college is something he’s come to accept, and ultimately embrace.

Has it been difficult coming to the realization that you’ll probably play cornerback or slot, not quarterback, in college?

It took me a while to let that go. It took a lot of people to talk to me and make me realize it’s something I have to do to move on to the next level. It’s something I’ve got to do. There are a lot of colleges out there that said they like me better at [another] position. But I just want to be on the team and contribute as best as I can.

What schools are you hearing from?

Maryland, West Virginia, Rutgers, UConn, U.Va., Eastern Michigan, Delaware State, Akron, Boston College, Tennessee.

You’ve made unofficial visits to Rutgers and Maryland. How were those trips?

Rutgers, I went down there for a game and the fans were just off the wall. It just blew my mind because it was the first time being on a big college stage. The fans were nice -- they welcomed me in like I was one of the freshmen. It was just a special moment. ...

Maryland -- same thing -- blew my mind once again. Their campus is really huge. It’s very nice. It’s just amazing how the atmosphere changes from Baltimore to all the way down there [in College Park]. It’s very nice.

What are you hoping for in your performance at Maryland’s camp this week, and what have the Terps coaches told you?

I’m hoping to perform to my best ability, try out new things at defensive back and possibly even slot receiver. They told me at this point that I would look good at defensive back because that’s what they’re in need of. And my ability could fit them at cornerback.

You’re camping at West Virginia next week. What have those coaches told you?

They talked to me, and basically said they liked me at slot or [defensive back], but slot more because they need more receivers. Their receiving corps is kind of thin right now, so they think they could use me at slot.

Do you feel that these upcoming camps will make or break your recruiting picture?

Yes. I feel my future is based on these camps right now. It makes me feel like I have to go in there and give 110 percent on everything I do. Just walking in there, I’ll have to give 110 percent. ... Right now, [performing well at the camps is] all I’m worried about -- just selling out on everything I do. That’s just a must.

Credit: Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.

Click on the YouTube player for highlights from Washington's sophomore season.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

If there were any doubts about Jonathan Perry’s ability to play quarterback at the next level, the Dunbar standout erased those thoughts two months ago in Akron, Ohio.

At Scout.com’s 7-on-7 passing tournament in March, Perry quarterbacked the Maryland team to the championship, throwing eight touchdowns in six games.

“That was fun because we played against the top juniors across the nation,” Perry said. “Logan Heastie, the wide receiver that committed to West Virginia and [W.Va. quarterback commitment] Tahj Boyd, we shut them down. People down there underestimated us because we were a lot smaller, but no team was athletic enough for us.”

Since the 7-on-7 tournament, Perry and his Dunbar teammates have played host to a number of college coaches. Perry, 6 feet 3, 193 pounds, spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his recruitment.

What’s the latest on your recruiting?

UConn came down [to Dunbar] and it seems like they’re interested. Illinois has been down. I’ve just got to get bigger, improve on my grades and go to a couple college camps. And Maryland said they liked me a lot, too.

Do you think any schools might be close to offering?

I think the closest one is Connecticut. [UConn offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Rob Ambrose] came in, sized me up and said that I could play quarterback. ... But I guess I’ve got to keep my grades up. If I keep my grades up, he can keep recruiting me. He’s one of the realest coaches I’ve met. Rob Ambrose, he came in and was straightforward.

What are you doing to make sure you’re fully qualified?

I’ve been taking SAT classes. ... Hopefully I’ll just keep taking it and get a higher score. I have SAT prep every Tuesday and Thursday, so I’m just keeping my head in the books. I have a tutor. I was taking some classes at Dunbar -- we had some students from Johns Hopkins helping us out, but now I’ve got a one-on-one tutor.

Has it been fun going through the recruiting process with your teammates?

When most coaches come in, I’m in there with all those guys -- Tevin [Brown], Sean [Farr], Tavon [Austin] and Gary [Onuekwusi] -- we’ve got the big five. One of our defensive lineman is starting to hear from schools like Tennessee, James Madison. I’ve been talking to James Madison, too. But the process is just fun. It’s just like a dream, [the possibility of] just playing college football.

Has there been any talk from coaches about trying you at a position other than quarterback?

[West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel] asked me what I would want to play in college and I told him quarterback because I’ve been playing quarterback all my life. He didn’t say any particular position, he just asked. ... I know I’ve got the ability [to play quarterback]. But as long as I’m getting on the field, I’ll go to receiver or the secondary -- as long as I’m getting a free education.

Credit: Sun photo by Kim Hairston

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

After rushing for 1,300 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior season, River Hill running back/slot receiver Malek Redd was optimistic that scholarship offers would begin to arrive.

That hasn’t happened yet, but the 5-foot-6, 171-pounder has taken important steps this spring to make sure the offers do eventually come through. For Redd, one of those steps took place about a week and a half ago on the campus of Rutgers.

“I just actually went to the Big Time Showcase combine up in New Jersey and I ran a 4.35, hand-timed [40],” Redd said. “I’ve been training with my coach and I’ve been running 4.3s, but I just hadn’t run it at camps. ... So I was really excited because I had the top time at the camp.”

Redd spoke with Recruiting Report recently about the importance of combine and camp experiences in his recruitment.

What’s the latest on your recruiting?

Actually, UNLV apparently is going to offer soon and I’ve been keeping in contact with West Virginia and a lot of other coaches -- Syracuse, Temple, and I actually visited Connecticut a couple weeks ago. ... I’ve also been talking to [Tony White] the linebackers coach at New Mexico.

How did New Mexico get involved in your recruitment?

Because [coach White] was at UCLA and I was at their camp last year and he was the linebackers coach. I was doing really well against the linebackers there. So he asked me for my contact info. Then he went from UCLA to New Mexico.

Do you expect to receive an offer from New Mexico?

He said that they’re kind of waiting to offer, but they’re definitely going to because they have a lot of big receivers and they need a small, speedy guy.

What have the West Virginia coaches been telling you?

I was talking to the coach at West Virginia and they just want me to come to camp. Because with guys like me, all they have to do is get the ball in my hands and I just go.

Which camps do you plan on attending this summer?

Actually, we have a whole schedule. Boston College, Syracuse, Temple, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio State, Oregon and Akron.

Since you’re traveling to Oregon for camp, and receiving interest from New Mexico and UNLV, would you be comfortable going to a school out west?

Yeah, I’m going to go wherever it’s the best fit for me because I travel out west a lot. My stepfather’s a boxing manger and he has a lot of fighters in California.

What have coaches been saying you need to do to receive offers?

Just a lot of coaches have been talking to me and telling me they want me to come to their prospect camps. The regular camps are still teaching kids. Prospect camps are the big-time camps for top prospects that they may offer. I just want to go up against those guys.

What are the next camps on tap for you?

June 3 [I’ll be] at the Scout.com combine in Baltimore, and June 8 I’ve got the Wake Forest camp.

What are the chances that you end up at Wake Forest with River Hill teammate Michael Campanaro?

I think we’ll probably end up at separate schools. When we were freshmen and sophomores we kind of wanted to go to the same school, but now we’re just looking for the right fit for us.

Have you enjoyed the recruiting process?

I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready for the offers to start coming in. I’m ready to get it over with really.

Click on the YouTube player to see Redd’s junior highlights.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

There’s an early favorite in the recruitment of Dunbar linebacker Tevin Brown.

Brown, who recorded 134 tackles, seven interceptions, five forced fumbles and six sacks during the Poets’ run to the 1A state title, is currently receiving interest from West Virginia, Akron, James Madison, Delaware State, Bowie State and Morgan State.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder is still waiting for his first offer, but in a month and a half, he’ll have an opportunity to state his case for a scholarship on the campus of the school he currently favors.

Brown spoke with Recruiting Report recently about that school and his recruitment.

Brown sacks Fort Hill quarterback Rich Shook during the second quarter of the 1A state championship game / AP photo by Gail Burton

Do you plan on going to any camps this summer?

West Virginia. They want me to come down June 29, see my size, how I move on the field and see what position I'd actually play in college. Right now they’re not sure if I could play outside linebacker or strong safety. [They’ve seen me] on film -- now they just want to see me in person.

Do you have plans to visit any other schools?

I do have plans to visit [Akron]. They're just telling me they’re interested and that I could [possibly] be a part of their program. But right now my favorite school out of all these is West Virginia.

Have you visited West Virginia yet?

Me, [Dunbar running back] Tavon Austin and [Dunbar quarterback] Jonathan Perry went down there. We went -- I don't remember the exact day -- but it was for the Junior Day.

What do you like best about West Virginia?

I like their athletic program. I also like the players and the atmosphere as far as academics and athletics. The facilities were nice and the coaching staff too -- they talked to you and made me very interested in coming down there [for camp]. I also heard from the students that it's a good academic school, because I want to go to school for physical education. It's easy to adapt to.

How helpful has it been going through the recruiting process with your teammates?

It’s been helpful. ... Tavon is doing it for all of us. He opened up the door for all of us. We never would've expected some of these schools to step foot in Baltimore. He opened the door for the whole team. And not only us, but all of Baltimore. All the big Division I schools are coming through. And I'm very thankful for that.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Last month, Loyola safety Terence Garvin saw his Dons teammate, quarterback Leon Kinnard, end his recruiting process by offering a verbal commitment to UConn.

If Garvin has his way, he’ll join Kinnard as a committed Division I prospect sooner rather than later.

“We’re probably going to go to camps [this summer],” Garvin said. “I got invited to the combine at Penn State. [I could do camps at] Maryland and West Virginia, but that’s if I’m not committed yet. I would like to be committed before the summer, but that’s depending on where I’m going.”

Garvin, 6 feet 2, 210 pounds, sports offers from the Terps and Mountaineers. Garvin spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his recruitment.

What do you like about West Virginia?

Well the coach was telling me he runs a defense called the 3-3-5 defense, and that kind of caught my attention because he was saying three safeties play on the field at the same time. And he said he likes my size and I’d be able to blitz a lot. I know traditionally they’re pretty good. They’re bringing in a lot of [commitments so far].

What other schools have you heard from?

Syracuse is talking to me a lot and North Carolina State. Syracuse, their [running backs] coach [Randy Trivers] was at our school [Tuesday]. And he was saying I’m pretty close to getting offered by them. They like me. They like me more as an outside linebacker type, or at free safety.

What stood out about your visit to Syracuse?

I went up there a couple weeks ago. I like their history. I saw Heisman trophies for the first time up there -- it was Ernie Davis’ trophy. It was pretty nice. They've got a whole lot of history with Jim Brown and everything. And The [Carrier] Dome was kind of nice.

How was your visit to Maryland for the spring game last weekend?

It was very enjoyable. That was the first time I’ve ever seen them play at the field. It wasn’t completely packed, but you could see the atmosphere. It gets kind of loud out there if it does get packed. And the field is pretty nice, too. They’re reconstructing stuff so it’s going to get bigger, so I kind of like that.

Who is recruiting you for Maryland?

[Maryland defensive coordinator] Chris Cosh. He’s a real person -- he tells you what’s really going to happen. He kind of likes my size. I’d have a chance at being a strong safety, maybe an outside linebacker, but [I’d play] more of a safety position.

What’s next for your recruitment? Is any school standing out?

I’m just trying to see the right place where I can be. I’ve been up to Maryland a whole lot, and right now, I like it a lot up there. But I have to visit West Virginia, and I like Syracuse. North Carolina State, I’ve never been there, but I’m supposed to visit. But I like Maryland a lot right now.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

It’s been a busy few months for Arundel wide receiver Alec Lemon.

After a season in which the 6-foot-2, 175-pound junior reeled in 70 passes for 969 yards and 13 touchdowns for the 4A runner-up Wildcats, Lemon has been sending highlight film to colleges, sorting through mail, chatting with coaches and taking visits to several interested schools -- including Connecticut, Louisville, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

While it’s been crazy and at times stressful, Lemon’s had the help of two teammates that just recently finished the recruiting process themselves -- quarterback Nick Elko, who signed with Delaware State, and wide receiver Brandon Johnson-Farrell, who inked with Rhode Island.

“When they see me walking around with all these letters ... they’ll tell me, ‘Oh, this is a good one,’ or ‘Oh, this is the one they send to everyone,’” Lemon said.

Lemon, who’s waiting on his first DI scholarship offer, spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his recruitment.

What were your impressions of UConn?

Their program is on the rise, and they’ve been good the past couple of years. All of the athletic facilities are brand new. Their weight room is 18,000 square feet. Everything there is brand new and real nice. ... The coaches are real nice. When I first went to UConn, they let me sit in the position meeting with the wide receivers to see what they do.

What did you like best about Louisville?

Well I liked their offense, the spread offense, which is what we run at my school. It’s a high-powered offense. Every play looks like they can score at will. Their facilities are big, their weight room is big, too. They have an indoor practice facility and two outdoor facilities. The stadium is really big.

Do you have any favorites at this point?

Right now I’m open to anyone, but UConn, I feel like they’re high on my list. That’s who I like right now, but I’m still open to all colleges.

What do you have planned for the summer?

I’ll be going to some camps in the summer, hitting up some combines. I’m going to the Nike combine (at M&T Bank Stadium) this Saturday. I’ll hopefully take some more visits, go to some spring games and practices.

What camps do you plan on attending?

I’m signed up for Clemson, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Maryland and UConn. Those are all day camps.

How do you feel about having such a busy summer?

My whole summer is pretty much gone with all the football camps I’m going to. ... At some times I feel like I’m missing a lot with my summer, but I also see it’ll benefit me in going to college with all these camps. It seems like [colleges] want to see me at camp first and see what I can do. Then hopefully the scholarships will come ... But it should be fun this summer.

Click on the video player below for Lemon’s junior highlights.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

After a sophomore season in which Emmanuel Yeager threw for 1,930 yards and 18 touchdowns, and rushed for 350 yards and six scores, the Ballou (D.C.) quarterback measured in at 6 feet, 176 pounds during an offseason combine.

But between then and now, Yeager sprouted two inches, and added nearly 20 pounds to his frame, thanks to late nights in the weight room, eating four times a day, and following Ballou coach Moses Ware’s advice to just “lift, lift, lift.”

Yeager’s current 6-foot-2, 195-pound size, in addition to a successful junior season and a couple of standout combine performances this spring have elevated his recruiting profile. Yeager, who sports offers from Pittsburgh and Richmond, spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his recruitment.

What are your impressions of Pittsburgh?

[Former Terps wide receivers] coach [Bryan] Bossard is now at Pitt and I’m pretty familiar with him. [Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks] coach [Matt] Cavanaugh, is a great position coach. His offense is pretty similar to what we do at Ballou. They do a lot of things from play-action, have a strong running game that sets up the pass. They have a great running back in LeSean McCoy.

What other schools are recruiting you?

Tennessee, they were recruiting me since my 10th-grade year. Their interest has escalated along with Alabama, Syracuse and also Illinois, UVa. ... I’m pretty much just keeping my options open. Also Nebraska, I called and tried to touch base with [offensive coordinator and quarterbacks] coach Shawn Watson. They’ve been showing a lot of interest as of late. Actually, they’ve shown more interest than Tennessee. It’s probably Pittsburgh, Richmond, UVa, Nebraska and Syracuse.

Where does Maryland factor in to your recruitment?

Coach [James] Franklin told me that being a scholarship player for the University of Maryland, your film has to be evaluated at a 35. He told me they had me at a 38. Maryland’s pretty high on my list, but I’m sort of in limbo because I don’t know where I stand. I like their campus, it’s not really far away from home at all, but I don’t really know where I stand. ... My film was evaluated very high and I’m just waiting to see, to tell you the truth.

How would you describe your game?

We run a spread offense, a lot of run-and-gun. It’s a no-huddle offense. I have a strong knowledge for the game; a lot of poise to throw the ball under duress. I would label myself as a dual threat. If the play breaks down, I can make a play with my legs as well as my arm.

What do you have on tap for the rest of the spring?

On May 8 I’m attending the Elite Combine in New Jersey, and I’m going to be attending the Nike Combine at Penn State, and I will be making some trips to Maryland to get a more in-depth experience with Coach Franklin and observe his coaching style. I’ll also be going to Syracuse, North Carolina and Illinois for summer camps.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)