by MATT WHITFIELD

A little over ten years ago a running back by the name of William Green came out of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, N.J. with All-American accolades and went on to an impressive career at Boston College before being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Now, fast forward to 2010 and another running back by the name of Nigel Jones has the chance to be something special.

As only a sophomore last season Jones rushed for 1,179 yards and 19 touchdowns on the heels of a freshman year where he rushed for 1,206 yards and 14 touchdowns. Holy Spirit went 8-3 last season and made it all the way to the semifinals where they lost to perennial power St. Joseph’s of Montvale.

Jones, at 5-foot-11 and 203-pounds describes himself as a ‘work horse running back.’

“I would describe myself as a work horse running back with good size speed and power,” he said. “I love the big people that block for me and watch my back every carry.”

Jones so far has an offer from Rutgers coming very soon and heavy interest from Pittsburgh.

“I have one offer coming in September from Rutgers that will be my first and Pittsburgh has shown a lot of interest in the past two years,” said Jones.

Jones, who is being recruited as a running back at the next level, talked about his strengths on the field with NBE recently.

“I’m a very balanced player, I can run and get the corner or cut it up and pound the ball in between the tackles,” said Jones. “I also believe my work ethic can take me a long way on the college level. I pride myself on being a hard worker on the field and the weight room.”

Jones feels he can work on catching the ball out of the backfield and slot. However, to rush for over a thousand yards as a freshman and a sophomore at this high school level is a feat not many others can accomplish. Jones will surely have more coaches and scouts come through his high school in the coming months as Jones may be New Jersey’s top recruit for the Class of 2012.

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by MATT WHITFIELD

Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg (PA) has a history of producing high-level football talent. NFL players like LeSean McCoy and Ricky Watters have come through the program and numerous others have made D-1 programs. Noah Spence, a 6-3, 230-pound junior-to-be Defensive End, has a chance to be the best of all them though according to his coach Jeff Weachter.

Spence, despite being only a sophomore last season, had 60 tackles, 20 of which were tackles for loss, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, three batted balls, two fumbles recovered and one touchdown. His Bishop Mcdevitt team went 12-1 and returns recent Pittsburgh-commit Jameel Poteat as well this upcoming season.

Spense has already received 14 offers with interest from top tier programs such as Florida and USC.

“I have gotten interest from USC, Florida, Florida State and Oregon,” said Spence. “I have been offered by Cincinnati, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, NC State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, Tennessee and Virginia.”

Spence also added at this time he has, ‘no favorite yet.’

Spence describes himself as one that seeks out ball and makes plays.

“I would describe myself as a quick after the ball, smart football player that has an eye for the ball,” said Spence.

At the next level Spence is being recruited as a Defensive End and an Outside Linebacker. He feels his build is such that he’ll play that could play either position.

“I am being recruited for are Outside Linebacker and Defensive End. I think it’s my build and my mental use during the game and my motor and eye for the ball,” said Spence.

Spence will undoubtedly see more offers as he progresses and gets bigger and stronger. However, for now Spence wants to work on using his strength more effectively.

“I need work on using my strength more for the next level,” said Spence.

With the numbers he’s already put up at such a rich football program Spence is certainly one to keep an eye on this fall. Undoubtedly Stephen Strasburg won’t be the only athlete people flock to Harrisburg to see this year.

The Woodland Hills program in Western Pennsylvania is no stranger to producing big-time college football prospects. Names such as Jason Taylor, Steve Breaston, Ryan Mundy, Shawntae Spencer, Lousaka Polite and Rob Gronkowski have come through George Novak’s program in recent memory. In fact, between 2001 and 2010, Woodland Hills had over 30 players earn Division 1-A scholarships, the most in the talent-rich WPIAL.

The number will certainly rise once signing day in February of 2011 rolls around as the Wolverines have three players currently on Chris Dokish’s Class of 2011 PA Top 25 High School Football Players which was posted on NBE Football yesterday. At #12 is 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end prospect Quinton Jefferson, who is being heavily recruited by some top football programs across the country.

“Most active teams right now are Cincinnati, Iowa, Pitt and Maryland,” said Jefferson about his recruitment. “I would say the leaders right now are Pitt and Iowa.”

Being recruited as a defensive end, Jefferson has some explosiveness off the edge and could be as good as any pass rusher in the state this year. As a junior Jefferson counted five sacks and nine passes batted down while helping Woodland Hills to a 12-2 record. His highlight of the year was recording a sack at Heinz Field against rival Gateway as the Wolverines won the WPIAL championship, 10-0, on the home field of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The championship was the 6th for coach Novak (five at Woodland Hills and one at Steel Valley), a mark only two other coaches have achieved in the storied history of the WPIAL.

While Jefferson certainly has his mind on recruiting, he also is motivated for a successful senior season with the Wolverines and knows they will have a target on their backs as defending Class AAAA WPIAL champions.

“This summer I would like to maybe see some more colleges but I want tp work on concentrating on getting better for my senior season,” said Jefferson.

One of those colleges he has seen left a big impression on him. Jefferson visited the campus of Iowa earlier this month to get an up-close and personal view of Kirk Ferentz’s program. Ferentz is a native of Western PA himself, having graduated from Upper St. Clair High School in Pittsburgh.

“I have to set some more visits up,” said Jefferson, “but the visit that impressed me the most was Iowa. The campus is very nice and so are the people, [the]coaching staff is great and their art studio was the best I [had] seen so far, [it] just blew me away and that is what I wanna major in college.”

NBE Sports will certainly keep an eye on the recruitment of Quinton Jefferson as it sounds like he will be one of the next Division 1-A products from the football factory of Woodland Hills. Stay tuned…

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It’s a down year for talent in the state, both with the number of elite prospects and the overall number of high-major prospects, but there are still some very good players to be recruited.

The glamour positions of quarterback and wide receiver are severely lacking, and there are no elite offensive linemen or linebackers, but there is an excellent running back which is a rarity in the state, three excellent cornerbacks, and a slew of exciting pass rushers.

As always, the final rankings are my own, but only after talking to many high school coaches, college scouts, and independent scouts, such as Joe Butler of Metro Index Scouting.

1. Ben Koyack, Oil City HS (Oil City) TE – It’s not often that a tight end is the best player in the state, but there is little doubt that will be the case this year. At 6′5″ and 230 pounds, he has good size with a frame to get even bigger. He also possesses great hands to go along with good speed and athleticism. More of a threat as a receiver but is a willing and good blocker. Most of all, he just knows how to play football. Committed to NOTRE DAME over Penn State, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, LSU, California, Virginia Tech, USC, and many others. Bottom line – A perfect fit for new coach Brian Kelly and there’s no reason why he can’t be a star at the college level.

2. Jameel Poteat, Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) RB – At 5′10″ and 195 pounds, you would think he may have trouble being an every down back, but that’s not the case due to his solid body, tough inside running, and blocking ability. But to show what a versatile talent he is, he also has great feet, good quickness and speed, and excellent hands. Has over 40 offers and considers Pittsburgh (where cousin Hank Poteat played), Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati to be four of his final ten. The other six will come from a list of West Virginia, Wisconsin, USC, Washington, Tennessee, Boston College and Florida. Bottom line – Has it all except great size, but he offsets that will his vast array of skills.

3. Dondi Kirby, Gateway HS (Monroeville) CB/S – Terry Smith’s Gateway Gators are no strangers to the list as they produce multiple top prospects every season. At 6′2″ and 190 pounds, Kirby’s size, especially his height, is in the elite category for the position. His athleticism and quickness are excellent and could be enough to stay at the position, but if not, he could always be an excellent safety, or even a wide receiver. His impressive offer list includes Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Florida, Wisconsin and Iowa. Bottom line – Big athletes that can legitimately play cornerback are a rarity, but the fact that Kirby has that chance makes him highly coveted. Even if he can’t pull it off he should be a quality player at a different position.

4. Terrell Chestnut, Pottsgrove HS (Pottstown) CB – Solidly built and tough at 5′10 1/2″ and 185 pounds. Plays quarterback for Pottsgrove so he is inexperienced as a corner, but he has the elite athleticism, speed, and football skills to make the transition. Also can project as a dangerous punt returner. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, LSU, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Rutgers. Bottom line – Will have to learn the position, but his ideal speed and athleticism could eventually make him a quality corner and game breaking punt returner.

5. Kyshoen Jarrett, East Stroudsburg HS (East Stroudsburg) CB – Solidly built at 5′11″ and 180 pounds. Cover corner with excellent speed and athleticism but is well-rounded with the ability to come up strong against the run. A true corner who knows how to play the position. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Stanford and Virginia. Bottom line – Pretty even with Chestnut as a prospect and has what it takes to be a successful player at the next level.

6. Mike Caputo, West Allegheny HS (Imperial) S/LB – Became a WPIAL legend as a junior by going toe to toe with rival Rushel Shell, Hopewell’s ‘12 phenom, and by ending the season with over 2,600 yards and 38 touchdowns. Currently at 6′1″ and 200 pounds, Caputo has the speed and athleticism to play safety, but could also add some weight and play linebacker. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. Bottom line – A real western PA football player and class kid. The kind of player that every school wants in their program because he will be great both on and off the field.

7. Deion Barnes, Northeast HS (Philadelphia) DE – As we’ve said many times before, kids inside the city of Philadelphia often get under recruited, and that’s the case this time with Barnes. At 6′4″ and 220 pounds, he obviously needs to get much bigger, but he has the frame to do so. On the plus side, his arms are extremely long, his quickness on the pass rush is topnotch, and he is already strong for how lean he is. He is also tough against the run and closes just as fast on a running back as he does on a quarterback. Offers include Penn State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Georgia, Louisville and South Carolina. Bottom line – Pass rushers, especially fast ones with long arms, are highly coveted, and it’s a shame that he does not have more than a dozen offers.

8. Ejuan Price, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) LB – One of the more undervalued and underpublicized top prospects in the state this season, but one look at his film will show anybody that he is a big time player. Not big at 6′0″ 220, but he makes up for it with his elite level quickness and aggressiveness. Against both the run or the pass, he fires across the line of scrimmage like a rocket. Currently holds offers from Pittsburgh, Ohio State, West Virginia, Michigan State, Syracuse and Iowa. Bottom line – Many schools may not look at him because of his size, but that’s their mistake. As current 5′11″ Pitt (and former top 5 prospect from Penn Hills) starting middle linebacker Dan Mason proves, when you’re good, you don’t have to be over 6′ tall to be an excellent college linebacker.

9. Branden Jackson, McKeesport Area HS (McKeesport) DE – Another rangy 6′4″ 220 pounder with great quickness. Plays middle linebacker for the Tigers but with his great length and quickness, he will likely be a speed rusher at the college level. Skinny and needs to add a lot of muscle, but once he adds the weight, he could be a big time player. Offers include West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, Texas Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Louisville, Iowa and Virginia, among others. Bottom line – One of a handful of potential big time pass rushers coming out of the state this year.

10. Delvon Simmons, McKeesport Area HS (McKeesport) DT – Jackson’s partner in crime and every bit as good. Raw, but at 6′5″ and 265 pounds, he has the natural size, speed, and athleticism to be turned into a potential college star some day. Offers include Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Maryland, Connecticut, Louisville and Rutgers, among others. Bottom line – McKeesport always has a tough defense, but rarely have they had such a potentially dominating duo as Simmons and Jackson.

11. Desimon Green, Clairton HS (Clairton) DE – Class A power Clairton may be a small school but they are a power that routinely sends top prospects to top colleges. This year they may have their best prospect in many years in the 6′4″ 220 sack artist. A man among boys in Class A, Green has used his great length and speed over his sophomore and junior seasons to accumulate an amazing 50 sacks. Also an effective quarterback, and has some offers for that position, but his destiny is on the defensive line. Local school Pittsburgh may be the favorite, but Texas Tech is a sleeper. Both have offered as have West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse and half of the MAC schools. Bottom line – Once he gets bigger, the sky is the limit due to his excellent length and speed.

12. Quinton Jefferson, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) DE – The third of the three excellent WPIAL defensive end prospects this year, but he’s only third on the list because somebody has to be. At 6′3″ and 225 pounds, he is in the same size range as the other top DE prospects in the state, and he also has the same explosiveness off the edge. Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Boston College, Wisconsin, Maryland, Iowa and Cincinnati are among his offers. Bottom line – It’s the year of the pass rusher in the state and Jefferson has the potential to be as good as any of them.

13. Ben Kline, Dallastown Area HS (Dallastown) LB – Solid, blue collar middle linebacker with decent 6′2″ 220 pound size, good strength, and topnotch intangibles. Should get bigger and stronger, and then become a very good run stopper in the middle of the defense. Chose PITTSBURGH over West Virginia, Michigan, Boston College, UConn, Rutgers, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Illinois, and Duke. Bottom line – Physically, he is not at the elite level at any aspect of his game, but he is above average at everything. Combine that with his toughness and intangibles and you have a future quality starter in college.

14. Kevin Reihner, Scranton Prep (Scranton) OG – It’s a poor year for offensive linemen in the state, but this tough brawler would be near the top of the list in any year. At 6′3″ and 275 pounds, he will need to add size, but he is an extremely brutal and aggressive run blocker that goes all out until the whistle blows. He even once blocked a defensive lineman 30 yards until both ended up in the end zone. Father was an offensive lineman for both Penn State and the Houston Oilers. Excellent student who wants to be a doctor. Chose STANFORD over Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Syracuse, Minnesota, Northwestern, and North Carolina State. Bottom line- A brawler with brains and you can’t ask for two better traits in a guard.

15. Shawn Oakman, Penn Wood HS (Lansdowne) DE – Yet another defensive end, but at 6′8″ and 240 pounds he isn’t exactly cut from the same cloth. Needless to say, his height is at the elite level, and the only concern is if he has stopped growing yet. Muscular, but can put on another 30-40 pounds easily. A mid-major basketball prospect with offers from Temple and LaSalle, but his quickness is only adequate. Football offers include Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, North Carolina State and UConn. Bottom line – You can’t teach 6′8″ so schools are going to be tempted to see what they can do with him, if he decides to play football.

16. Armstead Williams, Gateway HS (Monroeville) LB – Once again Terry Smith puts multiple players near the top of the list, this time with the 6′2″ 200 pound Williams. Quick and fast enough to play wide receiver for the Gators, and he could play at that position at the next level, but more than likely he will end up on the defensive side of the ball. Must get stronger and more physical if he does stay on defense. Offers include Michigan, Boston College, Illinois, Maryland, Louisville, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Purdue and North Carolina State. Bottom line – Has the makings of a very athletic and quick college linebacker.

17. Paul Gaughan, Dunmore HS (Dunmore) OT – Great size at 6′6″ 280, plus he has the frame to add more. Moves very well for his size and could possibly pan out on the left side. Excellent student with a 3.7 GPA. Has offers from Boston College, Michigan, Wisconsin, Stanford, Maryland, Illinois, Syracuse and Northwestern among others. Bottom line – Has the natural size and intelligence that schools covet for the position, especially if he proves that he can make it at left tackle.

18. Jordan Kerner, Fairview HS (Fairview) DE – At 6′5″ he has great height for the position, plus the frame to add to his current 230 pounds. Strong with good straight line speed. Plays all out on every play and even excels on special teams by making tackles on kick and punt coverage, and blocking field goals. Could also end up at tight end. Has offers from West Virginia, Boston College, Rutgers, Iowa, Maryland and Minnesota. Bottom line – Good natural size combined with good athletic skills and all out hustle makes him intriguing.

19. Brandon Clemons, Delaware Valley, Delaware Valley HS (Milford) – OG/DT- Very raw, but at 6′4″ and 250 pounds he has the frame to get much bigger. If he can keep his speed and quickness then he could be a real find. Tore his meniscus in his knee last season but played through it. Had surgery in November and appears to be healthy now. Projects equally well on both sides of the ball. Has offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland, UConn and Boston College. Bottom line – Raw but physically impressive. Has a high ceiling.

20. Brandon Cottom, Council Rock North HS (Newtown) RB/LB – Physically imposing 6′2″ 230 pound beast who is athletic and fast enough to return punts and kicks last season (returning a few for touchdowns). Projects equally well on both sides of the ball but it looks like he may get a look at running back first. Smart kid who wants to be an airline pilot. Chose PURDUE over Cincinnati, Rutgers, Duke, Syracuse, Illinois, and Minnesota.

21. Dexter Bridge, Conestoga HS (Berwyn) WR – Under recruited athlete who has good 6′2″ 185 pound size, speed, athleticism, and leaping ability. Runs smooth routes and has good hands. Has only two offers, from Illinois and North Carolina State, but more should come his way eventually. Bottom line – May not be a star at the next level, but has all the tools to be an effective starter eventually.

22. Tyler Kroft, Downingtown East HS (Exton) TE – At 6′5″ and 220 pounds, he obviously will need a few years to add good weight, but he has the frame to do so. Once he does get the size, he has good speed, athleticism, and hands to go with it. More of a receiver in high school so blocking is something he will need to learn. Chose RUTGERS over West Virginia, Boston College, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Northwestern, and UConn. Bottom line- it will take a few years to get tight end size, learn to play the position, and to learn how to block, but eventually he could be a good college player.

23. Artie Rowell, Central Dauphin HS (Harrisburg) OG/C – At only 6′2″, he is limited to the interior line, but he is a solid, and well proportioned, 295 pounds. Very strong with quick feet. Chose PITTSBURGH over Northwestern and Temple. Bottom line- A solid prospect who should be able to play for the Panthers in the future.

24. Andrew Zeller, Red Lion Area HS (Red Lion) – One of the bigger surprises of this recruiting class as the 6′5″ 280 pound lineman was only 6′1″ and 220 pounds prior to last season. The best part is that he has kept his athleticism and speed. Has offers from Oregon, Rutgers, Maryland and Duke. Bottom line – Still a sleeper, but somebody may end up with a steal.

25. Lafayette Pitts, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) CB/RB – Not big at 5′10″ and 175 pounds, and he doesn’t possess elite speed or quickness, but he runs hard, is elusive, and knows how to play the game. Also an excellent special teams player, especially returning kicks and punts. Has offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Maryland, Iowa and Illinois.

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On Friday afternoon, Belton decided to end his recruitment and make a verbal commitment to Dave Wannstedt’s program at Pittsburgh.

Belton told NBE Sports that Pitt was recruiting him as a slot receiver. The 5-foot-10, 187-ob Belton mainly lined at at quarterback this past season where he passed for 14 touchdowns and ran for 15 more and accounted for nearly 3,000 yards of total offense.

That type of season had plenty of colleges lining up to offer Belton scholarships.

“Florida, Penn State, Cincy, Louisville, West Virginia, Maryland [and] South Carolina,” replied Belton when asked what other offers he considered when choosing the Panthers.

The Panthers continue to do well in the loaded Jersey 2011 class, picking up their third verbal commitment from the Garden State. In addition to Belton, Gary Nova of Don Bosco and Quinton Alston of Timber Creek have also committed to Pitt.

“My parents, Pitt’s coaching staff and my coach” where the factors playing the biggest role in Belton’s decision to commit.

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by JOHN TALTY

When a football player gets labeled an athlete it almost always is because of that player’s versatility.

That theory holds particularly true for Sherwood (Md.) 6-foot, 170-pound athlete Jamal Merritt.

Merritt has experience at wide receiver, cornerback and safety for his team and is subsequently being recruited at each position by different schools. He expects to get a better idea of what position he wants to play in college during his senior season, but right now is content to play whatever necessary.

“Right now I’ll just play wherever the coach wants me to play but as the season goes on that’s when I’ll get a better feel for what I want to play,” Merritt said. “That will be one of the main things that will help me choose what school I want.”

Currently he has offers from Rutgers, East Carolina and Ohio while West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Temple are showing a lot of interest.

There is no current favorite at this point as Merritt wants to wait to see what other offers might come in but he did have glowing words about one Big East school.

“I like how on game day they always have a lot of fan support,” he said about Rutgers. “I also really like how the program has progressed over the year. They weren’t always he best team but have gotten better and shows the coaches are doing a good job and teaching the kids.”

“How a school progresses over the years is very important to me.”

Progression along with academics, the football program and campus life will prove to be the most important factors. Merritt stressed that although football has to be a major factor, it can’t be the only attraction at the school.

“I’m looking for a good environment at the school—good students, good campus life,” he said. “I’m very interested in what goes beyond just football like whether I’d like the school and the students that go there if I wasn’t playing football.”

Next week he will be visiting West Virginia and has trips planned for Rutgers, East Carolina and Ohio soon. He also would like to make a trip out to Pittsburgh and plans to drop by Maryland a few times because of its close proximity.

After those visits he hopes to have a finalized top five by the end of the summer. At that point he will evaluate which schools are the most serious and try to come to a decision.

In addition to all of the recruiting excitement, Merritt is already pumped about leading his team to a state championship.

“Our expectations for this year are to win a state championship and just never, ever take a play off,” he said. “I’m going to try to play perfect, mistake free football but just going 100% all the time and hope that we win every game.”

**For more recruiting updates by John Talty check out EastCoastRecruiting.com**

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2011 Red Bank Catholic (NJ) tight end Jack Tabb has been following the story of conference realignment fairly intently and finds the whole story very intriguing.

“I think it’s all pretty interesting,” Tabb said. “I heard Rutgers might be going to the Big 10 and I think it could be a good fit for them.”

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end has proven himself as one of the top tight ends on the East Coast and has already reeled in 18 offers from some top-notch programs.

But none might be bigger than the offer from SEC powerhouse Florida.

“I’m very excited about Florida it’s probably my biggest offer,” Tabb said. “They have obviously won some recent national championships and have a good APR rating.”

Florida also might benefit from Tabb’s admiration of the SEC. Although his playing style might be more reminiscent of the Big-10—he loves pancaking opponents, he also loves all of the speed that exists within the SEC.

“I definitely like the SEC a lot because it’s all about speed,” he said. “Even though I’m a bigger player I still like to utilize my speed and play like that.”

In addition to Florida, Tabb has offers from such programs as Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia and West Virginia.

He recently decided to make a third trip to Rutgers this past weekend and yet again had a great time at the home state school.

“It was a great visit—a very relaxed day,” he said. “It was cool to each lunch with other recruits like Miles (Shuler) and Savon (Huggins).

“I talk to Miles a lot and we congratulate each other on new offers. But we also kind of look around at (Rutgers) and think what could be.”

Rutgers has put a lot of time and effort in recruiting him and the tight end has developed a good relationship with head coach Greg Schiano.

Schiano along with Maryland assistant James Franklin have made quite the impression on him.

“They say what they feel—they won’t mess with you,” he said. “They don’t spit any bull to you they just tell you exactly how it is.”

This summer Tabb along with his mother plan to go on quite a few visits to see different colleges. There is a Florida visit to see Miami, Florida, South Florida and Central Florida; a Carolina visit to see North Carolina and NC State, and a Midwest visit to look at Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Cincinnati.

There is no current timetable on a decision for Tabb though he claims he won’t wait until National Signing Day, but still needs more time to visit other schools.

He anticipates majoring in broadcast journalism and will look for a school with a good journalism program.

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WR Justin Scott (5-11, 205) of Camilla (GA) plans to announce his commitment Saturday at the state track meet. ScottWake Forest and South Carolina in the next two weeks. He has offers from the Gamecocks, Wake Forest, Louisville, Georgia, Georgia Tech, East Carolina, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Maryland.
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TE Drew Owens (6-5, 230) of Charlotte has decided to open his recruiting back up after narrowing things a little bit. He had South Carolina and North Carolina as his top two, but now he says there are no favorites. He’s doing this because he recently picked up offers from Louisville, Michigan, South Florida and Illinois. He also has offers from South Carolina, Clemson, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, East Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Duke. He plans to have a new top five before this season and those will be his official visits.
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LB Marcquis Roberts (6-1, 205) of Powder Springs (GA) is still favoring South Carolina over offers from Wisconsin, Memphis and Louisville. Gamecock recruiter GA Mangus was in recently, along with recruiters from Florida State and Purdue. Mangus is expected back for his spring game Saturday. He doesn’t plan to make a decision until mid-season.
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DB Geraldo Orta (6-0 180) of Valdosta (GA) has landed offers from Clemson and South Carolina. Orta also has an offer from Tennessee and is also getting interest from North Carolina, Illinois, Central Florida, Georgia, Troy and Louisville. Right now he’s favoring Clemson over Auburn, Tennessee and North Carolina. Orta plays cornerback and safety.
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ATH Ronald Baines (6-1 180) of Voorhees (NJ) is still waiting on that first offer and will be attending camps from May through July to be evaluated by the coaches. One of his camp stops will be South Carolina in early June. Schools showing interest include USC, Temple, Penn State, Michigan, South Florida, Connecticut, Tennessee, Rutgers and Kentucky.
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NBE Sports has watched plenty of Penn Wood (PA) High School big man Shawn Oakman on the basketball court, where he is a Division I prospect at 6-foot-8, 240-pounds. However his future might be on the gridiron at the college level as a defensive end as Oakman is Up to Six Division 1-A Offers (PennLive.com) in football.

Oakman has received offers from Connecticut, North Carolina State, Penn State, Pitt, Rice, and South Carolina. Schools like Michigan, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia and West Virginia have shown interest.
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Bowling Green, Illinois, Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Syracuse, Texas Tech and West Virginia have all offered Desimon Green as Clairton’s Green is Up to 10 Offers (PennLive.com). Green doubles as both a quarterback and a defensive lineman for Clairton which has gone 30-2 the last two seasons. The 6’4, 215-pound senior-to-be had a productive junior season at quarterback, throwing for more than 1,500 yards and running for more than 800 yards, accounting for more than 20 total touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball he has been a dominant pass-rusher, accounting for more than 45 sacks the last two seasons.
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Dallastown’s Ben Kline has received scholarship offers from Boston College, UCONN, Maryland, Michigan, Pitt, Rutgers, Vanderbilt and West Virginia as WR/LB Kline is Up to 8 Offers (PennLive.com).
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This past Friday night, the Neshaminy (PA) ‘Skins upended league rival Truman 28-8 to move to 4-1 overall in 2009 and even their Suburban One League record at 1-1 on the season. It was their 14th consecutive win over Truman and got the ‘Skins back on the winning track following their first loss of the season the week prior to Abington.

One major contributor to the ‘Skins success is 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior (2011) linebacker /fullback Corey Majors. Majors has been a force on both sides of the ball this season and had the athletic ability to play on either side. however, he wants to play linebacker in college and tells NBE Sports that is the position most colleges are also recruiting him for. Already, colleges are making him a priority in the 2011 class.

“Pitt offered,” Majors told NBE prior to Friday’s contest with Truman. “My favorites in order are, Rutgers , [Penn] State , Pitt and Boston College.”

Last year, Rutgers came into Neshaminy and signed TE Paul Carrezola, so the Scarlet Knights have a close tie to the Neshaminy High School program, and that has definitely paid dividends early on with their recruitment of Majors.

“Not sure when I will start visiting [schools] most likely after the season is over,” said Majors. “I really want to see Rutgers and Pitt.”

Majors also mentioned that Connecticut, North Carolina State and Syracuse are also recruiting him. for now, however, Major and his Neshaminy High School teamates have more pressing concerns, like winning the Suburban One League and moving into the states.

“My goal is, of course, make it to playoffs and possibly states as a team,” said Majors. “Personally, I do not want to ever be satisfied and continue to get better.”

Big East fans and east coast recruitniks alike should keep the name Carey Majors in mind over the next year, he just might be a player that will be competing in the Big East in the not-so-distant future.

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One key member to this year’s success for coach Glenn McNamee’s Rams is 6-foot, 190-lb senior (2010) Paul Coleman. Coleman makes an impact in several ways for Central Dauphin, whether it is bolstering the defensive backfield or returning kicks. Already this season, Coleman has returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown against Harrisburg, had a 54-year punt return and intercepted a pass. While the individual accomplishments are nice, Coleman is looking for big things from his team during his senior season.

“My goals for this season are just to go out and win a state championship,” Coleman told NBE Sports this week. “Any individual accomplishments that come along would be great, but right now I’m just trying to help my team win.”

The Rams showed they are a team to be reckoned with by beating an undefeated State College team, 24-22, that was ranked #4 in the state.

Playing in an area that is a football hotbed with a traditionally strong program has several colleges keeping an eye on Coleman as a possible addition to their program in the future. Most schools, including a couple from the Big East, are recruiting him as a safety at the college level.

“I’m getting recruited by Louisville, Pitt, Marshall, Buffalo, Army, Navy, Maryland, Lafayette and I’ve been offered by Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lehigh,” said Coleman. “I really still don’t have a favorite, I’m just letting the season play out right now.”

Coleman has taken the opportunity to visit both Big East schools showing interest, Pitt and Louisville, and is hoping to see Maryland and Buffalo in the near future. He is also taking a trip to Annapolis this weekend to check out the program at the Naval Academy and has a visit planned to Lehigh in November. He has also visited Bucknell and Lafayette previously.

NBE Sports will continue to monitor the recruitment of Coleman and the season for Central Dauphin as they work toward winning a championship.
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