Georgia Bulldogs: Virginia Tech Hokies
NORMAN, Okla. -- Last year at this time nobody had heard of quarterback David Cornwell (Norman, Okla./North). He hadn’t started a varsity game. He certainly didn’t have any offers, and he wasn’t on anybody’s radar.
My how things change. Cornwell, who is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, is now ranked No. 24 in the ESPN 150 and the No. 1 pocket passer. As for offers, yeah, he’s got some of those, too.
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#BlueChipBattles: ESPN 150 release edition
April, 19, 2013
Apr 19
12:49
PM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Student Sports, ESPN, ESPNSpeedy Noil, Adoree Jackson and Da'Shawn Hand are three of the most coveted recruits in the Class of 2014.
: RecruitingNation summoned its writers from around the country to outline the recruiting battles for the ESPN 150's top 10 prospects.
Plus, rank the battles in SportsNation.
#TopFBMixtapes: Athlete mixtapes are all the rage in this highlight-crazed era of sports. We reached out to our Twitter followers to find out which 2014 football stars had the best highlight reels on YouTube, then had our staff rank and comment on the top submissions.
Tom Luginbill writes
: After talking to many coaches across the country and hearing their frustrations, here are their five biggest complaints about homemade highlight videos.
BUFORD, Ga. -- The Atlanta Nike Football Training Camp is always loaded with the region’s top juniors looking to earn an invitation to The Opening and learn from the professional instructors there. This year the Atlanta NFTC had over 300 prospects from 20 different states in attendance. A number of sophomores also attended, wanting not only the instruction, but to try their hand against the older players.
This year five freshmen were also invited to attend. Two of them, cornerback Khalil Ladler (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) and defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson Jr. (Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove), made strong impressions on the instructors there.
Ladler stunned former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Ray Buchanan, who was there coaching the defensive backs.
This year five freshmen were also invited to attend. Two of them, cornerback Khalil Ladler (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) and defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson Jr. (Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove), made strong impressions on the instructors there.
Ladler stunned former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Ray Buchanan, who was there coaching the defensive backs.
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Editor's note: Finding the Future is a RecruitingNation feature that will appear throughout camps and combine season, ranking prospects strictly on their on-field performance at the particular event. It does not reflect where each will land when the class is ranked by ESPN.
BUFORD, Ga. -- The NFTC was loaded with top upperclassmen prospects on Sunday, but a handful of 2015 prospects showed they could compete with some of the top older competition in the state.
1. 2016 CB Khalil Ladler
5-foot-11, 175 pounds
Stephenson (Ga.) H.S.
Considering: Has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Charlotte, South Florida and Cincinnati
What we learned: Ladler could pass for a rising senior, which is why the offers are rolling in for the young freshman. His position coaches were stunned to find out that he was two years younger than most of the other defensive backs at the NFTC. Also, it is not just his size that commands attention. Ladler displayed refined techniques that prospects work for years to develop.
“Ladler is promising," ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert said. "Look at his frame: he is long and lengthy. He is very smooth. In a cornerback group that had some good 2014 guys, he was in that next level of guys jumping out. He has all of the natural tools, and with that type of size already, as well as being quick and smooth, he is certainly a guy to watch. From what I saw he was one of the better secondary players here.”
BUFORD, Ga. -- The NFTC was loaded with top upperclassmen prospects on Sunday, but a handful of 2015 prospects showed they could compete with some of the top older competition in the state.
1. 2016 CB Khalil Ladler
5-foot-11, 175 pounds
Stephenson (Ga.) H.S.
Considering: Has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Charlotte, South Florida and Cincinnati
What we learned: Ladler could pass for a rising senior, which is why the offers are rolling in for the young freshman. His position coaches were stunned to find out that he was two years younger than most of the other defensive backs at the NFTC. Also, it is not just his size that commands attention. Ladler displayed refined techniques that prospects work for years to develop.
“Ladler is promising," ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert said. "Look at his frame: he is long and lengthy. He is very smooth. In a cornerback group that had some good 2014 guys, he was in that next level of guys jumping out. He has all of the natural tools, and with that type of size already, as well as being quick and smooth, he is certainly a guy to watch. From what I saw he was one of the better secondary players here.”
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WR Booth starts tour in SEC, adds offer 
April, 5, 2013
Apr 5
1:45
PM ET
By
Greg Ostendorf | ESPN.com
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Instead of going to the beach for spring break, ESPN Watch List wide receiver Dominique Booth (Indianapolis/Pike) spent his break visiting interested colleges across the southeast and east coast. His first stop was to the University of Alabama.
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Watch List DL Street to choose from two?
March, 28, 2013
Mar 28
10:39
PM ET
By
Kipp Adams | ESPN.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A month ago, ESPN Watch List prospect Kentavius Street (Greenville, N.C./Rose) had a shakeup in his leaderboard after a coaching change occurred at the program he favored at the time. Now it seems things are settling in at the top, although a few other schools are hoping to get the 6-foot-3, 262-pound defensive lineman on campus soon.
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When offer No. 31 came in for Washington (Pa.) running back Shai McKenzie last week, he figured it was time to start cutting his list. It sounds simple, but McKenzie had a harder time when it came to putting pen to paper.
“He struggled to make a list,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “He’s really unsure.”
“He struggled to make a list,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “He’s really unsure.”
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Editor's note: Finding the Future is a RecruitingNation feature that will appear throughout camps and combine season, ranking prospects strictly on their on-field performance at the particular event. It does not reflect where each will land when the class is ranked by ESPN.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There might have been as many BCS conference-caliber recruits in the 2015 and 2016 classes present at the NFTC Sunday than there were in the 2014 class. It looks like the next couple of classes in the Carolinas will be stocked with top-tier talent, and a few of them stood out on Sunday in the rain.
1. 2015 DT Albert Huggins
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There might have been as many BCS conference-caliber recruits in the 2015 and 2016 classes present at the NFTC Sunday than there were in the 2014 class. It looks like the next couple of classes in the Carolinas will be stocked with top-tier talent, and a few of them stood out on Sunday in the rain.
1. 2015 DT Albert Huggins
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Running back Elijah Hood (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic) had his list narrowed dow to Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State and seemed destined to head North. That changed recently, though, as Hood and his family have been talking about his future plans.
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ATHENS, Ga. -- ESPN Watch List quarterback David Cornwell (Norman, Okla./Norman North) has so far narrowed down his list of 11 offers to a top four. He has offers from all but one of four finalists. On Saturday, he visited that school to take in the start of spring practice.
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Junior offensive tackle David Sharpe has not been thinking about football lately. Leading up to Thursday night’s Florida Class AAA basketball championship between his Providence High School Stallions and the Coral Springs Christian Crusaders, the talented two-sport athlete has let his coach field all of his football recruiting calls. And there have been a lot of them.
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Offensive tackle Nolan Kelleher’s (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) first conversation with Georgia offensive line coach Will Friend is one he will remember for a long time.
“Coach Friend wanted me to call him so I gave him a call during school and he just offered me there,” Kelleher said. “He said, ‘I saw your film and we really liked it and we need more people like you around here.’ It surprised the heck out of me. I gave him a call out of one of my teacher’s classrooms and my teacher was absolutely astonished that I got an offer just right there. It was awesome. They had sent me a lot of mail but it was not anything personal so all of a sudden this came out of nowhere. I am really excited about that one.”
The Georgia offer comes on the heels an offer from Florida State.
“Coach Friend wanted me to call him so I gave him a call during school and he just offered me there,” Kelleher said. “He said, ‘I saw your film and we really liked it and we need more people like you around here.’ It surprised the heck out of me. I gave him a call out of one of my teacher’s classrooms and my teacher was absolutely astonished that I got an offer just right there. It was awesome. They had sent me a lot of mail but it was not anything personal so all of a sudden this came out of nowhere. I am really excited about that one.”
The Georgia offer comes on the heels an offer from Florida State.
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When Georgia lost defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner to Auburn, the worry amongst the Georgia fans was more focused on how his departure would impact recruiting so close to signing day rather than what would happen on the defensive front. But according to one ESPN Watch List standout, Garner’s replacement will do just fine.
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Mark Richt received what could be called the best news of the 2013 recruiting cycle last week when junior quarterback Aaron Murray decided to return for his senior season instead of declaring for the NFL draft. That was not the only good news Richt received last week.
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo also turned down an offer to become the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. A plane was sent by Virginia Tech to Ben Epps Airport in Athens, Ga., to pick Bobo up for a meeting in Blacksburg, Va. Bobo never got on the plane.
According to Schlabach’s sources, Bobo was head coach Frank Beamer’s first choice to replace offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring. Bobo has known Beamer for years and is close friends with Shane Beamer, the associate head coach of the Hokies and Frank Beamer’s son.
Stinespring is still on the Virginia Tech staff, but the Hokies’ scoring offense was ranked No. 81 in the nation last season. The Hokies finished at 7-6 with a 4-4 ACC record.
Bobo and Murray combined to lead the Georgia to its highest offensive output in school history as the Bulldogs averaged 37.79 points per game. Bobo’s contract expires this summer, but athletic director Greg McGarity indicated that the contract was under review now.
“Coach Richt and I have conversations at the appropriate time regarding his entire staff and those talks are ongoing as we speak,” McGarity said.
McGarity would not say if Bobo was in line to get a multi-year deal. So far only defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is the only assistant coach with a multi-year contract.
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo also turned down an offer to become the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. A plane was sent by Virginia Tech to Ben Epps Airport in Athens, Ga., to pick Bobo up for a meeting in Blacksburg, Va. Bobo never got on the plane.
According to Schlabach’s sources, Bobo was head coach Frank Beamer’s first choice to replace offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring. Bobo has known Beamer for years and is close friends with Shane Beamer, the associate head coach of the Hokies and Frank Beamer’s son.
Stinespring is still on the Virginia Tech staff, but the Hokies’ scoring offense was ranked No. 81 in the nation last season. The Hokies finished at 7-6 with a 4-4 ACC record.
Bobo and Murray combined to lead the Georgia to its highest offensive output in school history as the Bulldogs averaged 37.79 points per game. Bobo’s contract expires this summer, but athletic director Greg McGarity indicated that the contract was under review now.
“Coach Richt and I have conversations at the appropriate time regarding his entire staff and those talks are ongoing as we speak,” McGarity said.
McGarity would not say if Bobo was in line to get a multi-year deal. So far only defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is the only assistant coach with a multi-year contract.
More than 150 of the top underclassmen prospects in the country were in attendance for the Under Armour All-America Combine. There is no shortage of talent set to come out of the Tar Heel State in the 2014 class, and it was well represented on Friday.
Coaches line up to see WR Thompson
The AFCA coaches convention is in Nashville, Ten. Jan. 6-9, but for ESPN 2014 Watch List wide receiver Trevion Thompson (Durham, N.C./Hillside), it might as well have taken place at his school over the past few months.
Coaches line up to see WR Thompson
The AFCA coaches convention is in Nashville, Ten. Jan. 6-9, but for ESPN 2014 Watch List wide receiver Trevion Thompson (Durham, N.C./Hillside), it might as well have taken place at his school over the past few months.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ching
David Ching came to ESPN.com in 2011 after six years covering UGA for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer and Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. He lives in Athens. Email him at davidchingespn@gmail.com.
Radi Nabulsi
Radi Nabulsi joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Rivals.com for four years and for the UGA Athletic Association since 1993. Nabulsi is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and lives in Athens. He can be reached at radinabulsiespn@gmail.com.
Kipp Adams
Kipp Adams joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering University of Georgia football and basketball recruiting for five years at Rivals.com. He lives in Sandy Springs, Ga., and enjoys spending time with his two sons. He can be reached at kippadamsespn@gmail.com.