4C j The Birmingham News Thursday, February 5, 2009 ** FOOTBALL RECRUITING SIGNING DAY 2009 ALABAMA’S CLASS OF 2009 RECRUITING Jonathan Atchison ern Cal, Auburn and Miami. NOTEBOOK LB, 6-3, 205, Atlanta Originally an Auburn commitment, At- *Jermaine Preyear chison switched to Alabama on Dec. 6 RB, 5-11, 205, Mobile in the aftermath of Tommy Tuberville’s Originally a 2008 signee, Preyear gray- resignation . . . A three-star player from shirted after having shoulder surgery Scout.com and Rivals.com, Atchison and sitting out the fall . . . Enrolled in made 101 tackles with 13 for a loss and January . . . Once rated as the No. 20 seven sacks in 10 games at Douglass running back in the country by Ri- High . . . A Class 5A first-team all-state vals.com and the 22nd-best prospect in pick and ESPNU’s No. 14 outside line- the state . . . Ran for 1,026 yards with backer . . . Chose Alabama over Auburn, eight touchdowns as a senior and 1,083 Mississippi State, and Louisville. yards with 15 touchdowns as a junior at Davidson High . . . Chose Alabama over Kenny Bell Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida. RB, 6-1, 170, Rayville, La. The one prospect swiped RB, 5-11, 220, Pensacola who had been committed elsewhere, The final prospect to officially sign in a Bell was a signing-day surprise after ini- drama-filled recruitment . . . Honored as tially settling on LSU . . . A four-star re- an All-American by Parade, USA Today, NEWS FILE ceiver by Rivals.com and Scout.com’s Under Armour, EA Sports and others . . . Blake Burgess of Vestavia Hills No. 36 overall receiver . . . As a senior at Power back who also ran a 10.5 in the will walk on at Auburn. Rayville High, Bell made 46 catches for 100 meters in track . . . The Rivals.com 816 yards with nine touchdowns . . . A No. 6 overall player, and the nation’s Vestavia center Class 3A first-team all-state pick by the top running back by ESPNU . . . Orlando will walk on at Auburn Louisiana Sports Writers Association . . . Sentinel’s top-ranked player . . . Had Vestavia Hills center Blake Burgess SuperPrep’s 11th best prospect in Louisi- 2,090 yards on 225 carries with 26 ana. is going to be a preferred walk-on at touchdowns as a senior, including one Auburn, his father Rick confirmed. game of 419 yards . . . Picked Alabama “He had options to go play Divi- Chris Bonds over LSU and Florida. sion I-AA, but Blake had to know,” DT, 6-4, 262, Columbia, S.C. said Rick Burgess, the popular radio A Rivals.com and Scout.com three-star Darrington Sentimore personality and a former player. “He had to find out defensive tackle, Bonds is ESPNU’s DL, 6-2, 280, Norco, La. that he could play at that level. He’s No. 10 player at his position . . . Tore a Recruitment was a soap opera at times, going to go play at Auburn.” meniscus his senior year at Richland as Sentimore took a late visit to LSU af- The 6-foot-4, 238-pound center re- Northeast High, but was 100 percent by ter saying he wouldn’t consider the ceived a heaping of praise from area his team’s second-round playoff loss . . . school . . . In the end, turned down an coaches when it came time for All- Was an ESPNU 150 player before his in- offer from the Tigers . . . A four-star re- Metro nominations. He was named All-State in 6A by the Alabama Sports jury. Squats 425 and benches 325 . . . The cruit and Rival.com’s No. 13 defensive 26th-best DT on Scout.com. Can also Writers Association and earned All- tackle nationally . . . SuperPrep’s eighth- Metro and All Classification All-State play defensive end . . . Chose Alabama best player in Louisiana . . . Had 120 over Notre Dame, Tennessee and South NEWS STAFF/LINDA STELTER honors from The News. tackles including 47 for a loss as a junior Carolina. “He had this same offer from Carver-Montgomery lineman Brandon Moore waits in the front row of and 78 tackles as a senior . . . Chose Ala- Dabo Swinney at Clemson,” Rick the school auditorium with a box containing a baseball cap from his bama over LSU, Arkansas and Okla- Burgess said. “Dabo said he was only Michael Bowman school of choice. He chose Alabama. homa. going to be one of four preferred WR, 6-4, 210, Rossville, Ga. walk-on guys at Clemson. It’s a simi- A four-star receiver from Scout.com Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Auburn. Petey Smith lar thing with Auburn. He gets to one and Rivals.com, Bowman picked Ala- of the 105 and he gets to report to LB, 6-1, 245, Tampa Auburn with the rest of the recruits bama rather than waiting for an offer William Ming The former Auburn fan chose Alabama in the summer and not have to wait from Georgia . . . Has work to do to DL, 6-3, 260, Athens over the Tigers when Auburn assistant until the rest of the walk-ons get to qualify . . . Atlanta Journal-Constitution Earned fame for being the first to take James Willis arrived in Tuscaloosa . . . An join the team.” Class 3A first-team all-state pick who part in video teleconferencing with Under Armour All-American, Smith is a Burgess was an extremely effective had 37 catches for 1,075 yards with 14 trench player in perhaps the tough- coach Nick Saban . . . Ming is the 18th two-time all-state selection who made touchdowns as a senior . . . ESPNU’s No. prospect on The News’ Super Senior list est region in the state. His relative 79 tackles as a senior . . . His Armwood size can be viewed as the only draw- 118 receiver in the country, but the 14th . . . A four-star prospect by Scout.com best by Scout.com and 20th best by Ri- High team pitched six shutouts . . . His back in him not getting a big Divi- and Rivals.com, he had 47 tackles with brother Eric is a freshman at Auburn . . . sion I-A offer. vals.com. . . . Also had offers from North four sacks as a senior end at Athens Carolina State, Oregon, and Kentucky. ESPNU’s No. 5 inside linebacker and a NEWS STAFF/ MARK ALMOND High . . . No. 19 defensive end from four-star player . . . Chose Alabama over Lincoln back waves to a friend ESPNU and No. 28 from Rivals.com . . . Auburn and Tennessee. *James Carpenter before a ceremony at Gadsden ASWA all-state honorable mention . . . picks Kentucky OL, 6-5, 305, Hephzibah, Ga. City High School where he Picked Alabama over Auburn, Okla- Lincoln running back Jonathan homa and LSU. Anthony Steen George signed with Kentucky on Graduated in December from Coffey- announced he wil play for OL/DL, 6-3, 305, Lambert, Miss. ville (Kan.) Community College and en- Wednesday after committing to the Alabama. SEC school following an official visit. rolled at UA in January . . . A four-star Considered to be a guard in college, but Brandon Moore could also play defense . . . A Mississippi Kentucky offered a scholarship prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com OL/DL, 6-5, 320, Montgomery several months ago, yet George said . . . The 31st-best junior college prospect Dre Kirkpatrick Private School Association All-Star pick DB, 6-3, 185, Gadsden One of the nation’s top offensive tackle . . . A three-star athlete, Steen is the na- he was still considering offers from nationally by Rivals.com . . . A potential Arkansas State, Jacksonville State The No. 2 player on the Birmingham prospects, Moore will have his first tion’s No. 25 guard according to starter at guard or tackle . . . Originally chance on defense for the Crimson and Samford. signed with Iowa State in 2007, but News’ Super Senior list . . . Considered Scout.com and the No. 26 guard by Ri- “Going into the visit I knew it to be the nation’s top cornerback by Tide . . . No. 8 player on The News’ Su- vals.com . . . SuperPrep’s 29th-best failed to academically qualify . . . This per Seniors list, despite an injury- would be a nice visit,” George said of ESPNU and Rivals.com . . . A consensus prospect in the state . . . Chose Alabama his trip to Lexington. “As the visit time, chose Alabama over Ole Miss, Ok- plagued senior season . . . A first-team lahoma, and Iowa State. five-star player from Scout.com and Ri- over Miami, Florida State and Southern progressed I was even more im- vals.com . . . Injuries slowed his senior all-state pick by the News . . . ESPNU Miss. pressed. It got better and better.” season, but made 80 tackles with six considers him to be the 30th best de- George, who is 5-foot-10 and 180 Quinton Dial fensive tackle . . . Scout.com has him as pounds, said he did not receive a lot DT, 6-5, 3108, Clay picks and 15 breakups . . . Honored as an All-American by Parade, USA Today, EA the No. 13 offensive tackle . . . Selected of playing time in high school until DE/LB, 6-4, 240, Homestead, Fla. his senior season. He always hoped No. 11 on The Birmingham News’ list of Sports and U.S. Army . . . Two-time all- the Crimson Tide over Florida and A much-needed pass-rush specialist, he would get an offer from an SEC Top 24 prospects . . . At Clay-Chalkville state player . . . Chose Alabama over Clemson. Stinson likely fits in at the Jack line- school, but he did not start to think High, made The News’ first-team all- Texas. metro team and second-team all-state *Kerry Murphy backer position . . . A four-star prospect that was possible until last season. . . . Four-star player according to Ri- DL, 6-5, 315, Hoover and SuperPrep All-American Stinson is vals.com and three-star from the No. 15 weakside defensive end ac- Hartselle twins RB, 6-0, 210, Geismar, La. Once a key lineman in the Bucs state ti- cording to Rivals, which has him as the Scout.com . . . Made 87 tackles with tle runs, Murphy signed in 2007, but headed to Air Force eight sacks as a senior and 61 tackles A signing-day pickup, Lacy is Ri- 48th-best player in Florida . . . Consen- Twins Marquez and Manquez vals.com’s No. 13 back nationally and failed to qualify twice . . . Enrolled in Jan- sus four-star pick . . . Had 16 sacks and 55 with four recoveries as a junior uary after three semesters at Hargrave Jones of Hartselle High School have the site’s No. 116 player overall . . . tackles as a junior . . . Chose Alabama . . . ESPNU’s 28th-best defensive tackle Military Academy and one semester at committed to Air Force. ESPNU considers Lacy to be the over LSU, Florida State and Miami. The academy started recruiting the . . . Chose Alabama over Auburn and a prep school . . . When he signed, he Florida. 17th-best back . . . Four-star recruit by pair last spring and the two long had Rivals.com and Scout.com . . . In seven was a five-star prospect and a Parade scholarship offers on the table, Hart- All-American . . . Figures to play nose * D.J. Fluker games in an injury-plagued senior year, OL, 6-3, 325, Atlanta selle coach Bob Godsey said. he had 1,046 yards with 17 touchdowns tackle at Alabama . . . Former top pros- “The distance was kind of an is- OL, 6-7, 3150, Foley Another January enrollee who will par- . . . Needs work to qualify academically pect on The News’ Super Senior list . . . sue,” Godsey said. “They have an ex- ticipate in spring drills, the Westlake The top prospect on The News’ Super . . . Chose Alabama over Tennessee and Made 77 tackles with eight sacks as a se- cellent family that’s very supportive, (they’ve) been there at every game. Seniors list, Fluker earned All-American LSU. nior. High graduate is considered to be the honors from Parade, EA Sports, and No. 20 guard in the country by Ri- Obviously that’s going to be diffi- others . . . Was UA’s first commitment vals.com . . . Atlanta Journal-Constitu- cult.” Mike Marrow The brothers always wanted to at- . . . Already a fan favorite with size 22 WR, 6-2, 180, D’Iberville, Miss. tion Top 150 selection . . . Scout.com FB, 6-2, 240, Holland, Ohio considers him to be the No. 45 guard, tend school together. They also were shoes and size 3XL shirt, Fluker skyrock- A first-team all-state selection and considering Samford, North Ala- The No. 2 fullback by ESPNU, Marrow while ESPNU has him No. 16 . . . Aver- eted up the recruiting boards after Dandy Dozen pick by The Jackson bama, West Alabama and Alabama rushed for 893 yards on 175 carries with aged seven pancake blocks per game as moving to offense . . . Possible succes- (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger . . . Norwood A&M, but Air Force was the favorite sor at left tackle to Andre Smith . . . A 11 touchdowns for Central Catholic . . . a senior . . . Chose Alabama over Arkan- all along. Marquez is a 5-8, As a junior at New Albany High in Ohio, caught 64 passes for 1,100 yards with 13 five-star from Rivals.com and the top- touchdowns as a senior, while making 10 sas, Rutgers and South Carolina. 170-pound running back and Man- gained 810 yards with 10 touchdowns . . . quez is a 5-9, 170-pound defensive rated tackle for Rivals.com and ESPNU picks on defense . . . No. 22 receiver na- His father, Vince Marrow, played for back. . . . Chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, tionally according to Rivals.com and Kellen Williams and LSU. eight years in the NFL . . . Rivals.com’s OL, 6-3, 290, Lawrenceville, Ga. 55th-best player in his home state . . . No. 44 by Scout.com . . . Biloxi Sun Her- ald defensive player of the year . . . Shelby Academy Chose Alabama over Nebraska, Penn First-team Class 5A all-state pick by the duo land at Lambuth State and Wisconsin. Chose Alabama over Auburn, Missis- Georgia Sports Writers Association . . . LB, 6-2, 225, Andalusia sippi State and Ole Miss. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 150 Shelby Academy’s Bobby Sexton No. 4 prospect on The Birmingham selection . . . Ranked as the 24th-best and Brandon Horton committed to News’ Super Senior list . . . Parade and A.J. McCarron guard nationally by Rivals.com and the Lambuth, an NAIA power in Jackson, QB, 6-4, 190, Mobile Anthony Orr U.S. Army All-American who is the No. 28th-best tackle by Scout.com . . . Su- Tenn. The News’ No. 5 Super Senior . . . As a DL, 6-5, 260, Madison The two visited the school Satur- 20 overall player according to ESPNU . . . perPrep considers him to be the No. 36 day and both were offered schol- Five-star recruit from Scout.com and Ri- senior at St. Paul’s, McCarron com- Ranked as the No. 23 defensive end by player in Georgia . . . Chose Alabama Rivals.com and the 28th best defensive arships on Monday. Neither had any vals.com . . . No. 17 player for Scout.com pleted 61 percent of his passes for 1,560 over Florida State and Arkansas. offer until that point. and Rivals.com’s No. 2 inside linebacker yards with 15 touchdowns and two in- tackle on Scout.com . . . Made 64 “It’s small, reminded me of Shelby . . . As a senior at Andalusia, had 78 terceptions on a rebuilding team . . . An tackles as a senior at Sparkman High Academy,” Sexton said of he Elite 11 quarterback and a U.S. Army All- with 11 tackles for a loss and two sacks Rod Woodson tackles with two sacks and 11 intercep- DB, 5-11, 200, Oliver Branch, Miss. 815-person school. “It’s not like tions . . . Picked Alabama over LSU, American . . . ESPNU’s fourth-best quar- . . . Had 48 tackles as a junior . . . The Thompson or Hoover. Takes a little Southern Cal and Auburn. terback . . . As a three-year starter, No. 14 prospect in the state, according A Jackson Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen bit of the home sickness away, I threw for 6,066 yards with 66 touch- to Rivals.com . . . Won first-team honors selection and first-team all-stater, guess.” Kendall Kelly downs and just four picks . . . Led St. at the Nike Combine last summer in At- Woodson made 95 tackles with five Sexton, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound Paul’s to a Class 5A state title in 2007 . . . lanta . . . Picked Alabama over offers sacks and three interceptions as a hard- pound defensive lineman, and Hor- WR, 6-3, 215, Gadsden ton, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound running Chose Alabama over Miami, Auburn, from Auburn and Clemson. hitting senior . . . The four-star recruit is The News’ No. 9 the No. 4 player in Mississippi according back, have played together since the and Tennessee. second grade. player on its Super to Rivals.com and the No. 14 safety by Seniors list at a posi- Tana Patrick Lambuth made recruiting in Ala- Scout.com . . . ESPNU considers him to tion of need . . . Darius McKeller LB, 6-2, 215, Stevenson bama a priority. Other state players be the No. 34 outside linebacker na- Gadsden City High OL, 6-5, 280, Jonesboro, Ga. A huge signing-day pickup, Patrick is the signed by the school: quarterback tionally . . . Chose Alabama over Auburn, star battled injuries No. 3 player on The News’ Super Se- Kelvin Martin of Cherokee, line- The son of former Buffalo Bills tight end Mississippi State, and Michigan. backer Lee Hawkins of Etowah, tight as a senior but Keith McKeller . . . Considered to be the niors list . . . Could also play tight end . . . end Coleman Miller of Deshler, of- caught 34 passes for No. 30 offensive tackle by ESPNU and Led North Jackson High with 140 tackles *Denotes a player who enrolled in fensive lineman Chuck Jetton of 595 yards as a junior the 58th-best tackle by Rivals.com . . . and three sacks on defense, while also January Shades Valley, defensive lineman De- . . . A U.S. Army All- Scout.com views him as the No. 43 making 19 catches for 233 yards with Shon Collins of Clay-Chalkville and American . . . The No. 66 player on ESP- guard . . . A first-team 4A all-state pick four touchdowns on offense . . . Ri- defensive back Chris Griffie of Pied- Compiled by News staff writer Ian R. NU’s list and the seventh-best receiver by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . . . vals.com’s No. 5 inside linebacker pros- mont. Rapoport. Check out Rapoport’s blog . . . A four-star player on Rivals.com and A three-star player by Scout.com and pect and No. 67 player overall . . . at blog.al.com/rapsheet. Scout.com . . . Chose Alabama over of- Rivals.com . . . Rivals.com’s No. 47 player Scout.com’s No. 7 strong-side line- Compiled by News staff writers Jeff fers from Clemson and Auburn. in Georgia . . . Chose the Tide over backer . . . Picked the Tide over South- E-MAIL: [email protected] Sentell and Ethan Ramsey.