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Verbal commits are marked w/ (Cal)
June 10th, 2011
Tedford & Company
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Eddie Goldman, DT Friendship Academy (Washington, DC) Florida, Florida State, Miami, South Carolina, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Clemson, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Cal, LSU, Oklahoma as his top 15 [1][2].
Eddie Goldman (Washington, D.C/Friendship Collegiate Academy) is the nation's No. 2-rated prospect and the top defensive tackle. Just this week, he cut his school list to 15 Miami, Florida, FSU, South Carolina, North Carolina, NC State, Clemson, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Cal, LSU and Oklahoma.
"For me, it's been a positive hectic," said his father, Eddie Muhammad. "I don't mind it because I am a football junkie. It's surreal to me because I am talking with coaches that I have watched play. It's been overwhelming at times. I enjoy it, but Eddie just wants to keep his head down and work hard and play. He wants to help his team get better. Even with the magnitude that he's under he tries to fly under the radar. He doesn't want the spotlight."
Goldman has seen quite a few schools already. He has made unofficial visits to Miami, Georgia, Clemson, NC State, UNC, Maryland, Auburn, Alabama, Florida and FSU.
"He wants to get out and get around," Muhammad said. "He wants to get out west and see Cal and I know he would like to get down to Coral Gables again. When he was there it was under the Shannon regime. Right now he doesn't have any visits planned but I know Miami, Cal and Virginia could be his first visits."
In the end, it's going to be a huge recruiting battle for this 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle.
"It's going to be a process," Muhammad said. "He will look at the coaching styles of the defensive coordinators and defensive line coaches. He wants to be in tune with the environment to make sure it fits his personality. Of course academics will be a key because they have to enhance him as a young man. He wants to be a productive person in society and a premium football player. Of course style and scheme will be important. Eddie will be looking for that balance [3]."
Darius Hamilton, DE Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) has Rutgers in the lead right now. Florida, Oregon, Cal are still in the mix [4].
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Stefon Diggs, WR Good Counsel (Olney, MD) has Florida, Florida State, Miami, Cal, USC, Maryland in the mix as leaders [5]. Diggs is planning to visit Florida, Florida, Florida State, Miami. He will be visiting Auburn next weekend. Cal may receive an unofficial visit from Cal [6]. Another US Army All-American, Stefon is one of the most physically-mature recruits to contribute to a college program.
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Shaq Thompson, ATH Grant Union (Sacramento, CA) expects to play more safety and linebacker this year on defense instead of cornerback. Thompson is camping at Oregon later this month [7]. Thompson was named to Delta Valley Conference Spring All-League Track & Field teams at 200m and 4x100m relay [8].
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Travell Dixon, CB Eastern Arizona JuCo (Thatcher, AZ) does not have a leader right now. Dixon does not plan to return to his home state Florida to play college ball [$9].
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Seth Jacobs, OLB Arroyo Grande (Arroyo Grande, CA) unofficially visited Oklahoma State [$10], Arkansas [11]. Jacobs was also offered by Utah State, Oregon [12][13].
Byron Marshall, RB Valley Christian (San Jose, CA) offered by UCLA.
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Erik Magnuson, OT La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, CA) is visiting Ann Arbor today [14][15]. Michigan is the favorite [16]. Michigan Coach Brady Hoke and Magnuson go back to Hoke's days in San Diego. He may make an early verbal commitment soon following the visit.
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Hardy Nickerson Jr., LB Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA) has offers from Colorado, Utah, Navy, Idaho, Nebraska. Coach Gould is Hardy's main recruiter [17].
"The strengths of his game are, number one, his football IQ," said Nickerson, Sr. "He has a great understanding of the game. He knows where people are and where he should be. He's always at the right place at the right time. He's got great instincts. He's a guy on the field that you watch and you see a guy like Mike Singletary or a guy like myself or Ray Lewis, who's calling out stuff before it happens. He's a great leader. He plays hard. He's got a great motor and he'll knock the snot out of you. And he doesn't get blocked."
As sure as he is of his mission on the field, Nickerson, Jr. is just as sure of what he's looking for in the program he ultimately plays for.
"Great athletics, great academics -a balance between the two, a great campus lifestyle and a place that I love and that I can see myself at for four years are really what I'm looking for," said Nickerson, Jr. "When I feel like I can make a solid decision and be sure of what I see in a program, that's when I'll make my choice, so there's no real timeline with my commitment."
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Michael Barton, LB (CAL) De La Salle (Concord, CA) won 110m hurdles w/ personal best 14.22s @ North Coast Section Meet of Champions [18][19]. Another Golden recruit Kenny Walker of Kennedy placed 3rd. Walker and Barton did not fare well at the CIF State Track & Field Championship finals at Buchanan High in Clovis, CA, finishing 6th and 7th respectively [20]. Barton will visit USC later this month w/ a 2013 Golden Recruit - Outside Linebacker Michael Hutchings of De La Salle [21].
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Leonte Carroo, WR Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) won 100m & placed 2nd in 400m - both personal bests - @ NJ Sectional Track & Field Championships [22][23]. Carroo also finished 2nd in 200m and ran the anchor leg for Ironmen's 400m relay victory [24].
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Ellis McCarthy, DT Monrovia (Monrovia, CA), Jordan Simmons, OL Crespi (Encino, CA), Kyle Murphy, OT San Clemente (San Clemente, CA) selected to participate in "The Opening," Nike's ultimate football training experience for 150 of the country's elite high school football players [25][26].
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Aziz Shittu, DT Buhach (Atwater, CA) officially reopening his recruiting w/ Auburn, Cal, Stanford, USC, Washington as leaders [27]. Shittu has impressed recruitniks as one of the toughest players around along w/ Golden recruits Eric Magnuson of La Costa Canyon and Ellis McCarthy of Monrovia [28]. Shittu thinks college players should be paid $2,000/yr according to the Wall Street Journal [29].
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Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick, TE Whitney (Rocklin, CA) will be camping at Notre Dame in June [30].
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Zach Banner, OT Lakes (Lakewood, CA), Joshua Garnett, OL Puyallup (Puyallup, WA) are not only working out together but also taking official visits together [31].
It is no secret that Banner wants to play both football and basketball in college. His biological father is former OT Lincoln Kennedy [32]. Banner is also looking to make a top 10 or 15 next month. He will be making an official visit to Michigan [33]."Go Blue, Go Blue — that's all I've got to say," Banner said. "I'm definitely highly considering (Michigan). The Irish are definitely a factor too. I have a lot of schools. Alabama, LSU, I have all the West Coast schools — Oregon, Washington, Stanford, USC. I'm still wide open. I'm not going to narrow my options to a top 10 or top 15 until this summer."
"I'm going to narrow it down to a top 10 or top 15 this summer and then (commit on) signing day," he said. "I'm not going to do it at the Army Bowl. I'm going to do it at my school. My motto is 'Family Over Everything.' I just want to be able to show love to my city, so I'm going to commit there."
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DJ Foster, ATH Saguaro (Scottsdale, AZ) has a Bay Area connection [34].
Don't expect Foster to make a decision on a college choice anytime soon. D.J., who grew up in Oakland as an Oakland Raiders fan before moving to Phoenix when he was five, seems genuinely interested in exploring the choices in front of him with so many offers from top schools. One school he will take an unofficial visit to this summer is USC as he will check in with good friend and former teammate Cyrus Hobbi, who is already enrolled in summer classes as a freshman offensive lineman for the Trojans.
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Zach Hoffpauir, S Centennial (Peoria, IL) offered by Cal [35].
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Matt Cochran, C Buhach (Atwater, CA) offered by Cal. UCLA also offered [36].
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Brian Nance, OLB Trinity (Euless, TX) offered by Cal. He will be camping at Oklahoma in the near future [37].
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Scott Starr, OLB Norco (Norco, CA) verbally committed to USC [38]. Cal eliminated.
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Taylor McNamara, TE Westview (San Diego, CA) verbally committed to Arizona [39]. Cal eliminated.
Andrus Peat, OT Corona Del Sol (Tempe, AZ) has Nebraska, USC, Notre Dame, Florida State, Arkansas, Texas, Auburn, Florida, Oregon, Michigan, Stanford, Miami, 'Bama as his leaders [40][41]. Cal eliminated.
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Max Tuerk, OT Santa Margarita (Santa Margarita, CA) verbally committed to USC [42]. Cal eliminated.
Deontay Greenberry, WR Washington Union (Fresno, CA) verbally committed to Notre Dame even though he will be taking all 5 official visits [43]. Cal eliminated.
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