News & Rumors
Wednesday, January 13, 1999

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The information below is derived from a variety of sources and as such should be treated as rumors unless otherwise noted.

Jan 13

OL Monreko Critteden (6-5, 309) - Montgomery, AL -- Will visit Southern Miss January 15th, Auburn on the 22nd and USC on the 29th. LB Rodney Thomas (6-2, 213, 4.55) f- Dublin, GA -- Visited Clemson January 8th and will visit Auburn on the 15th...is down to those two and will have a decision after visit to Auburn. LB Ather Brown (6-4, 217, 4.6) - Gray, GA -- Visited Georgia Tech January 8th and did not commit but is leaning to Tech...will visit Clemson January 15th, Alabama on the 22nd and Auburn on the 29th. QB Willie Simmons (6-2, 185, 4.5) - Quincy, FL -- Visited Georgia Tech and did not commit...will visit Clemson next weekend and Auburn on the 22nd...plans to have a decision after the Auburn trip...says he has no favorite. (AFR note: I feel Simmons is headed to Tech)

Georgia Trying Again - The Dawgs are reporting a commitment (again) from RB/LB Jessie Miller. Miller signed with UGA last year but failed to qualify. Miller must have not been very impressed with his visit to Bama this weekend if he left T-town and gave a verbal to Georgia. Miller still has some work to do to qualify as does another UGA second time around verbal - RB Charles Grant. A little good news for the Dawgs may have been Casinious Moore's verbal to Auburn. With Moore, Michael Owens, Brandon Johnson, & Reggie Torbor in hand, Auburn may back off the big push its been making for RB Brue Thornton. Thornton may end up the only RB prospect UGA gets(if Miller & Grant don't qualify) and they have a big need at RB.

Jan 10

Notes on a couple of this weekends visitors: QB Latrez Harrison (6-2, 195) - Atlanta, GA -- has trimmed his list to USC, Auburn and Central Florida and says he’s a strong lean to the Tigers. You have to add Alabama to the mix now that the Tide hired the coach recruiting Harrison away from Ga Tech. The Tigers may get a verbal from RB Casinious Moore (6-1, 195) this weekend. We don't have info on any other firm visits by Moore although he says he may possibly visit Arkansas, Ole Miss and Tennessee. On a less than positive note DL David Paine canceled his scheduled trip to Auburn this weekend and instead headed north to Michigan State.

Is the Tide Slipping???? -Alabama commitment RB Santionio Beard (6-1, 185 ,4.4) not only are there questions surronding his ability to fully qualify, now he says -- "There is a 50% chance I'll change my mind. I hope to set up a trip to FSU and if I do change my mind, it will be to FSU."

LB Trahern LaFavor (6-4, 230, 4.55) - Fort Lauderdale, FL -- Visits Florida on January 15th, Florida State on the 18th, Miami on the 22nd and Auburn on the 29th. Another source has the AU & FSU vist dates switched. Florida and Miami are his top two at this time. Sources from Ga Tech indicate that QB Willie Simmons (6-2, 185, 4.5) - Quincy, FL -- says it is possible for Georgia Tech to "wrapped him up" after this weekend. We'll wait and see although Harrison & Simmons have inidcated they do not want to sign with the same school. LB Rodney Thomas (6-2, 213, 4.55) - Dublin, GA -- indicates that Auburn & Clemson are his top two and early playing time is a big factor. I have personally seen Thomas perform since he was a HS freshman and physically he reminds me of Takeo Spikes. ATH Anquan Boldin has Auburn, FSU and Florida slightly over Miami and Syracuse. I am looking for a list of his vist dates. DE Tony Charles has announced his official visits will be to Florida, Maryland, Boston College, NC State and Auburn but did not give dates.

Dec 27

This & That - LB Ather Brown (6-4, 217, 4.6) - Gray, GA -- Will visit Auburn on Jan 29. Other visits are Georgia Tech (1/8), Clemson (1/15), Alabama (1/22). WR Detronn Harris (6-2, 178) - Atlanta, GA -- Has trimmed his list down to three: Auburn, Arkansas, & Louisville. RB ATH Bruce Thorton - LaGrange, GA -- indicates Florida & Georgia are his co-leaders, but he is still considering Notre Dame, Auburn and FSU. DL DeMarco McNeil says that Auburn now leads Georgia, Ga Tech, Florida and Tennessee. ATH Anquan Boldin has narrowed his list to Auburn, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Miami, FSU and Michigan. WR Taylor Jacobs says that Auburn is his solid favorite over Clemson & Florida. Of the Gators, Jacobs says, "They were No. 1 a month ago but now it seems like they are playing with me."

The Huntsville Times "Elite 11"- The players in blue are Auburn leans & in orange are Auburn Verbals

1.WR Deandre Green, Blount-Prichard
2.OL Dante Ellington, Colbert County-Leighton
3.TE Robert Johnson, Jeff Davis-Montgomery
4.LB Saleem Rasheed, Shades Valley-Birmingham
5.DL Kenny King, Daphne
6.DL DeMarco McNeil, Blount-Prichard
7.RB Michael Owens, Deshler-Tuscumbia
8.OL Matt Lomax UMS-Wright-Mobile
9.DB Hirschel Bolden, Dothan
10.RB Casinious Moore, Anniston
11.DB Randy Vickers, Athens

The Wheeler Dispatch, a Florida Recruiting site, gives the following Top 10 Southern Quarterbacks:

#1 Latrez Harrison Atlanta, GA 2.50 AUB, GT, SYR, UCF, MD
#2 Gary Brashears Clarksville, AR 2.50 ARK Commitment
#3 Eli Manning New Orleans, LA 2.25 OLE MS Commitment
#4 Chris Stephens Gainesville, FL 2.25 UF Commitment
#5 Fabian Walker Americus, GA 1.75 FSU leads UK, UCF, AUB, TN
#6 Allen Tillman Newton, MS 1.50 OL MS, AUB, LSU, SMISS
#7 AJ Suggs Powder Springs, GA 1.50 TN Commitment
#8 Jared Lorenzen Ft. Thomas, KY 1.00 UK Commitment
#9 Kevin Fant Moss Point, MS 1.00 MS ST Commitment
#10 Willie Simmons Quincy, FL 1.00 GT leads AUB, MIA, CLEM

Dec 20

Latest Verbal - The Tigers have secured a verbal commitment from Itawamba Community College DB Adrian Magee (5-10, 190, 4.35). The Largo, Florida native is touted his great speed and cover skills. Magee was a two year starter at Itawamba CC. He chose Auburn over Miss State, Indiana, Central Florida, Louisville and Ole Miss

Dothan, AL Ath Hirchel Bolden has three official visis scheduled: Florida(1-9), Alabama(1-16), and Auburn (1-23). "I have always liked Auburn," says Bolden. "Alabama is a team that has been upfront with me since day one. They, along with Florida, want me as a cornerback." Bolden indicates he wants a chance to play RB, but that is not the key to his decision. "I will go where I feel the most comfortable on my visit."

This & That - DL Clay Cleveland (6-4, 235, 4.7) from Daohne, AL will visit Auburn, Alabama, Georgia Tech and possibly S. Carolina. OL Eric Dumas (6-8, 288) from Atlanta, GA has not set any visits yet but is looking at Auburn, Clemson, Nebraska, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. QB Jatavis Sanders (6-1, 190) has de-committed from NC State and is now also considering Auburn, Clemson, NC State, Notre Dame, and Tulane. He has already visited Notre Dame. RB Casinious Moore (6-1, 195) from Anniston, AL says he will set up his official visits during the Christmas Holidays. "I know that I'm going to visit Georgia, Auburn and Tennessee," he said, "and if I take my last two trips it will be out of Clemson, Ole Miss, and Arkansas. I just don't know if I'm going to take those last two trips or not." TE Lee Jackson (6-3, 210, 4.5) from Marietta, GA is favorring Auburn right now but also considering Clemson, Georgia Tech and Florida.

Dec 18

Is the Tide Slipping?? - Sources indicate that a pair of players thought to be Bama locks will now take official visits to Auburn. DL David Paine, the top prospect in TN, and ATH Antonio Carter have indicated that Auburn's coaches have convinced them to come to the Plains and take a look. Paine has apparently dropped FSU and added Auburn to his list. Also in the hunt are Alabama, Tennessee, & Florida. Carter recently cancelled a visit to Michigan and will apparently replace it with a trip to Auburn. Besides Alabama, Carter is also considering FSU, Florida, & Tennessee. Another top Tide target JUCO DB Travis Fisher has comitted to Central Florida.

Putting the Heat On in GA - Coach Tuberville is turning up the heat in Georgia and came away with a pair of comittments from the Peach State. LB Dontarrius Thomas of Perry and DL Dexter Murphy of LaGrange are the lastest to comitt to the Tigers. Also, Coach T may steal one right out from under the Dawgs noses. Athens, GA WR/DB Tony Campbell has scheduled a visit to Auburn on Jan 8. The following week he travels to NC State and will make his decision after that visit. My source tells me that Campbell, who is listed as a DB in the AJC Top 50 in Georgia, really wants to come to the Plains.

This & That - Miami Fl OL Bryce Bishop indicates he is now leaning to FSU with Ohio St & Florida close behind. Still under consideraton are Auburn, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, & Missouri. LB Corey Collier also from Miami, is another prospect indicating a slight lean to FSU (1/22). He will also visit Auburn (1/15) & Tennessee (1.29). DB Lito Sheppard has dropped the Tigers from his list. He says Florida leads over Ohio St, Georgia, Miami, & FSU. LB Anthony Maddox (6-2, 265, 4.65) will visit Alabama on 1/23 and is also now looking at Auburn, but no date has been set yet for a visit.