Friday recruiting update
January 30, 2009
If I continue to get more information throughout the day, I’ll just add to this one post.
12:54 p.m. CST - Fairfield, Ala. DB Mike Robinson has been listed as commitment to Troy. Well, this Birmingham News report says he’s bound for Arkansas State. No mention of Troy in there.
(SCRATCH THAT - ROBINSON IS HEADED TO TROY - The report listed him as headed to ASU in an error)1:02 p.m. - I told you Gadsden City TE Darrell Smith was visiting Troy. Looks like the official visit happened Thursday (or during the middle of this week). This report says he’s visiting Clemson, who is looking at him as a defensive end. Problem is, Clemson hasn’t offered yet. Troy is looking at him as a tight end. WR Sam Haskins of Dinwiddle, Va., was also in Troy for a visit.
1:06 p.m. - St. Petersburg, Fla., defensive end Damond Brinson is still deciding between UAB and Troy and is supposed to visit Troy this weekend.
2:38 p.m. - Here is a list of official visitors for the weekend, aside from Darrell Smith (listed above) who made a 1-day trip this week.
WR Sam Haskins - Dinwiddie, Va.
WR Jamel Johnson - Montgomery, Ala. (Carver) - committed to Troy
DE Damond Brinson - St. Petersburg, Fla. - mulling offers from Troy and UAB
DB Willard Ross - Miss. Delta Community College
DB Sergio Perez - Mayo, Fla.
DL Aaron Williams - Leroy, Ala. - committed to Troy
- not coming to visit Troy after all
DL Anthony Payne - Leroy, Ala. - committed to Troy
DL Galatian King - Waycross, Ga. - same high school as Leodis McKelvin, KeJuan Phillips. Listed as a commitment to Western Kentucky on rivals
DB Darius Slay - Brunswick, Ga. - listed as a soft verbal to Mississippi State, but DT coach Mo Crain has been on him good
DB Barry Valcin - Coffeeville, Kan. CC - signed with Baylor out of high school, but grades sent him to JUCO it seems.
A couple of late names in the past few days to add to your commitment lists: Tony Gray, DB, Enterprise, Ala.; Jamel Johnson, WR, Montgomery, Ala.; Dominique Bonman, WR, Sulligent, Ala. (half-brother of Troy commit Caleb Massey), Anthony Payne, DL, Leroy, Ala.
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES: Kansas State has come in with a late offer to Troy commit Angelo Pease, and he might be visiting there this weekend. Word has it RB Demond Dennis took a trip to Kentucky and committed there, and might be visiting somewhere else this weekend and committing there. I think Troy coaches feel good about Greg Pratt and Shawn Southward at the RB position to move forward. DE Jonathan Massaquoi is expected to be here this summer. DT Eugene Kinlaw is the highlight of the signing class so far. Just pray he does well in his classes this spring and summer.
3:11 p.m. - Need to add Tampa DT Dontavious Pyron to the list. Just simply forgot to mention him in my earlier update. When schools sign upwards of 40 kids, it’s tough to keep up with them all.
3:15 p.m. - Gabriel Mass isn’t visiting this weekend.
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UPDATED COMMITMENTS (As best as I know it. Bear in mind that some of these guys won’t qualify academically or will grayshirt.) The 2008 grayshirts are all in and count in this year’s class. I’m not sure how many of the JUCO guys are backcounted to last year’s class. I’m also not sure how many of these guys Troy will announce on National Signing Day, either. Remember, except for the guys that have already signed, these are all subject to change until Signing Day.
Jason Bruce, WR, Copiah-Lincoln, Miss., CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
James Brown, OT, SW Mississippi CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Tyler Graves, OT, Pearl River Mississippi CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Ray Carter, OT, Garden City CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Jay Stansberry, OT, Bremen, Ga.
Cody Jenkins, OT, Beauregard, Ala.
Nate Newland, OT, Hutchinson, Kan. CC
Greg Pratt, RB, Naples, Fla.
Shawn Southward, RB, Florence, Ala.
Anthony Williams, WR, Tampa, Fla.
Dominique Bowman, WR, Sulligent, Ala.
Jamel Johnson, WR, Montgomery, Ala.
Angelo Pease, ATH, Cairo, Ga.
Jimbo Arnold, OG, Belle Glade, Fla. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Felton Payton, WR, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Gavin Ellis, WR/TE, Cullman, Ala. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Corey Robinson, QB, Lone Oak, Ky., (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Emmanuel Dudley, DT, Northeast Miss., CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Riley Flowers, DT, Jones County Miss. CC SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Demarcus Robertson, DB, Garden City, CC (2008 RESIGN) SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT
Eugene Kinlaw, DT, Hutchinson, Kan. CC
Montavious Williams, DT, Cairo, Ga.
Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Butler County CC
Shermane Teart, DE, Orlando, Fla.
Aaron Williams, DT, Leroy, Ala.
John Clark, DE, Oxford, Ala.
Anthony Payne, DL, Leroy, Ala.
Mike Robinson, DB, Fairfield, Ala.
Caleb Massey, DB, Sulligent, Ala.
Tony Gray, DB, Enterprise, Ala.
Dontavious Pyron, DT, Tampa, Fla.
Johnny Thompson, LB, Valley, Ala. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
**Bear in mind that these commitments are verbal and are non-binding until National Signing Day, the first Wednesday in February.
The players with SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT by their names are midyear enrollees and should be eligible for 2009 spring practice.
