Area football players prepare for college decisions
Published 11:13 pm Monday, January 18, 2016
Aderick Moore leads a list of senior football players who are hoping to take the next step by playing college football next season.
Players from Selma, Keith, Dallas County and Southside are all making their final decisions on where they want to play college football in the next few weeks. Some will announce their decision on National Signing Day on Feb. 3, while others won’t wait that long.
Moore is one of three Saints who is fielding college offers from multiple schools. Among the schools that have offered Moore a football scholarship are Tennessee State, Louisiana Lafayette, Alabama State, Georgia Southern, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee State.
Moore plans to announce his final decision on National Signing Day.
“He’s a hard worker, a well-disciplined kid and prepared to play at the next level,” said Selma head coach Leroy Miles.
Selma outside linebackers Herschell Brown and Quintez Blevins are fielding multiple offers from colleges in Alabama. Miles said Brown is leaning toward Samford and Blevins is leaning toward Alabama State, but neither have made their final decisions yet.
Miles said Brown is a well-disciplined player and will be a strong leader at the next level and Blevins is a hard hitter who will contribute on special teams right away.
“Quintez is a hard-nosed football player,” Miles said. “He’s a young man that’s got a vision, knows what he wants out of life and he’s going to make all the necessary adjustments to be successful at the next level.”
Keith head coach Harry Crum said two of his linemen — offensive tackle Morris Collins and nose guard/center Joshua Thomas — are in the process of making the decision of where they want to play college football.
Crum said Collins, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound lineman, has three schools on his radar right now. Regardless of where Collins goes, Crum said he is sure Collins’ size and athleticism will allow him to be successful at the next level.
Thomas is looking at two offers and might be considering a third offer this week. With experience snapping the ball in various formations and ability to be disruptive on the defensive line, Crum believes Thomas’ versatility will be an asset to any team.
“He can clog up the middle with his size,” Crum said of Thomas. “He’s 320 pounds and he has that low center of gravity. People could use him as a stopper to clog up the middle.”
Crum said he is not sure whether the two players will wait until National Signing Day to announce their decisions.
Dallas County has three players deciding where they want to play college football next season, but head coach Marty Smith only released the name of one of those players Monday.
Anthony Oliver, who played defensive back and returner for the Hornets, has three offers from colleges that he is deciding between. Smith feels great about Oliver’s chances to make a immediate impact in college.
“Everybody just loves the fact that he’s got the quickness, he’s got the speed, he’s got the instincts to be a lockdown corner that you need at that next level,” Smith said.
Smith said none of the three players plan on waiting until National Signing Day to announce their decisions.
Southside head coach Daniel Flowers said there are multiple players on his squad making their college decisions, one of which is quarterback Khamari Gibbs. Flowers said he was unable to release additional information Monday, but he expects his players to announce their decisions soon.
Morgan Academy head coach Jake Wingo and Ellwood Christian Academy head coach Trey Pike could not be reached for comment Monday.