Tag Archives: Football Recruiting News

Duke Football

In-state OL Mark Harrell has an offer from Duke

Charlotte OL Mark Harrell has an offer from Duke

In their four years in Durham, Head Coach David Cutcliffe and Offensive Line Coach Matt Luke have built the Duke offensive line into a position of strength. The past two recruiting classes have brought in a very good group of offensive linemen, and the Blue Devils hope to continue that trend with the class of 2012. Mark Harrell is a 6’5” 260 pound offensive lineman from Charlotte, North Carolina. The standout junior offensive lineman has an offer from Duke among his impressive list of offers, and hopes to have a final decision before his senior season. Mark’s highlights can be viewed here.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

Well, blocking is my strong suit.  We run an offense where primarily blocking, run blocking, but yeah, have good leverage, good explosion off the ball, good feet, and yeah, primarily run blocking.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

Pass blocking, I’ve been getting in the weight room, but during basketball season it’s hard to really keep up with that, but I’ve been definitely working on pass blocking, that’s something I need to work on because we run the ball a lot, but my offensive line coach used to play for the Panthers, so he knows what he’s talking about, and he’s teaching me a lot about pass blocking.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

You know, keep the tradition going of another good, winning season, take it home this year.  We felt we were so close but fell short last year, but this year I want to take it back home.

BDN: As you look at your college decision, what are the most important factors you are looking for in a school?

Primarily academics.  Also, if I like the campus, if I like the location where I am, since I’m gonna be living there for the next 4 or 5 years, depending on whether I get redshirted or not, but that, and also depth chart, I want to see if I’m gonna have a chance to play.  But yeah, primarily academics.

BDN: Is there a specific academic field you are interested in?

Probably business or management.

BDN: Which schools have you heard from the most? Who were the first to contact you?

The first schools to contact and offer were – Duke was the first to offer, then came Georgia Tech to offer, then UVA offered, Kentucky, and then NC State last night, but other than those 5 that offered, I’ve been hearing a lot from Clemson.  I’ve also been hearing a lot from Wake Forest.  I’ve been hearing some from Michigan and West Virginia, and I’m also starting to hear some stuff from Tennessee and Notre Dame as well.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools so far?

I’ve visited Duke, I’ve visited NC State.  I’ve also visited Georgia Tech.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

I mean, I like all of them, all said.  I’m not gonna try to pick any favorites, you know, I like all schools, yeah, just basically like all of them.

BDN: Do you have any other visits planned for this spring or summer?

I’m going down to UVA for a junior day.  I’m also going back to Duke, and I think Clemson as well.  Hopefully that’ll go well, but other than that, I’ve been trying a lot more visits.  I think I’m trying to go down, fly down to Notre Dame, see what that’s all about.  But other than that, I’ve been planning – other than the ones that I’ve mentioned, but I’m sure I will in the summer.

BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?

I’d like to pick a top 5 by the start of summer, hopefully, and then maybe make a decision before – early into my senior – high school season, but that’s in a perfect world, so we’ll see what happens, but that’d be ideal, where I’m going before the season starts, before my senior year starts.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Mark, and best of luck to you.

All right, you too.  Thanks.

 

Duke Football

Florida LB Kory Williams loved everything about Duke on Junior Day

LB Kory Williams has heard from Duke, Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech

Kory Williams is a 5’11” 220 pound linebacker from Jacksonville, Florida. As a leader on the Providence High School defense and fullback on offense, he helped his team into the playoffs as a junior. While he’s still early in the recruiting process, he’s already heard from a few schools in the ACC and SEC. He took a visit to Duke for Junior Day in January and “loved everything about it.”

BDN: Can you start off by describing the strengths and weaknesses of your game for someone who hasn’t had a chance to see you play?

Well, I’m 5’11” 220 middle linebacker. My coaches say I hit like a freight train. I don’t have running-back type speed, but I do play a little fullback and carry the ball some. I am one of the fastest guys on our team, but not the fastest. I have pretty good feet. I react well to the ball and I just always find myself to the ball.

BDN: What are some of the things you’ve been working on this offseason?

I’ve been working with Lonnie Marts, former linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs and [Jacksonville] Jaguars, to get my agility better, my feet better, working to get faster and my reaction to the ball a little better.

BDN: What are some of the goals you have for yourself and your team this fall?

For my team, I would like to, I know we’ll make it to the playoffs, but we’re in harder classification this year so it will be a little bit harder, but I believe we could make it to state. For myself, I would like to have over 100 tackles, a couple interceptions, and 10 sacks.

BDN: What are the most important things you are looking for in a college?

Mainly, the education, because life after football – I’d like to have a great education to get me in somewhere that I can have a great job and support a family later down the road. Also, I’ll be looking for how well I fit in with the college, like the campus style, and the coaches, and how early I could play.

BDN: What schools have you recently heard from? Who were the first schools to contact you?

The first schools that were contacting me were Indiana, Iowa State and Ole Miss. The past couple weeks I’ve been getting stuff from Georgia Tech and he came down to our school the other day and I met the recruiter for our area from Georgia Tech.

BDN: Can you talk a little about the schools you have been able to visit recently?

I’ve only been to Duke this past weekend. During the season I had the chance to go to an Ole Miss game, but I got the mail late and didn’t have a chance to make the trip out there.

BDN: Do you have any plans for other visits this spring or summer?

I’d love to go visit Duke again. I just love it – I loved everything about it up there. I’m looking to go to Duke’s camp this summer, and looking forward to going to Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech as well.

BDN: It’s still very early in the process, but ideally, when would you like to make your college decision?

I think that when I get an offer that suits me well and has most of the things or all of the things I’m looking for, I would commit if it’s the right choice that God has planned out for me. I would be looking to commit either after the season or during the season.

BDN: Is there anything else you think is important for ACC football fans to know about you?

On the defense, they labeled me as a leader at mike linebacker, a vocal linebacker that gets my team straight. Out of all the people I have in front of me at the line and the outside linebackers, I would get them situated as well as the safeties. But I mainly have the front line and the linebackers, myself. I’m on all special teams. Coaches love to have me on the field looking to hit somebody or make a tackle. I love the feeling when it’s 4th and 1 and the coach is telling me he wants a brick wall, he wants us to get the ball back, he counts on me to get my team ready and motivated and to stop them and get us off the field.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Kory and best of luck to you.

Alright, thank you, you too.

Duke Football

Duke stands out to DE prospect Allen Jackson

Allen Jackson is receiving interest from many ACC and SEC schools

While Duke is working hard to improve their defense on the field this spring, the coaching staff is also working hard to upgrade the defense with a talented group of prospects in the class of 2012. Allen Jackson is a 6’5” 225 pound defensive end prospect from Owings Mills, Maryland. Playing defensive end and tight end for McDonogh High School, Allen earned All-Conference honors as a junior, and has already received offers from Duke, Maryland, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia. Highlights from Allen’s junior year can be viewed here.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

As a player, I definitely think I use my hands and my quickness definitely to my ability, but I definitely think I play more of a finesse game than a power game, but I definitely see my hands and my quickness off the ball, as a strength of mine.

BDN: What are some of the things you’re working on this offseason?

Off-season, it’s just trying to be quicker off the ball, and trying to become stronger, and at the next level that’s going to be one of the things I’m going to continue to work on as well.

BDN: What are your goals for your senior season?

Senior year, I want to be all-state, I want to have at least 15 sacks in a year, I just want to dominate.

BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

Definitely how I get along with the coaches, and how prestigious they are in their academics, and certainly how far they are from my family.

BDN: Who are the schools you have heard from the most so far? Who were the first schools to contact you?

Definitely Maryland was the first to contact me, and Duke as well, I’ve heard the most from them, but those were my first two scholarship offers, I’ve heard a lot from some some SEC schools, and a lot of the ACC schools as well.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?

I’ve visited Maryland and Duke.

BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?

Duke has stood out to DE Allen Jackson early

 

 

I definitely plan to visit some more of the ACC schools along the coast in the upcoming months, and I also want to probably go down to Vanderbilt, and another SEC school or two.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

Definitely Duke, with their academics, it’s a very high, prestigious school, and Duke is a school I can really see myself at.

BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?

Not at the moment, I’m just kind of going to take it as it flows in.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Allen, and best of luck to you.

Thank you. Certainly, certainly. You too. Bye.

 

Duke Football

Duke leads for Durham athlete Phillip Williamson

Duke has extended an offer to Phillip Williamson of Jordan HS

The Blue Devils’ secondary has been area of recent concern for many Duke fans, and the coaching staff has worked hard to upgrade the depth over the past two recruiting classes. In the class of 2012, Duke has already been in contact with Durham athlete Phillip Williamson, a 6’2” 210 pound prospect from Jordan High School. The physical safety prospect earned 2010 All-Conference honors, leading Jordan to the state playoffs and a 7-5 overall record. Although it's early in the process, the Blue Devils have stood out to Phillip and are the earlier leader.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

I’m a hard worker; I’m the first one on the field, last one out.  Same with the weight room, just a hard worker and a football player.

BDN: What are some of the things you’re working on this offseason?

I’m working on my speed, flexibility, and quickness.  And I’m trying to get stronger.

BDN: What are your goals for your senior season?

I want a state championship.  That’s all it is, that’s all it means to me, it’s just team.  I wouldn’t mind winning, but I really care about the team more than just myself.

BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

Academics and the coaching.

BDN: Is there a specific academic field you are interested in?

Sociology.

BDN: Who are the schools you have heard from the most so far?

Duke, [North] Carolina, Maryland, Wake Forest, Liberty, I got stuff from Clemson, I got stuff from Auburn, Illinois.  I got like 2 things from Oregon.  I heard from Miami, so schools like that.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?

Unofficially, I went to Duke.  But I went to like a lot of schools, to their games.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

Duke is the early leader for local prospect Phil Williamson

 

 

I think Duke, out of all of them, for the academics, and then it’s a building process, and I’d like to be part of a building process.

BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?

Not really.  Like, me and my parents are looking at schools to visit right now, but right now not really. I’m going to visit Duke and [North] Carolina probably a lot this spring, though.

BDN: Is there anything else you think college football fans should know about you?

I love fans hyping the game up, that really gets me, it’s all the emotion of a football game, fans really help with that.  Just keep cheering for the team and that’d be good for me.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Phillip, and best of luck.

All right.

 

Duke Football

Carolina schools are interested in NC safety M.J. Salahuddin early

Clemson, Duke and ECU were the first schools to contact M.J. Salahuddin

M.J. Salahuddin is a 6’3” 195 pound safety from Fayetteville, North Carolina. In his junior year, M.J. helped lead Jack Britt to the second round of the state playoffs, recording 79 tackles, 3 sacks, and an interception. Highlights of his interception can be viewed here. A talented athlete who also plays basketball and runs track, M.J. has attracted the attention of coaches throughout the Carolinas. After visiting Durham in the fall for a game, M.J. made a second trip for Duke’s Junior Day in January.

BDN: Can you start off by describing the strengths and weaknesses of your game for someone who hasn’t had a chance to see you play?

My game is basically, as a safety, I try to be the deepest man, not let anybody get behind me. I try to read the quaterback a lot and I like to come up and make a lot of tackles, kind of when I play as a linebacker.

 

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

This offseason I’ve mainly been working on change of direction. Because when I go to camps, that’s mainly all they talk about is change direction. How quickly can you change direction and keep focused. I’m also working on putting on a little weight for next year, and my legs, trying to get faster.

 

BDN: What are some of the goals you have for yourself and your team this fall?

Our goal this past year was obviously state, but we came up short in the second round. That will definitely be another milestone for us next year. I just want to be a leader, a vocal leader, and try to take us back to state next year, my senior year.

 

BDN: What are the most important things you are looking for in a college?

What I look for in a school is the academics, because I’m very interested in the academics. I look at how many seniors they have on their team at my positon and if I’m going to get a chance to play or not. And I look at the campus – see how nice that is. I definitely like taking hands-on visits with my family, from there I go with my parents and making a decision.

 

BDN: You mentioned academics as one of the top things you’re looking at; is there a particular field you are interested in?

I’m almost leaning towards education right now, going into the teaching field. If that doesn’t work out, because I’m an athlete, I’d love to work with athletes in sports medicine or something along those lines.

 

BDN: What schools have you recently heard from? Who were the first schools to contact you?

 

M.J. Salahuddin visited Duke last fall for a game

The first school that I came in contact with was Clemson, through Eric MacLain. I took a visit there with him. Then I went to ECU and then I went to Duke. NC State invited me but I didn’t get a chance to get up there, I was busy that weekend. I definitely want to take more visits, open up my options and go from there.

 

BDN: Do you have any plans for other visits this spring or summer?

I want to go to the three schools I just named, and I want to go to the NC State camp, they invited me. The Duke camp, ECU camp, Clemson camp. Wake Forest just started sending me letters, so I’ll try to go to something up there.

 

BDN: It’s still very early in the process, but ideally, when would you like to make your college decision?

Hopefully I can start getting offers soon, as soon as September rolls around and then from there I’ll just start going through my options, talk with my family, see what they like, see what I’m interested in, and probably make a decision. I’ll definitely probably wait it out, I won’t commit right then and there.

 

BDN: Is there anything else you think is important for ACC football fans to know about you?

As a player, I’m basically just a great leader. I love to work, I love to help my teammates succeed. I just want to be the best, I’m a competitor, it’s in my blood, it’s in my family. School-wise and personality-wise, I’m just out of the box. I love to have fun with my team, just be around football basically. I’m very coachable, I love to listen and learn and then react on that.

 

BDN: Those traits will all certainly serve you well. Thanks a lot, M.J. and best of luck to you.

Thank you, I’ll definitely keep in touch. Thank you for the opportunity.

Duke Football

Duke has stood out to Shelby DL Carlos Wray early


DE Carlos Wray says that Duke has stood out to him early.

While Duke is working hard to develop a group of young defensive linemen on the field this spring, the coaching staff is also working hard to recruit a group of young defensive linemen in the class of 2012. Carlos Wray is a 6’2½” 250 pound defensive line prospect out of Shelby, North Carolina. As a junior, he helped Shelby to a 9-6 overall record, totaling 78 tackles, 14 sacks, and forcing 3 fumbles on the year. His standout junior season has earned the attention of college coaches and scouts, including the Duke staff, who have impressed Carlos early in the process.

BDN: Can you start by describing your strengths on the field for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

My strengths on the field are, I guess you could say it’s reading defense and getting to the football, getting around the ball, and seeing where the ball is going before it gets there.  Things like that.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

My speed and my endurance, just having more energy out on the field, and – I mean being a playmaker, I know that comes natural, but just finding the football a little bit faster, and getting there a little bit faster.

BDN: What are your goals for yourself and your team in your senior year?

Probably want to get the best season I’ve had in my high school career, probably have to say, just, I had 14 and a half sacks this past season, so I kind of just want to beat that myself this season.

BDN: As you’re thinking about your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

The tradition of the program, the coaching stability, strong head coach, and the position coach is good.  It ain’t all about winning to me; it’s about being around a family of players who want to play, so just the atmosphere, things like that.

BDN: Which schools have you had the most contact with so far in the recruiting process? Who were the first schools to contact you?

First school to contact me was probably either Georgia Tech or Clemson, they’ve been schools that have really been keeping up with me hard.  And [North] Carolina, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Georgia.

BDN: What schools have you had a chance to visit so far?

I’ve been to [North] Carolina, Clemson, Duke, and South Carolina, and Georgia.  I’m going to Georgia Tech on the 19th of this month.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process, either on your visits or your contact with the coaches?

I like Duke.  I mean, it seemed to me that they had a great coaching staff, and everything they’re telling me, I saw for myself when I went up there.  Just the coaching staff and atmosphere up there, I got to go to a basketball game while I was up there, I know the campus life is safe and cool, and it’s like, I felt like I was walking down the street to my house at Duke, and that means a lot to me, just feeling at home.

BDN: Do you have an idea when you would like to make your final college decision?

Well, right now, I have a date to verbally commit on December 19th.

BDN: Is there anything else you think is important for college football fans to know about you, on or off the field?

Well, I play with a passion.  My idol is Ray Lewis, just because the way he takes in the game, and the passion he providing in the way he plays, and the morals he goes by.  I love the game, I have a passion for the game, and the game is pretty much my heart.  I promise to work hard wherever I go.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Carlos, and best of luck to you.

All right. Thanks.