Atlanta stud DE has a top five

Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass is a must stop location for college recruiters every year during the month of May. This year’s Douglass squad boasts seven Division I prospects and none more highly touted than defensive end Roderick Battle. Battle is acquiring an impressive offer sheet for a guy who sat out most of his junior year.

“I already had offers from Georgia and Clemson, but I have added some new ones,” Battle said. “Auburn, Alabama and Vanderbilt all offered me a couple of weeks ago. I’m hearing a lot from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State too, but they haven’t offered yet.”

The 6-foot-3, 236-pound Battle had one of the most impressive showings of anyone at the Atlanta NIKE camp.

“I don’t have a favorite or anything right now,” Battle said. “I would say that my top five are Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Clemson and Vanderbilt right now. I want to take some visits and find out more about each school. Alabama, Auburn and Georgia are recruiting me the hardest.”

As a junior Battle played in the first two games of the season before a transfer rule caused him to have to sit out the rest of the season when he transferred from South Cobb to Douglass.

“I am planning on going to Auburn and I am also going to visit Alabama and Georgia over the summer,” Battle said. “I want to go to their camp, but if I don’t make it to camp I will still visit the school.”

Battle consistently runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. He ran the shuttle in 4.48 seconds at the NIKE camp and had a vertical jump of 32 inches.

“I just want to take my visits and make sure that I am making the right decision,” Battle said. “I wouldn’t mind deciding before the season, but I am willing to go as long as it takes because I want to be 100-percent sure once I announce my decision.”