Coples isnt the only one to watch at Kinston
Defensive end Quinton Coples isn't the only player to watch out of Kinston, N.C. in 2008. According to head coach Tony Edwards, two other players are worth keeping an eye on.
The first is 5-foot-9, 170-pound running back Mike Thompson who ran for 1,400 yards last season.
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"He's got the vision to be a No. 1 back," he said. "He did all of that despite missing two games. He single-handedly won some games for us this year and will definitely be the guy we need to ride next season to do anything.
"As a running back, he's got all the intangibles like good vision, footwork, that burst of speed and he catches the ball out of the backfield. He also does the little things that make him a good all-around back including blocking."
On the recruiting map, Thompson is under the radar. Right now teams don't know much about him," he said. "He's going to get some looks though. I know he's been invited to go to camps at North Carolina State, East Carolina and Virginia Tech. I believe he's planning to go to all of those.
The other recruit to watch is huge 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver Donovan Ingram.
"He's a physical kid that was on fire early in the year," he said. "He caught a total of five touchdown passes before hurt his pinky in practice and that forced him to resign from the team the rest of the year.
"He's an athlete that has great potential. He's in the Calvin Johnson mold because he has big jumping ability and can run after the ball."
Currently there's no confirmation that Ingram will come back to football as he is also a basketball recruit.
"He is a Division I wideout and I'm trying to convince him to come back because everyone is looking for those tall receivers," he said. "I think there's a strong possibility he'll come back.
"The thing is he's a big-time basketball recruit. He's getting interest there from schools like Clemson, East Carolina, Virginia Tech and others."