Four-star Georgia LB a prime target
Four-star Albany (Ga.) linebacker
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Dana Graydon has learned in
recent weeks there's a Catch 22 to being one of the nation's most
sought-after players.
"It's been kind of cool to be talking to so many big
schools, good coaches," he said. "But at the same time, it can get kind of
annoying. I talk to so many people, sometimes I forget who was who. I'm on
the phone about every night, and I'm getting a bunch of mail almost every
day. It never stops."
All part of being a member of the Rivals.com
Southeast Top 100 team and one of the nation's top-rated
outside linebackers.
Graydon (6-1, 210, 4.6) established himself as one
of the Peach State's top prospects by recording 105 tackles, 12 sacks and
five forced fumbles as a junior at Dougherty High School. Through four games
as a senior, he's on his way to more big numbers, having chalked up 30
tackles and five sacks.
"They're running away from me all the time," he
said. "Every team we've played has pulled both their guards and doubled me
with a tight end, too. But they've not stopped me yet."
Graydon currently has offers from Florida State,
Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and North Carolina. He's
been receiving calls from each of those, as well as Alabama, Miami and
Louisville this month.
"Florida State has probably shown the most
(interest)," he said. "They've been with me for a long time, and I like them
a lot. They're definitely one of my favorite teams. Jody Allen is the
assistant coach recruiting me. I've had a good relationship with him. He
even came up here to school one day just out of the blue. He couldn't talk
to me, but he wanted to talk to our coaches and see how I was doing. That
really stood out."
Graydon stressed that his recruitment is "open" to
several teams, but listed the following as his updated top four:
"Florida State is probably at the top," he said.
"Then Georgia Tech. I like their program, the coaches and academics. There's
some players I know there. Clemson would be next. They've been on me for a
long time. I like their coaches, but I need to check into their university
and see what it's all about. I don't know much about them right now, the
school and all. The fourth team would be Alabama. There's a kid from our
school (sophomore strong safety Chris James) playing there now. He wasn't
all that big or athletic when he left here, but I saw him playing recently,
and I was like 'Whoa! Look at him. They must have a great strength and
conditioning program.' That really got my attention."
Any candidates for the fifth spot?
"I want to visit Miami," he said. "I want to see the
city and the college. That program's unreal right now."
Graydon said he's also been impressed by coaches
from a couple of new teams entering his recruiting process, Kentucky and Louisville.
"Kentucky has been calling a lot," he said. "I've
been checking them out lately, seen them on Sportscenter where they almost
beat Florida. They're really playing good right now. Same with Louisville.
The most surprising thing I've seen all year was them beating Florida State.
That got my attention because they had just started calling me before that
game."
Meanwhile, Auburn has slipped a bit on his list.
"I've been there before and like the coaches and
facilities, but it's kind of a laid-back, country town," he said. "That's
not really my style."