JUCO DT adds a big offer

Sacramento (Calif.) City Community College defensive tackle Akiem Hicks racked up several big offers early in the recruiting process, but a recent offer from one SEC program has specifically caught the 6-6, 300-pound prospect's attention.

"LSU just offered me and that's a pretty appetizing offer," Hicks reported. "They gave me a call one day and they said they were interested in offering me.

"Coach (D.J.) McCarthy and Earl Lane, the defensive line coach, they came down to see my Modesto game and after that they offered. My personality, for one, and my drive, my aggressiveness and just how I play the game they said was a factor.

"They told me that they don't recruit a lot of JC guys and I am the only JC guy they are going to be recruiting. They told me they just like my game, period."

Hicks had previously received scholarship offers from Arizona, Oregon, Purdue, South Florida, Tennessee and Washington. The offer from LSU, however, has changed the way Hicks currently views his recruitment.

"It changes it tremendously," Hicks said. "This puts (LSU) up in the top few."

An official visit to LSU has been scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 22. He has already taken one official visit and plans at least one more outside of his trip to Baton Rouge in November.

"I went up to Oregon on Aug. 1 and I think I might be going to Tennessee on the 8th of November," Hicks said. "Immediately after these trips I am going to try to make my decision. How I gel with the coaches and the overall communication factor with the coaches, that's a big thing with me."

Originally from Del Campo High School in Carmichael, Calif., Hicks will be a spring graduate and has three years to play out his two remaining seasons of eligibility. He prefers the three-technique defensive tackle position and is averaging 5-6 tackles a game from that position for Sacramento City this fall.

Hicks is also impressive in the weight room, where he boasts a 365-pound bench press and 630-pound squat. He reports a time of 4.89 in the 40-yard dash.