Jumbo NC end starting to receive offers
Offers have already started coming in for a versatile defensive lineman in the Tar Heel State. Lake Waccamaw (N.C.) East Columbus defensive end Joe Gore has pulled three scholarships to date and plenty of other colleges are coming in.
"He's got offers from Duke, Vanderbilt and Maryland," East Columbus head coach Travis Conner said of Gore. "You've got to understand where he's from, this is a town with no red light and he's definitely a country kid. It's pretty impressive when Coach Cutcliffe comes through, that means a lot.
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"Right now he's taking it all in stride. He's got his head screwed on right and he's a good student with a 3.3 GPA."
Gore has no favorites according to his coach.
"He's wide open," he said. "All he has is his grandmother and he's not afraid to go away from home either."
Gore plans to head to Duke Saturday and Maryland in the near future. Boston College has also given an invite for a visit sometime.
The 6-foot-6, 262-pounder showed his versatility as a junior playing both ways for Conner.
"I've had several players go off and play and he's the best one," he said. "He has just such a long frame and big wing span. The way he can get off the ball as a defensive end is something unbelievable. He blocked nine kicks on special teams this year too.
"He plays wonderfully at end, but could move to tackle or go to the offensive line. I see him playing defensive end. He really creates problems for someone to block.
"As an offensive lineman, we don't do a lot of pass blocking so he's behind the curve as far as that goes, but other than that he's a tremendous lineman there too."
Gore isn't just a big body as he's clearly an athlete as well.
"He plays basketball and track," he said. "It may be hard to believe but as a 250-pound sophomore he won our conference in the 200 meter. His even in track is the discuss, but he also runs the 300 hurdles."
As good of an athlete as he is, Conner claims Gore is an even better person.
"He's the finest young man not counting football skills," he said. "I tell all the coaches this, I wouldn't hesitate to leave my children in his care."