SEC targets Tennessee RB

Junior to Watch: Levonte Barber

School: Cleveland, Tenn.

Position: Running Back

Size and speed: Barber is 6-feet tall, weighs 195 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.

Statistics: As a junior, he rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing three games due to injury. Has rushed for more than 2,300 yards in his prep career.

Honors: Was selected AP All-State, all-region and was the Coca-Cola Chattanooga Area Player of the Year.

Favorite Schools: Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State.

Skinny: Cleveland High School running back Levonte Barber got a taste of the “big time” this winter when he was invited to the U.S. Army combine in conjunction with the senior All-American game. The 6-foot, 195-pound back performed extremely well in testing and set a lofty goal for himself upon returning back to his hometown.

“He came back and said, ‘Coach, I want to be in that game next year,’” Cleveland coach Leon Brown said. “He was so excited to be around all those great players and holding his own in the combine. I think that really showed him he could be one of the best players in the country next year if he kept working hard.”

Brown describes Barber as an “exceptional athlete” who seemingly never quits playing sports.

“Levonte is a three-sport athlete – football, basketball and baseball,” he said. “He just goes from one to the other, hardly takes a break. He loves to compete, and he’s a hard worker. He’s always pushing himself to get better no matter what sport it is. But in football, that’s where he’s really special.

“His best attribute is his leg strength and power. He breaks a ton of tackles. The first guy hardly ever brings him down. He’s also got real good vision and instincts. We run a Wing-T, and he really hurts people with his cut-backs against pursuit. He does a really good job of changing directions and accelerating off his cuts.”

Schools showing early interest in Barber include “every SEC school, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Clemson and North Carolina,” according to Brown.

“I don’t think he has any clear-cut favorite,” he said. “Right now, he’s just overwhelmed by all the attention and the kind of schools sending him letters. He’s originally from South Carolina. His mom and dad are from there and he’s still got grandparents there, so I don’t know if that would be a factor or not with schools like South Carolina a Clemson.”

Brown said Barber planned to attend a Nike camp at Georgia Tech this summer, but had not picked any other destinations.

Barber is also a strong student, maintaining a 3.1 GPA.

“He should have no problem at all qualifying,” Brown said. “All the colleges are really high on him for that reason. They know they can count on him in that area.”