Three stand out for Thornton

One thing is apparent with Shadrach Thornton, the junior running back from Georgia's Liberty County. He isn't taking any of his offers for granted.

"I have six of them," Thornton said. "The ones I have are a blessing."

Chances are, more of them are coming.

Last week, schools such as Georgia Tech, North Carolina and South Alabama stopped by Liberty County to check out the 6-foot-1, 207-pound Thornton.

"I think Georgia Tech is leaning toward offering," Thornton said. "Georgia is leaning toward offering. Middle Tennessee definitely wants me. I think they're leaning toward offering also. Georgia was supposed to come by this spring but they couldn't make it. With Georgia Tech, they told me [head coach Paul Johnson] moved me toward the top of the board of guys that don't have an offer from them already. They told me the biggest problem delaying an offer was my speed. But when their coach saw me practice, he said my speed had improved dramatically. He said, 'I can see most definitely you've been working on it. Your acceleration is incredible.' He was saying he's got a whole bunch of clips he can show Coach Johnson and that after all the coaches meet in the conference room, most likely I'll walk out with an offer."

Thus far, these are the programs that have offered: Georgia State, Kentucky, Marshall, N.C. State, Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky.

"This summer, I'm most definitely getting up to Kentucky," Thornton said. "I'm trying to get to Vanderbilt and I want to try to get to N.C. State. That's what I've lined up right now. I've already been to Georgia Tech, Georgia and N.C. State."

Right now, Kentucky, N.C. State and Vanderbilt are standing out. Here's why …

Kentucky: "Their running backs coach [Steve Pardue] used to coach [high school football in Georgia]. We played them my sophomore year in the first round. I had a heck of a game and had one of the best runs of my career. He knows what I can do."

N.C. State: "They were telling me if I came, I'd be battling the people I came in with in the class for the starting position. They were letting me know I was No. 1 on their board for guys they've offered at that position."

Vanderbilt: "They've been letting me know the program is going to have a turnaround. They're a very prestigious school. Every program there is real good but football kind of fell behind. They have a whole new staff that has a vision for them that is so bright. They have a young coach, and I know they're going to be an upbeat team."