Tiller has two leaders

It wasn't that long ago that junior athlete Fred Tiller of Homerville (Ga.) Clinch County didn't have even a single offer.

"It was real hard [waiting]," Tiller said. "Real hard. I didn't think I was going to get any until the end of my senior year."

Finally, an offer came. Then another. And another.

Today, Tiller has 10 in hand.

And on Sunday night, the 6-foot-1, 178-pounder, who will play either receiver or defensive back in college, said two schools have emerged as his frontrunners.

"Mississippi State and South Carolina," Tiller said. "They're my co-leaders. They're tied."

Why are those two standing out?

"With Mississippi State, I like [assistant coach John] Hevesy," Tiller said. "He came and talked to me and I really like him. I like how they run the spread. They throw the football. If I play wide receiver, I know they'll throw me the ball. South Carolina is recruiting me as a defensive back. They're real good, and I think I'd fit in there."

Florida International, Southern Miss and Troy were the most recent to offer Tiller. Several colleges have stopped by this spring, including N.C. State, which attended Clinch County's spring game last Friday. Florida State is another program that is showing strong interest, according to Tiller.

"[FSU assistant D.J. Eliot] came down here, and said they wanted me," Tiller said. "They want me to come up there over the summer for a camp. I guess they want to see me."

Tiller not only intends to visit the Seminoles this summer but others as well.

"I'm going to camp at South Carolina," he said. "And I'm probably going to visit Mississippi State and Nebraska."

Tiller hopes to make a commitment once all those trips are done.

"I want to do it before my first game," he said.