Vols, Heels lead for Weisensel

Under Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee has been able to reach into North Carolina and pull out at least a couple of top recruits most years. Another border war, this time between the Vols and Heels, could be shaping up.

Defensive tackle/offensive guard Ben Weisensel is 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, and widely considered to be one of the top two-way line prospects in North Carolina. He bench presses 325 pounds and squats 500, and runs the 40-yard dash in 5.0 seconds.

"Tennessee just seems like the best overall fit for me right now," he explained. "The university, area, academics and coaching staff all appeal to me. North Carolina is a very, very close number two. The area around the school, the proximity to my home, the coaching staff and the campus really stand out at UNC. It's just such a prestigious university."

Who else is Weisensel interested in?

"Clemson would be my third choice. The size of the campus and the city are just about exactly what I'm looking for. The coaches seem great, but they haven't shown too much interest in me up to this point. Duke is my fourth favorite school. I'm going into medical studies in college -- ultimately neurological research. What better place to go to for that than Duke? I'm also looking at South Carolina. It doesn't get any better than coach Holtz and it's pretty close to home."

The Salisbury (N.C.) East Rowan star carries a 3.87 GPA and has scored a 1,040 on his SAT. Weisensel camped at all five of his favorites this summer and enjoyed each trip. While most recruits are thinking about where they can get playing time or win, Weisensel considers other things.

"I'll be looking for a solid program with a strong tradition. The school I'll pick won't just be academically strong, but the football program will be morally strong. I'm going somewhere that has a history of following NCAA guidelines. I'll stay on the east coast, and go somewhere with a good medical school."

In his first contest of 2003, Weisensel recorded 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and one pass batted down on defense. He also blocked a field goal, recorded four pancake blocks and graded out at 92-percent on the offensive line.