Whitley talks visits, favorites

Matthews (N.C.) Butler safety Eddie Whitley is ready to start taking summer visits. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has a full month of visits planned to a handful of ACC programs.

"I'm getting ready to start hitting camps soon," he said. "I'm going this Saturday to Virginia Tech for a one day camp, so I can work with coach Gray. I'm planning to head back to Virginia Tech with my parents probably around the 17th or 18th. Then on the 19th I'm going to NC State and on the 25th I'm headed to Virginia. On the 26th, I've got seven-on-seven passing league with my team and they come first."

With potentially decisive visits coming in the next month, what does Whitley want to see on his visits?

"I just want to check out the atmosphere of the campus," he said. "I want to meet the coaching staff and it's going to be really important to see how the defensive coaches run their defense. It wouldn't be cool if I don't like the schemes, so I want to sit down with the coaches and see how they play."

Currently four schools have jumped to the top of Whitley's list.

"Definitely Virginia Tech, NC State and Virginia are up there and I'd probably put Oregon in there too," he said. "I like Oregon because they are in the Pac-10 and play against a lot of passing offenses which would prepare me for the NFL. They have a good architectural school too.

"As for the others, Virginia Tech is a defensive back school. They are known for putting defensive backs into the NFL and I like coach Gray. He's real nice and I like to work on my mechanics with him. NC State is close to home and I've got family in Raleigh. They were a childhood team that I liked when I was growing up. Finally, Virginia my mom likes because of the education and the fact the campus is real nice. They are historic school and the No. 1 public college in the nation."

The Butler prospect is already beginning to think about fall visits.

"I'm already thinking about going to Georgia for their first game against Oklahoma State," he said. "If I make that, it'll be an unofficial. Once I do that I'll start all of my officials. I'm going to try to make it to Oregon, NC State, Virginia Tech and Virginia."

Though he mentioned the visits, Whitley isn't throwing out the possibility of deciding earlier.

"I am thinking about it and I probably want to wait, but if not I'll likely move it up to just before my season starts."