CSNbbs

Full Version: Article: Troy football team has good recruiting weekend
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Troy football team has good recruiting weekend

If you want to compare college football recruiting to baseball, Troy coaches batted 1.000 over the weekend.

The school hosted eight official visitors, two of which had already committed to Troy. The six that came in uncommitted all pledged to sign with Troy on Feb. 2, National Signing Day.

The headliners from the high school ranks were a pair of defensive ends each rated three stars by rivals.com and scout.com. Foley’s Dre’Shon McGaster, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound standout in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game, committed, as did Deon Lee, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder from Defuniak Springs, Fla.

Lee turned down offers from South Carolina and Kentucky to sign with Troy. He said he had an official visit planned this weekend to Central Florida, but would likely cancel it.

“I didn’t really want to go to a big school,” Lee said. “I got a good feel for Troy when I visited. Coaches showed me the depth chart, and most of the guys are juniors and seniors, so hopefully I can come in and make an impact.”

Lee had been to Troy several times for basketball camps. He’s a center for Walton Senior High School.

“I finally got to get a good look at the football program,” Lee said. “I was wanting to go there anyway. I had a good time on my visit. I like everything about the program, and I feel like it fits me and I can go up there and be successful.”

Last spring, Rivals.com reported McGaster as having offers from Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Louisiana Tech and FIU. McGaster had three tackles, one for loss, and a quarterback hurry in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game in December.

The other high school player to commit was Hoover linebacker Tyler Roberts, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. As a defensive end this year, Roberts had 107 tackles and 14 sacks, according to the Birmingham News, but Roberts’ size projects him as a linebacker at the college level.

“I liked everything about it, really,” Roberts said in a text message. “The people were great, the coaches were great and it’s not too far from home for me which that played a pretty big factor in my decision. But, yeah, I prayed about it and talked a lot with my parents and I felt Troy was the best place for me.”

Troy had previously gotten commitments from Gardendale quarterback Dallas Tidwell and Griffin, Ga., receiver Chandler Worthy. Both took visits to Troy over the weekend and reaffirmed their commitments.

Troy got three commitments from junior college linemen – offensive tackle Jeremy Pierce of Jones County Junior College in Laurel, Miss., and defensive tackles Anthony Payne (Northeast Mississippi Community College) and Tevin Wells (Mississippi Delta Community College).

Pierce, who is 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, could challenge for the vacant right tackle spot.

“I told (coaches) I wanted to go to school there, and seeing the campus made me feel good about it,” Pierce said. “I want to compete with the best there is. They have guys come out and go to the NFL. It’s a good program, and I want to try it out.”

Pierce said he has a visit scheduled for Marshall this weekend “just to check it out, but so far Troy is the school I’m picking.”

Wells, 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, picked Troy over interest from UAB and Murray State.

“I had a nice time hanging with the coaches, and the facilities were really nice,” Wells said. “Plus, they’re a winning school.”

Payne, 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, signed with Troy in 2009 out of Leroy High School, but went to junior college. He redshirted one year, so he’ll be a sophomore this fall.

“That was the plan (to re-sign with Troy),” Payne said. “I like the atmosphere and the coaches and how they treat each player. They’re young on defense, so if I can come in and take care of business in the classroom and on the field, I’ll have a spot in the rotation.”

Other commits expected to sign on Feb. 2 are running back Daron White (Jacksonville, Fla.), defensive end Marty Stadom (Southwest Miss. Community College) linebacker Micheal Troutman (Fitzgerald, Ga.), cornerback Chris Davis (Thomasville) and cornerback D.J. Jones (Wake Forest transfer, at junior college this year).

Troy signed six players over the midyear break and also added three grayshirts from last year’s class.
Reference URL's