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Class Of 2009 Could Be Best Ever

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 3, 2009

Updated: 02/03/2009 11:55 pm

TAMPA - As sophomores, they were the faces of their respective programs.

Petey Smith, Jarvis Giles, Jairus Jones.

Some became immediate stars as juniors.

Aaron Murray, Dontae Aycock, Mywan Jackson, Ryne Giddins.

In the spring following their junior seasons, word got out about their potential.

Lindsey Lamar, Orson Charles, Demonte McAllister, Erick McGriff, Angelo Hadley.

Months into the 2009 season, and some weeks after, college coaches found buried treasure.

Andrew Clifford, Hunter Stout, Conor O'Neal, Denzel Drone.

Finally, their day has come. Today, National Signing Day, will be the culmination of the Class of 2009, a group that could be remembered as Hillsborough County's most highly recruited football class.

National scouting Web sites rate a player's college potential with a star system, with five stars the best. According to Rivals.com, among Hillsborough County's senior prospects, there are nine two-star recruits, 11 three-star recruits, six four-star recruits, but no five-star recruits. Last year, former Armwood lineman Matt Patchan, now at Florida, was given five stars.

"Just look at all the schools along the county, and each one is dotted with a great player," Plant coach Robert Weiner said. "With McAllister at Alonso or Jarvis over at Gaither and things like that, there are so many great players in our county this year."

Murray, the state's passing-touchdown record holder who led Plant to the 2008 Class 4A state title, had more than 50 offers entering his senior year before deciding on the University of Georgia. Giddins, Armwood's star defensive end, had nearly 70 offers before he committed to the University of South Florida. Both were Parade All-Americans.

Charles, Plant's four-star tight end, has narrowed his choices to Florida, Georgia, Florida State and Southern California. McAllister, Alonso's 6-foot-4, 275-pound four-star defensive lineman, considered Georgia, LSU and Alabama before committing to Florida State. Aycock, Chamberlain's four-star dual-threat quarterback and the Guy Toph recipient, is leaning toward Auburn, one of his 30 offers.

"There's no question about it. As far as being highly recruited, this class is best," Hillsborough High coach Earl Garcia said. "College coaches, when they came here, they said this area is as good as anywhere. It's like the NFL draft, though. Wait a couple years to see how they pan out."

Armwood will have a program-best nine Division I players sign today.

"We've done such a good job of recruiting in this county," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "Kids in this county are blessed because when scouts come to this county to see Giddins or Petey Smith, other kids get looked at also."

Garcia has had to assign one of his assistant coaches to handle player recruiting because the process has become so overwhelming.

"There used to be one or two guys signing in this county," Garcia said. "There was a period in the '70s and '80s, Hillsborough County was bad. We'd go to clinics and not tell anybody we were from Hillsborough County. Now, when we go to national clinics, people know who we are."

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851.

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