TBO.com Sports Special Reports

Best Of The South

The Best Combo Of Size And Speed

The converted runningback from Alabama had 68 receptions for 1,179 yards and 16 touchdowns – along with 1,657 all-purpose yards – for a 12-1 Lions team..

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About The Team

   The Tampa Tribune’s sixth annual Best of the South team was chosen by 18 college recruiting coordinators from across the nation with an eye on the Feb. 6 signing date. Each coordinator was asked to pick 20 prospects from a list of players in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia – covering the Southern region, all of SEC territory and most of the ACC.
   The ballot – which listed 88 players – was compiled by staff writers Joey Johnston, Bob Bellone and Mike Garbett. It was based on a consensus of several recruiting analysts. Receiving votes were 81 of the 88 players on the ballot, along with six write-in candidates.
   The top 20 vote-getters made the team.
   Florida had eight picks, followed by South Carolina with three and Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina with two each. Louisiana, Mississippi and Virginia had one each.

Signing Day 2008

Visit our special report page for all the names, numbers and facts from the biggest day in college and prep football recruiting - National Signing Day.
National Signing Day 2008

Top 20 Capsules

1. Julio Jones, WR, Foley (Ala.)
2. Michael Brewster, OL, Orlando (Edgewater)
3. Matt Patchan, OT, Seffner (Armwood)
4. E.J. Manuel, QB, Virginia Beach (Bayside), Va.
5. A.J. Green, WR, Summerville, S.C.
6. Nigel Bradham, LB, Crawfordville (Wakulla)
7. Marcus Forston, DT, Miami (Northwestern)
8. Dwayne Allen, TE, Fayetteville (Terry Sanford), N.C.
9. Brice Butler, WR, Norcross, Ga.
10. Patrick Johnson, CB, Pompano Beach (Ely)
11. Daquan Bowers, DE, Bamberg (Bamberg-Ehrhardt), S.C.
12. Tyler Love, OT, Mountain Brook, Ala.
13. DeAndre Brown, WR, Ocean Springs, Miss.
14. Nigel Carr, LB, Jacksonville (First Coast)
15. De'Angelo Tyson, DT, Statesboro, Ga.
16. T.J. Bryant, CB, Tallahassee (Lincoln)
17. Spencer Adams, DB, Matthews (Butler), N.C.
18. Kenneth Page, OT, Columbia (Flora), S.C.
19. Chris Tolliver, WR, Rayville, La.
20. Karnell Hatcher, DB, Delray Beach (Atlantic)

The Next 20

Staff writer Joey Johnston polled 18 college recruiting coordinators from across the nation to the select The Tampa Tribune’s sixth annual Best of the South team. Each coordinator voted for 20 players. Twenty players – who received at least four votes – made the honorable mention from the 88-player ballot.
ALABAMA (1): Antoine McClain, OL, Anniston.
ARKANSAS (1): De’Anthony Curtis, RB, Camden (Fairview).
FLORIDA (5): Brandon Harris, DB, Miami (Booker T. Washington); Janoris Jackson, DB, Pahokee; Aldarious Johnson, WR, Miami (Northwestern); Corey Liuget, DL, Hialeah; Carlton Thomas, RB, Frostproof.
GEORGIA (5): A.J. Harmon, OL, Louisville (Jefferson County); Omar Hunter, DL, Buford; Dontavious Jackson, RB, Franklin (Heard County); Toby Jackson, DL, Griffin; Jamoris Slaughter, DB, Stone Mountain (Tucker).
LOUISIANA (2): Chase Clement, DL, Thibodaux (E.D. White Catholic); Tyler Edwards, TE, Monroe (Ouachita Christian).
MISSISSIPPI (1): Darius Barksdale, DB, Batesville (South Panola).
NORTH CAROLINA (2): Brandon Bunn, ATH, Bunn; Terrell Manning, LB, Laurinburg (Scotland County).
SOUTH CAROLINA (2): Robert Quinn, DL, North Charleston (Fort Dorchester); Charles Whitlock, DB, Chester.
VIRGINIA (1): Kyle Long, OL, Charlottesville (St. Anne’s-Belfield).