Football Recruiters Pack Shrine Bowl Practices

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — One of the most amazing and colorful sights of the holiday season in the Carolinas has nothing to do with Christmas or New Year’s. The spectacle I’m referring to is the first two days of practice for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas all-star football game.

Assistant coaches from college programs around the nation ring the fields on those occasions to chat about, evaluate and gawk at the best senior high school players from North Carolina and South Carolina as they prepare for the annual border battle.

It’s rare to see so many college coaches in one setting, and because all of them are dressed in school polo shirts it creates an eye-catching burst of colors.

That was the scene Monday and Tuesday as players participating in the 71st Shrine Bowl practiced at the dream facility located just off Interstate 26 at Dorman High School. The two well-manicured practice fields, home and visitors dressing rooms and the magnificent stadium at Dorman would put many colleges to shame. But the real focus here are the players, many of whom are still in the process of selecting the college where they’ll play next fall.

Heading that list on the North Carolina side was Fayetteville’s Dwayne Allen. The Terry Sanford tight end was clearly the star of the early workouts, wowing all observers with his pass catching – he dropped only two balls during the first two sessions – and his agility. The only thing slowing down Allen was a sore throat that forced him to take periodic breaks for ice. Reporters from the major Internet recruiting websites converged on Allen after the first practice.

While the college coaches can’t talk to the players at events like the Shrine Bowl, the media can. Even though the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder has already committed to Georgia, Allen is still being heavily recruited by other schools. He still plans to make official visits to check out some of the Bulldogs competitors next month.

“I’m sure I will take some (official visits) in January, but I’m not sure (which schools) yet,’’ Allen said, naming Clemson, Florida State, N.C. State, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech as the top candidates to receive one of the five official visits each prospect gets under NCAA rules. Allen has already made an official visit to Georgia.

Don’t be surprised if Allen makes a run at offensive MVP in the Shrine Bowl for the North Carolina squad. He quickly established a rapport with Leesville Road quarterback Thomas Wilson and it was obvious the coaches were implementing plenty of options for the tight end in their offense.

Another intensely scrutinized player on the North Carolina squad was Thomasville’s E.J. Abrams-Ward. Abrams-Ward was rated the state’s No. 1 college prospect in The Fayetteville Observer’s preseason Top 50 list of top recruits.

The 6-5, 215-pounder spent the last two months of his junior year and all his senior season at Thomasville playing quarterback.

Abrams-Ward has shifted to outside linebacker for the Shrine Bowl, which is one of his many potential positions in college. Many coaches at the practices were curious to see how he made the transition. He did so with ease, although he said after one session that he’s being recruited to play wide receiver in college.

Four schools have made Abrams-Ward’s final list – Boston College, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. He’ll make official visits to all those schools in January, starting with UNC on Jan. 11 and Tennessee on Jan. 18.

“I’m still working on (setting up) Boston College and South Carolina.’’ Abrams-Ward said. He has also had in-home visits this month from coaches representing Boston College and UNC. He said he doesn’t have a favorite among those schools, although most of the recruiting world believes the Tar Heels hold the upper hand.

Abrams-Ward doesn’t expect to announce a final decision until close to national signing day in February.

New Bern linebacker Kevin Reddick came straight to the Shrine Bowl from Winston-Salem after Saturday’s upset of Charlotte Independence for the 4-AA title game. Reddick scored two touchdowns and earned offensive MVP honors for New Bern in the 28-17 victory.

“I actually got here at 2 o’clock in the morning (on Sunday) and then had to get up at 5:30,’’ Reddick said. “I’m tired right now, but I’ll fight through it.’’

Visiting three schools will be on Reddick’s priority list when his focus returns to recruiting after the Shrine Bowl. “I know I will take visits to South Carolina and North Carolina, and I’m going to try to make a visit to Tennessee,’’ he said. “Other than that, it depends on what happens with those (visits).’’

Reddick said his official visit to UNC is scheduled for Jan. 11 and South Carolina on Jan. 18.

The recruiting news wasn’t limited to the Shrine Bowl this week, however. N.C. State’s recruiting efforts for the Class of 2008 went international, again, when the Wolfpack received a commitment from Canadian offensive lineman Ahmad Jaradat.

Jaradat has an interesting background. He was born in Kuwait, but when Iraq invaded the country in the summer of 1990 his family relocated to Canada. He’s developed into a 6-foot-5, 290-pounder at Central Catholic High School in London, Ontario, who is good enough to have drawn scholarship offers from Colorado, Connecticut and the Wolfpack.

“The coaching staff’s track record is phenomenal,’’ Jaradat said. “I definitely think there’s a great future at N.C. State. This school is going to burst with success.”

Jaradat accepted N.C. State’s offer after returning from an official visit to Raleigh last weekend. He plans to enroll in January and begin learning the center position during spring practice. Jaradat has played offensive tackle, tight end and defensive line during his high school career.