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Tracking the College Gridiron Stars of the Future
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Football Recruiting Report
Saturday, September 14, 2002

By Sammy Batten
Staff Writer for The Fayetteville Observer

Adams "set" on ECU but keeps recruiting doors open

 
Catch up on football recruiting news...
Pirates' 2003 recruits' thumbnails...

Recruit "set" on ECU but open to suitors...
Camp Logan grad Adams commits...
First impressions important for OT Brown...
Starmount O-lineman Brown headed East...
Parker, Brim wield multiple talents...
Beddingfield QB Parker picks Pirates...
ECU wins recruiting battle for Brim...
Future Pirates hang out together...
Pace quickens: Howard, Black commit...
Running backs stable gains young talent...
Batten's 2003 Recruiting Crystal Ball...
Scotland Connection Keeps Flowing...
Lineman Devours Barbells & Groceries...
Batten's Signing Day Report Card...
Newest Pirates & Thumbnail Profiles...
Bonesville Scores 92% — 22 of 24 Sign...
Signing Day Reflects Progress at ECU...
Coach Primed for His Favorite Time...
Video Clips from Signing Day...
Signees from the Carolinas & C-USA...

Catch up on hoops recruiting news...

ECU still beating bushes for point guards...
Fayetteville guard likes ECU's C-USA ties...
C-USA teams lure big men, big names...
Jamaican joins ECU's international cast...
49ers, Cards snare key '03 commitments...
Ranking the Carolinas recruiting classes...
Foster has plans to bulk up for C-USA...
Wiley refining his game for C-USA wars...
Holcombe-Faye 'pipeline' flows eastward...
'Hot Hand Luke' sold on ECU & C-USA...
Juco wings top off dazzling class...
It's a wrap — ECU signs Moberly's Wiley...
Pirate recruiting class almost complete...
JC Transfer Mackay Makes It Official...
Herrion Snares Aussie Shooting Guard...
High-scoring Rivers signs with ECU...
Pirates seek experience in Juco targets...
Rivers attracted by 'tough' schedule...
'Minges Maniacs' impacted decision...
ECU makes early offer to Enloe junior...
C-USA transforms Pirates' recruiting...
ACC schools' pursuit of Rouse too late...
Mumau's C-USA recruiting roundup...
Kinston forward Rouse officially signs...

©2002 Bonesville.net

The beginning of Deon Adams’ football career was, in his own words, “horrible.’’

“I got started playing in the pee wee league,’’ Adams recalled. “The first year I was a lineman and I didn’t make but one tackle and that’s because the guy fell over me. I hardy even got my uniform dirty.’’

My, how times have changed.

Adams has become a playmaker extraordinaire for Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro.

Playing wide receiver as a junior, Adams made 39 passes for 889 yards and six touchdowns. He shifted to quarterback this year and in the season opener against Greensboro Grimsley he passed for 431 yards and ran for 168.

It’s that kind of potential that led East Carolina to extend a scholarship offer to Adams during its summer football camp. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder accepted the offer last week.

Virginia and Wake Forest had shown some interest in Adams, but the Pirates were the first ones to offer a scholarship.

“Nobody else was recruiting me seriously,’’ Adams said. “I was getting calls from Wake Forest and Virginia, which are pretty good schools. But I just felt the chemistry of the program at East Carolina was right.’’

Despite his commitment to ECU, Adams did say he is “keeping his options open.’’

“The only thing I didn’t really like about the thing with East Carolina is they don’t like you to take any other visits,’’ Adams said. “That’s sort of a conflict for me. Being a great athlete, I should be able to visit those schools, even though I’m set on East Carolina. I won’t get chances like this again.

“I’m not canceling any schools off. I’m not just limiting everything to East Carolina.’’

ECU head coach Steve Logan has in the past frowned upon players that have given oral commitments to the Pirates making official visits to other schools. An offer to offensive lineman Daniel Inman of Hope Mills, N.C., was taken off the table by ECU last year when Inman decided he wanted to check out other schools after initially committing to the Pirates. Inman wound up signing with Georgia.

Adams is the eighth known player to commit to East Carolina for the Class of 2003. He is the second receiver in the class, joining Brian Howard of Clinton. Wide receiver is where Adams played his first two varsity seasons at Smith. He has also been used to return punts and kickoffs.

“I would have been on the varsity all four years, but my mother was afraid for me to move up from the JVs because she thought the varsity guys were too big,’’ Adams said. “But my first varsity season I ran back a couple of kickoffs, a couple of punt returns and caught some passes. That first experience told me I had a gift.

“Then last year, I was really able to show my skills.’’

Adams is also a track and field standout at Smith, who competes in the 100- and 200-meter dash, and the relays. He has a best time of 10.74 in the 100 and ompeted last year for the state 3-A championship squad in the outdoor season.

He’s been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, but Adams said speed isn’t his greatest trait on the football field.

“On the field, I’ve got the heart of a lion,’’ Adams said. “I might not be the biggest guy on the field, but once I get my legs churning it’s hard to stop them.’’

The Pirates graduate just one wide receiver next spring in Richard Alston. The bulk of ECU’s receiving corps (9) are in the freshmen and sophomore classes.

But despite the talent already in the program, Adams believes he can make a contribution at ECU as a true freshman.

“If I went in there my freshman year, I would expect to get to play,’’ Adams said. “I think I’ll go in there with the workouts they’ll give me to prepare, complete with all of them and come out as a great freshman.’’

The commitment from Adams continues ECU’s success in-state, especially in the Triad area. All eight commitments are from in-state athletes and three hail from the Triad area — Adams, offensive lineman Virgil Black (Lexington) and offensive lineman Matt Brim (Winston-Salem).

Send an e-mail message to Sammy Batten.

Click here to dig into Sammy Batten's Bonesville archives.

02/23/2007 02:35:43 PM
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