Texas DB Loston commits to Clemson

Texas annually produces some of the top high school football players in the country, and last week Clemson landed a commitment from one of the best in the Lone Star State when DB Craig Loston (6-3, 210) of Aldine picked the Tigers over LSU.

"I just feel like that is where I want to be," Loston said. "I feel at home at Clemson. I know I will get a chance to play early."

Loston actually initiated the contact with Clemson by sending them film. "They didn't know anything about me, and I put myself out there to them," he said. "I like the way they play, I like their style and I think I would fit in well with their defense."

Loston visited Clemson with his mother for the spring game, his first and only trip to the school. Last season, Loston totaled 68 tackles and three interceptions. He's the seventh commitment for Clemson's 2009 class and plans to enroll in January.

A written offer from Southern Cal arrived in the mail Friday for Columbia High DB Damario Jeffery (6-3, 211). That's the 16th offer for Jeffery. Some of the others are USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida, Michigan and Nebraska. USC's David Reaves was the first recruiter to visit Jeffery this week. Coaches from North Carolina and N.C. State also came by the school. "He keeps saying he'd like to play in the SEC," said Caps coach Kemper Amick.

Richland Northeast DE Chris Bonds (6-4, 283) picked up recent offers from Florida State, Virginia Tech, Purdue and Northwestern, according to coach Jay Frye. Coaches from USC, Michigan, Florida State and Notre Dame have been by this spring. Bonds has visited USC, Southern Cal, Alabama and Virginia and will try to visit Tennessee, Michigan, Notre Dame and Miami. Frye believes USC, Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Southern Cal, Miami and Florida State have moved toward the front with Bonds. "He wants to go to a school with a good engineering program," Frye said. "He wants to be in a football environment where he feels comfortable with the players and the coaches."

Michigan last week offered ATH Davis Sims (6-0, 208) and WR Alshon Jeffrey (6-3, 217) of Calhoun County. Both also have offers from USC, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and N.C. State. Sims' other offers are Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Colorado. The other offers for Jeffrey are Kentucky, Southern Cal, Florida and Florida State. Coaches from USC, Florida State, North Carolina, Michigan and Virginia visited last week.

USC is looking good with WR James Green (6-4, 200) of Tallahassee. "If I had a favorite, it most likely would be South Carolina," Green said. Gamecocks recruiter Shane Beamer is expected to visit the school this week. Green also likes Central Florida, Auburn and Ole Miss. He feels the Gamecocks, Central Florida and Auburn are recruiting him the hardest.

USC also has an offer out to WR Willie Haulstead (6-3, 200) of Titusville, Fla. He also has offers from Florida State, Purdue, Central Florida, South Florida, Auburn and Boston College. His top five are USC, LSU, Georgia, Miami and Florida with LSU the leader.

Clemson quarterbacks coach Rob Spence checked on QB Morgan Newton (6-5, 215) of Carmel, Ind., last week. "He spent about two hours with my coach going over stuff and looking at film," Newton said. Coaches from Cincinnati, Florida, Illinois, Purdue and Penn State also have been by the school. USC also is an offer and he expects a visit from the Gamecocks this spring, too. He does not have favorites.

TE Philip Lutzenkirchen (6-4, 240) of Marietta, Ga., has made a decision and plans to announce his choice at the conclusion of his spring practice May 16. Only his coach and family know the winner. He has offers from Clemson, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Stanford and Troy. Clemson was one of his spring stops. He caught 46 passes for 495 yards and seven touchdowns last season.

The top three with LB Hawatha Bell (6-1, 230) of Matthews, N.C., are USC, North Carolina and Virginia Tech, with the Gamecocks out front. He also has offers from Wake Forest, Miami, Illinois, Maryland, Duke, East Carolina and N.C. State.

DB Dale Peterman (5-11, 175) of Youngstown, Ohio, said Friday he wants to commit to USC, but the Gamecocks have not yet seen him in person and aren't prepared to accept a pledge from him. "I plan to come down to a camp and talk more with the coaches," Peterman said. "I would rather play in the SEC than the Big 10. It's a faster game." Peterman claims offers from USC, West Virginia, Bowling Green and Akron. He's also hearing from Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Purdue.

Recruiters from USC, North Carolina and N.C. State visited Dorman last week to check on OL Brandon Thomas (6-4, 286), and he's expecting Clemson this week. Thomas nearly committed to Clemson last month. "I did feel that way because I thought I was going to have to make my decision early," Thomas said. But he now plans to take official visits to Clemson, USC, North Carolina, Maryland and Vanderbilt before deciding. He said his top three are USC, Clemson and North Carolina.

Richland Northeast ATH Derek Frost (6-1, 180) is hearing from Louisville, Duke, Coastal Carolina and Wake Forest, and Cavaliers RB Alexander Greene (5-8, 175) is drawing interest from Vanderbilt, East Carolina, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Furman and Wofford. He rushed for 1,200 yards last season.

Basketball news

USC head coach Darrin Horn and assistant Scott Cherry got a look at Daniel High sophomore DeAndre Hopkins (6-2, 175) last week, according to his coach Jeff Maness. "Coach Horn liked his shooting stroke," Maness said. Hopkins also is drawing interest from Clemson, Florida, Wake Forest, Tennessee, College of Charleston and Virginia Commonwealth. Last season Hopkins averaged 20 points, 8.5 assists and 6 rebounds per game.

Horn and Clemson's Oliver Purnell visited sophomore Eric Smith (5-10) of Mullins last week. "I would like to stay in state if it's a good situation," Smith said. "I would probably have to say Clemson has the edge right now because their program has been doing good the last couple of years and South Carolina hasn't been doing good, but I really like coach Horn and he told me that they are going to turn it around." Clemson and USC have offered Smith and he's also drawing interest from Georgia, Florida, Wake Forest, LSU, Kansas State, Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. Smith averaged 18 points and 8 assists per game last season.

Kentucky accepted a commitment from eighth grader Michael Avery (6-4) of Lake Sherwood, Calif., last week according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Avery has not yet decided which high school he'll attend this fall.