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College Football

Recruiting: State, Carolina, ECU hoping to land last-minute signing day signatures

By Sammy Batten

Feb 3, 2009

While no major surprises appeared to be looming on the eve of national signing day, North Carolina’s in-state schools could make an addition or two to their recruiting classes Wednesday.

East Carolina, N.C. State and North Carolina all still had scholarship offers out to uncommitted players Tuesday who could sign a letter-of-intent with them Wednesday.

The Pirates are hoping to land big-time junior college defensive end Delano Johnson from the College of the Sequoias.

Johnson is a graduate of Concord High School. He recorded 20 tackles this season at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., including seven tackles for losses and six sacks.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder made an official visit to Greenville on Jan. 23 along with COS teammate Giavanni Ruffin. Ruffin made an oral commitment to the Pirates soon after the visit, while Johnson continued to consider Eastern Michigan and Tennessee.

If Johnson does sign with the Pirates, he’ll be the 21st player in the class.

Tar Heels involved with 3

North Carolina will be waiting for word on at least three prospects Wednesday — Greenwood, S.C., defensive end Sam Montgomery, Richmond, Va., offensive tackle Morgan Moses and Lynchburg, Va., and offensive tackle Bobby Massie.

The 6-4, 230-pound Montgomery has narrowed his list to South Carolina, North Carolina and LSU and Tennessee. Montgomery is expected to reveal his decision sometime this morning in Charlotte during a press conference at the ESPN studio.

Moses, a 6-7, 330-pounder who plays at Meadowbrook High, is expected to announce his decision Wednesday about 1 p.m. He will pick between the Tar Heels, Tennessee and Virginia.

Massie played this season at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. The 6-8, 335-pounder originally committed to Virginia Tech out of high school, but re-opened his recruitment after enrolling at Hargrave.

North Carolina is one of five schools he visited along with Alabama, Georgia, Miami and Mississippi.

Pack eyes DE pair

A pair of defensive end prospects could wind up on N.C. State’s signing list Wednesday.

Hakeem Vinson, a 6-3, 235-pounder from Four Oaks made an official visit to Raleigh last weekend. Vinson is attending Durham’s Mt. Zion Academy this year after previously competing for South Johnston High School.

Vinson may need a year at prep school to improve his academics, but would still be a good pickup for the Wolfpack.

Another possibility is 6-4, 260-pound defensive end Michael Lemon. A former Georgia Bulldog, Lemon spent this past year playing at Georgia Military Academy.

He took an official visit to N.C. State in December and told The Red&Black.com last Thursday that the school had accepted his application. Lemon told the website he planned to start classes at N.C. State in May.

Sammy Batten can be reached at battens@fayobserver.com or 486-3534.