Florida sets sights on state linebacker

The Florida Gators always target one or two of the top prospects in South Carolina, and currently they are making a strong pitch for Marlboro County linebacker Lateek Townsend (6-3, 208).

"I know that's a winning program so things must be done right," he said. "I'm going down there soon for an unofficial visit. I've not seen the campus yet. I put them up there with Clemson and Carolina. I ain't going to say a leader. I like every school who has offered me. I just like some more than others."

Georgia Tech and Louisville are the most recent offers for Townsend, who also has offers from Clemson, USC, N.C. State, Illinois, Maryland, LSU, Miami, Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Michigan State and others.

--Mauldin OL Ryan Norton (6-4, 274) received a written offer in the mail from Vanderbilt on Thursday, his first offer from an SEC school. He also has offers from Clemson, Georgia Tech, Illinois and East Carolina. Norton said USC remains interested. He's also getting interest from Duke and North Carolina. He will also go to Clemson and Georgia Tech for spring practices. He said he likes all of the offering schools with no favorites right now.

--OL Kyler Kerbyson (6-4, 290) of Knoxville, Tenn., was at junior day at Clemson and reportedly had a great time. He has offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Memphis, Virginia, Duke, and Arkansas. He went to a junior day at Tennessee and had similar impressions to what he saw at Clemson. He plans to take an unofficial visit to Duke. Kerbyson also is hearing from USC.

--USC has made an offer to ATH Terrell Chestnut (5-11, 175) of Pottstown, Pa. Chestnut also has offers from Boston College, Penn State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Temple, Virginia and West Virginia. He's getting interest from Syracuse, Purdue, Northwestern and Duke. Chestnut visited Pitt late last month. Rated among the top prospects in Pennsylvania, Chestnut had 91 tackles last season, and rushed for 20 touchdowns and passed for five.

--DB Douglas Middleton (6-0, 185) of Winston-Salem, N.C., has been to USC several times, including for last season's Florida and Clemson games, and he likes the Gamecocks the most of all the teams showing interest. He's not yet been offered. Middleton also is drawing interest from Clemson, Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Marshall and Vanderbilt. He attended USC's junior day and plans to go to one at North Carolina. He said he will also visit Clemson and Duke. Last season, Middleton had 45 tackles with three interceptions and eight deflections. He also had 200 yards in punt returns.

--Calhoun County QB Shamier Jeffery was offered last week by Louisville. He also has offers from USC, West Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Kansas State and Illinois. He was scheduled to be at Clemson on Sunday for the Tigers' first spring practice.

--LB Marcus Bullard (6-3, 192) of Spring Valley has an offer from Wake Forest and is hearing from Clemson, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Maryland, N.C. State, Harvard, Illinois, Stanford, and Oregon. He was recently at Wake Forest's junior day where he came away impressed with the school. Bullard says he is expecting a couple of more offers this spring and that Vanderbilt is showing a lot of interest. He plans to go to a junior day there. He says he will also try to make it to Maryland even though their junior day was canceled due to snow. Last season, Bullard had 98 tackles with three sacks. He also forced three fumbles and recovered three more. No favorites at this point for him.

--TE Eric MacLain (6-5, 245) of Fayetteville, N.C., who was once a Tennessee commitment, has offers from Clemson, USC, North Carolina, Duke, N.C. State, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, and Maryland. He also is hearing from LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Alabama among others. He has already been to junior days at Tennessee, Duke, and N.C. State. His next two visits are to Clemson and Virginia Tech. He plans to be at Clemson in a couple of weeks, and he will visit Virginia Tech in May. This summer, MacLain plans to camp at Clemson, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Duke. He may also visit USC.

--RB Andrew Buie (5-10, 190) of Jacksonville, Fla., has the offers piling up, including one from USC. His other offers are from Michigan, Iowa State, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Auburn, Maryland, and Louisville. Buie's cousin, Gus Scott, played for Steve Spurrier at Florida and is now his running backs coach in high school. Buie plans to go to junior day at Auburn on March 27 and that will be his first. This summer he has plans to visit several schools, including USC. As a junior, he totaled 2,043 yards with 1,901 of those rushing the ball. He totaled 33 touchdowns, 24 on the ground.

--WR Damiere Byrd (5-9, 160) of Sicklerville, N.J., was at USC for junior day at USC last weekend and came away impressed. Byrd has offers from USC, Louisville, Connecticut, Rutgers, Stanford, Duke, and Maryland and is hearing from Clemson, Tennessee, Florida, Oregon, Cincinnati, California, and Purdue. Byrd plans to go to the combine this week at Tennessee and has already been to junior days at Rutgers and Connecticut. As a junior, he had 605 receiving yards and 685 rushing. He rushed for eight touchdowns and caught four more.

--LB Marcquis Roberts (6-1, 205) of Powder Springs, Ga., has a single offer thus far and it is from USC. He is also hearing from Georgia Tech, Connecticut, and Boston College. Roberts was born in South Carolina and has family in the state. He was set to go to junior day in Columbia but was unable to make it and will try to get in for a spring practice. As a junior, Roberts had 86 tackles and six sacks.

--DL Derrick Mitchell (6-5, 285) of Jacksonville, Fla., committed to FSU shortly after their junior day and says his commitment is "pretty strong", but he will continue to camp and take official visits. He's looking at attending camps at Clemson and Alabama, and a team camp at USC. He says both Clemson and USC will likely get officials, and he plans to take all five of his visits. Mitchell has offers from USC, Clemson, Florida State, Alabama, North Carolina, Florida International, Illinois and Georgia Tech.