Standout running back picks Boston College

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Standout running back picks Boston College

Friendly High star decides not to follow brother to University of Florida

by Derek Toney | Staff Writer

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Josh Haden knew the University of Florida would be the logical choice. The defending national champions were one of the first schools to offer a football scholarship to Friendly High School football star, who will be a senior this fall.

Gainesville is also home for Haden’s big brother, Joe, who was in the backfield with him last fall as Friendly won the state Class 3A championship. But like the talented running back he is, Josh decided to do a reverse.

Last week, Haden gave a verbal commitment to Boston College. The 5-foot-8, 191 pounder said he thought about pledging to the Gators after they offered.

‘‘It was tempting, but I wanted to make sure I saw a few other places,” he said. ‘‘We were all excited about [Boston College’s] vision for me and based on the offense, coaches, academics and everything, they became the choice.”

Haden has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and scored 21 touchdowns the past two seasons for the Fort Washington school. He said Friendly assistant coach Marcus Berry began telling him about the Eagles’ new zone-blocking offensive scheme.

Haden plans to graduate in December, and enroll at the Atlantic Coast Conference program in January for spring semester and take part in spring practice. Joe Haden, the 2006 Star⁄Gazette Offensive Player of the Year, took the same path last year.

‘‘It won’t be easy because Joe and I are so close,” said Josh, who also had offers from Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State and Tennessee. ‘‘It would be a lot easier for me to go to Florida so everyone could focus on those games, but I was never pushed in that direction by my family. They know what I wanted in a school and I found it at BC.”

Cavs double-play

A pair of county performers recently announced their intentions to stay in ACC terrority as DeMatha’s Rodney McLeod and Devin Wallace of Friendly both gave verbal commitments to Virginia. Both recently attended the Charlottsville school’s summer camp.

‘‘I wasn’t planning this, but I really liked it there,” said McLeod, a second-team Star⁄Gazette selection at wide receiver last fall. ‘‘Something told me to go for it and I did. Everything on the day combined and made it a great trip.”

McLeod, 5-10 and 180 pounds, was the Stags’ second-leading receiver last fall behind Kenny Tate. He had the winning score in overtime in DeMatha’s 20-14 victory against Good Counsel in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title game.

Wallace, a defensive back, received offers from Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. He’s one of four Patriots rated in the state’s Top 20 prospects by Rivals.com.

Speaking of ratings

The county once again dominates the Rivals.com state list, led by Friendly’s Lamaar Thomas, the state’s No. 1 recruit. The 5-10, 170-pound athlete, who was the Star⁄Gazette Male Track Athlete of the Year this spring, has more than 30 scholarship offers. He’s ranked No. 35 nationally by Rivals.com

DeMatha wide receiver Kenny Tate is No. 2 in Maryland, and 71st nationally. The three-time Star⁄Gazette first-team pick is rated No. 10 nationally among receivers by Scoutsinc.com.

Josh Haden is ranked fourth in the state by Rivals, followed by Forestville receiver Kevin Dorsey, who gave a verbal commitment to Maryland before his junior season last summer.

Eleanor Roosevelt defensive back Okechuckwu Okoroha (seventh), McLeod (eighth) and Cameron Chism, a defensive back from Bishop McNamara (ninth) round out the locals in the top 10.

Friendly offensive lineman Quinton Sales (13th), Wallace (16th) and Charles H. Flowers offensive linemen Michael Kay (19th) completes the county contingent. Kay has given a verbal commitment to Syracuse.

E-mail Derek Toney at dtoney@gazette.net.