Football Recruiting Class

From the AJC - check out our class of 2006:

MEET THE 2006 GEORGIA TECH SIGNEES

Defensive tackle BEN ANDERSON South Aiken HS (Aiken, S.C.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 265 • The dish: "My type of school. My type of defense," Anderson says of Tech, which offered him a scholarship his junior year. When he's not rushing passers (six sacks as a senior) or pumping iron (his favorite pastime), "Big Ben" enjoys fishing "... and more fishing," four-wheeling, cranking up the Kenny Chesney and watching cartoons. He expects to make an impact by his sophomore season.

Tight end AUSTIN BARRICK Moody HS (Moody, Ala.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 235 • The dish: In 10 years, he hopes to be "in the NFL with my degree and a supermodel wife." For now, Barrick will settle for a chance to compete for a spot on the depth chart a season after hauling in 48 catches for 789 yards and 12 TDs. Barrick, who picked Tech over Colorado, Duke and Vanderbilt among others, says his style reminds some folks of Jeremy Shockey's.

Linebacker SHANE BOWEN Central HS (Pickerington, Ohio) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 210 • The dish: He took the most unconventional path to Tech, committing last May, graduating from high school a month later, sitting out the fall while working part-time at a Pickerington pizza restaurant, enrolling at Tech in January and signing Wednesday. A high school safety who could play linebacker in the ACC, Bowen piled up 118 tackles and three interceptions his final season.

Linebacker SHANE BOWEN Central HS (Pickerington, Ohio) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 210 • The dish: He took the most unconventional path to Tech, committing last May, graduating from high school a month later, sitting out the fall while working part-time at a Pickerington pizza restaurant, enrolling at Tech in January and signing Wednesday. A high school safety who could play linebacker in the ACC, Bowen piled up 118 tackles and three interceptions his final season.

Defensive end TREVOR BRAY Greenbrier Christian Academy (Chesapeake, Va.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 230 • The dish: Three things that sold Bray on the Jackets: an offense that sends its fullbacks out in pass patterns; a coaching staff he hit it off with; and a Saturday night trip during his official visit to Fogo de Ch‹o, the Buckhead Brazilian steakhouse. "That made my day," he says. Wednesday was a big day at Greenbriar Christian, which never had a Division I-A football recruit. And to think it was Tech's track coaches who first contacted VirginiaÕs reigning shot put champ.

Wide receiver CORREY EARLS Central HS (Macon) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 180 • The dish: Welcome to 21st century recruiting. When Earls knew he wanted to be a Yellow Jacket, he zapped a text message to Tech assistant Giff Smith, who fired back a text message saying how happy he was. "It seemed like [Tech] wanted me the most," says Earls, who picked Tech over Auburn and Clemson. Rivals.comÕs 71st-ranked receiver nationally, Earls caught 12 TD passes as a senior.

Running back JAMAAL EVANS Irving HS (Irvin, Texas) • Ht., Wt.: 5-6 1/2, 179 • The dish: Yellow Jackets fans can only hope Evans pans out as well as the last Lone Star State tailback who picked Tech, a guy named P.J. Daniels. In three seasons, Evans piled up 6,349 rushing yards and 65 TDs, enough to garner scholarship offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, North Carolina and Oklahoma State. Rivals.com rates him the sixth-best all-purpose back nationally. He's enrolled at Tech and will practice this spring.

Linebacker/running back SEDRIC GRIFFIN Fairfield Central HS (Winnsboro, S.C.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-10, 201 • The dish: The surprise of last year's class was a lightly recruited defender from a small Palmetto State town who wowed recruiters at the North Carolina-vs.-South Carolina Shrine Bowl. Could Griffin be this year's Vance Walker? "He's a real fast, aggressive football player," Fairfield coach Reginald Kennedy says. Walker, who Kennedy says was clocked at 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, picked Tech over Furman.

Linebacker ROBERT HALL Hawkinsville HS (Hawkinsville) • Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 210 • The dish: A big believer in Chan Gailey & Co., Hall says Tech "looks to be a top contender for a national championship in the upcoming years." That was reason No. 2 for picking Tech over Ole Miss and Purdue, sandwiched between location and potential playing time as a freshman. Future engineering major's likes include: "Forrest Gump," Bill Romanowski and eating cereal -- "with a fork."

Quarterback BYRON INGRAM Redan HS (Stone Mountain) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4 1/2, 172 • The dish: "I have a good opportunity to start in later years," says the slender QB who goes by "Wook." Ingram was sold on Tech right away, not even visiting Duke or Tulane, the runners-up for his services. He piled up close to 1,300 yards and accounted for 13 TDs. The only quarterback in the class, he's rated 25th nationally at his position by Scout.com, 35th by Rivals.com.

Safety De'RON JASPER Dunwoody HS (Dunwoody) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 195 • The dish: Jasper's as good a saxophonist as he is a safety, playing the instrument in Dunwoody's jazz, concert and symphonic bands. On the field, he had 62 tackles as a senior, earning scholarship offers from Tech and Wake Forest. His dad, who ran track at Stanford, tried to sell him on the Cardinal, but Jasper had his mind set on Tech after a one-on-one meeting with defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta. "I'd heard horror stories, but he's cool," Jasper said. "He's just intense."

Running back QUINCY KELLY Decatur HS (Decatur) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 215 • The dish: You won't find a bigger Tech fan in this class, maybe even this town. "I grew up on Tech football," says Kelly, who picked the Jackets over Arkansas. "So I already feel as if that is where I belong." A speedster who once harbored Olympic dreams -- "I used to like running track more than playing football" Ñ Kelly averaged 8.3 yards per carry and piled up 17 TDs his senior season.

Cornerback LAURENCE MARIUS Key West HS (Key West, Fla.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-11, 160 • The dish: It isn't every year that recruiters flock to the Florida Keys in pursuit of a blue-chip prospect. But Marius had them making it to Margaritaville, where he says he earned a reputation as a cornerback who'll "lock you down." Twelve schools offered scholarships; Tech beat out Spurrier U. and Duke in the end. "My mother wanted me to pick a school with good academics. I wanted a school that was winning. I just combined the two," he said.

Wide receiver DOMINIQUE REESE Auburn HS (Auburn, Ala.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-10, 175 • The dish: Two things Tech got out of trips to Auburn last fall: a stirring upset of the Tigers in the season opener, and a speedy athlete who could play a number of positions for the Yellow Jackets. Reese was a high school quarterback but was recruited by Tech, UAB, Southern Miss and others as a receiver and return man. He threw for 1,300 yards and ran for another 1,000 as a senior.

Wide receiver DEMARYIUS THOMAS West Laurens HS (Dublin) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 215 • The dish: Georgia wanted him as a tight end. Tech recruited him as a wide receiver. Advantage, Jackets. "I wanted to play wide receiver," Thomas said. "... [Tech] told me they wanted me real bad and that Calvin [Johnson] will probably be leaving after next year and they'll need another wide receiver." Rivals.com's Jeremy Crabtree says Thomas could be the "jewel" of the class, especially given that he's new to wide receiver and has room to grow.

Linebacker OSAHON TONGO Naperville North HS (Naperville, Ill.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 225 • The dish: "Georgia Tech gives me an opportunity to better myself in many different fields," says the future business major, the brainy son of a chemical engineer and a risk analyst. That's why the hard-hitting linebacker doesn't mind leaving home for college (Boston College was his second choice). Tongo, who had 110 tackles and 12 sacks as a senior, also likes the chance to play for "a defense that's so highly touted."