When Larry Vaught first saw
Lamar Dawson take the field as a middle school football player, he immediately recognized the potential for greatness.
His atypical size, athleticism, and ability was on display even at a young age.
"There was never much doubt that he had the chance to be a pretty special athlete," said Vaught, sports editor for the Danville (Ky.) Advocate-Messenger.
Dawson is still the same young athlete teeming with potential. He didn't turn 17 until the middle of the football season, meaning he's nearly two years younger than some other players on his
Boyle County (Danville, Ky.) squad.
Lamar Dawson is a wanted man.
Photo by Tom Lemming
Still, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Dawson is playing like a college-ready linebacker right now. As a senior, he was in on 158 tackles and made four interceptions.
According to Vaught, Dawson is one of the area's top recruits of all time, ranking with former
Mercer County (Harrodsburg, Ky.) standout Dennis Johnson, who played at Kentucky before a brief NFL career.
"Lamar is a special kind of kid. He could easily be a very, very good fullback or tight end if needed. You don't get one like him very often," he said.
With his high school career at a close, Dawson is preparing to take the next step toward a professional career by signing a National Letter of Intent on Feb. 2. Across the country, fans of several schools will be following closely.
Dawson's list of suitors pans nearly ever corner of the country and includes multiple conferences: Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, USC, Kentucky, Louisville and Florida, to name a few.
Like several other top recruits in the class of 2011, Dawson has kept quiet throughout the recruiting process, rarely tipping his hand about which programs he is favoring more than others. While some suspect Dawson is purposely trying to conceal where he's going to commit, Vaught believes that his silence stems from truly not having his mind made up.
"I honestly believe he doesn't know," Vaught said. "I truly believe he doesn't have his mind made up. He's such a nice kid that saying 'No' to some of these coaches that have been recruiting him for so long is going to be a big problem for him."
Here's a breakdown on Dawson's finalists and our take on who he'll sign with:
Kentucky (60 percent): Kentucky has emerged as the favorite to land Dawson, but it's nowhere close to a sure thing. Danville is only 35 miles from Lexington, and distance can often be the deciding factor for recruits. Vaught believes he'll end up committing to Kentucky. Joker Phillips must like his chances.
Tennessee (30 percent): The Vols continue to move up Dawson's list and are formidable competitors to land him. Tennessee makes out of state recruiting a priority and has good momentum heading toward Signing Day. Dawson would help the Vols continue to close strong.
Oregon (5 percent): 2011 has been extremely kind to Oregon on the recruiting trail, as the Ducks have verbal commitments from top athletes near and far. Dawson would be a pleasant surprise for Chip Kelly and staff.
USC (5 percent): Always a sleeper when it comes to national recruits within its crosshairs, USC shouldn't be totally ruled out. Linebacker is a position of need for the Trojans, and Los Angeles is often an attractive option if a recruit decides to get away.
