Uncommitted: Montravius Adams must pick between Clemson, Georgia and Auburn

In a season that featured four or five truly elite defensive linemen in the state of Georgia, Dooly County's Montravius Adams may have been the most productive.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Adams was named the Class 1A Defensive MVP by both the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He tallied a whopping 127 tackles (95 solo) and 7.5 sacks, all extremely impressive numbers for a defensive tackle.

Adams was a driving force behind Dooly County's march to the Class 1A state finals.

Though he and his team came up short in the title game, Adams' stock on the recruiting trail continues to skyrocket. His combination of size, talent and productivity are rare on the high school level, which is why college programs view him as a program-making defensive tackle able to shed the blocks of monster offensive linemen.



"He's a guy who produces," said Georgia high school football historian Todd Holcomb, who runs the Georgia High School Football Daily Newsletter. "You can be a top prospect nowadays based on size, strength, speed while being a mediocre high school player."

"Montravius Adams is a dominant high school defensive player, albeit it at the small-school level. Given the competition level, we can't be quite as confident of how he'll do at the next level as (Robert) Nkemdiche or (Carl) Lawson, but Adams is not a project. He can play."

With the opportunity to play against elite competition in the Under Armour All-American Game, Adams was forced to sit out due to an injury he sustained in the Class 1A final. Colleges seem to have no issue with his injury or level of competition as Clemson, Georgia and Auburn are all making a final push to land Adams.

Adams has done a very good job of not tipping his hand — for the most part.

In June, shortly after Nkemdiche, the nation's no. 1 recruit committed to Clemson, Adams told MaxPreps that he had not really considered the possibility of playing alongside Nkemdiche at Clemson.

Seven months later, with Nkemdiche long since decommitted, Clemson could be the team to beat.



According to 247Sports.com, Adams made his official visit to Clemson on January 11.

Under head coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers have made a habit of going into Florida, the heart of SEC recruiting territory, and emerging with elite recruits like Sammy Watkins, Tony Steward and Travis Blanks.

The Peach State has been been less hospitable to Clemson, as Mark Richt and staff have done a good job of locking down local players. Georgia appears to be Clemson's stiffest competition for Adams, who took a trip to Athens over the weekend.

According to Adams' head coach Jim Hughes, the recruiting process has been wearing on Adams, and Georgia's proximity seems as if it can only work in its favor.

"It has been a long ride, and he's real tired," Hughes told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before Adams' trip. "This weekend's trip to Georgia won't be bad. It's not that far away."

Auburn, which recently added former Georgia assistant coach Rodney Gardner to its staff, could be a factor as well. The Tigers are pushing for Adams' last official visit this weekend, just days before National Signing Day.



"The only school that he's talked about for that date is Auburn," Hughes told the AJC, in response to Adams possibly taking a trip to Auburn on February 1.

Favorite: Clemson
Despite the sting of losing Robert Nkemdiche, Clemson still has a good chance to finish with a flurry, much like the Tigers did in 2011 when they landed both Stephone Anthony and Tony Steward on National Signing Day. If Adams is indeed leaning toward the Tigers, it isn't by much.

Contender: Georgia
If Adams does not make a trip to Auburn this weekend, Georgia will have gotten the last official visit from Adams, an advantage that can make the difference in a tight recruiting race. Over the last two recruiting cycles, Georgia has done a much better job of locking down its borders. Adams is now the team's priority, and the Bulldogs will undoubtedly do whatever they can to keep him from leaving the state.

Sleeper: Auburn
Unless the Tigers get Adams on campus, it appears unlikely he'll end up there. If he does make his official visit this weekend, all bets are off. Gus Malzahn is gaining momentum on the recruiting trail and the Tigers have a chance to close with a very strong class.

Long shot: Alabama
The Crimson Tide also hosted Adams for a visit. Given how well Nick Saban recruits, Alabama is almost always a factor for top players.