2011 Preseason All-State Team: Offense
As the anticipation builds for the beginning of the 2011 high school football season in North Carolina, the preseason honors and awards keep coming.
And now add the NC Prep Football News/NCPreps.com Preseason All-State team to that list.
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First up is the offense, and it's an impressive list indeed.
There are multiple players that aren't just stars in North Carolina, but highly touted in the national circles as well.
Here's a look at the best of the best heading into 2011:
color:white; font-weight:900;"> 2011 Preseason All-State Team: Offense
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QB: Riley Ferguson
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Matthews (N.C.) Butler, 6-2/190, Junior
Buzz: Ferguson completed 161 of 290 passes for 2,900 yards and
24 touchdowns last season. He led the Bulldogs to a 2010 Class 4AA
state title last year as just a sophomore.
Quotable: "Riley is one of the top quarterbacks in the 2013
class." -- Former Butler coach Mike Newsome.
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RB: Keith Marshall
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Raleigh (N.C.) Millbrook, 5-11/190, Senior
Buzz: Marshall ran for 1,550 yards with 18 touchdowns last
season. The four-star all-purpose back has more than 30 Division I
href="http://ncpreps.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1239922"
target="_blank">Preseason Player of the Year.
Quotable: "Keith is one of the top returning backs in the
country and has over 30 scholarship offers." -- Millbrook coach
Clarence Inscore.
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RB: Todd
Gurley
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Tarboro (N.C.) High, 6-1/195, Senior
Buzz: Gurley ran for 1,457 yards and 27 touchdowns last year.
The three-star athlete has helped lead the Vikings to back-to-back
Class 2A state championships.
Quotable: "Todd has several ACC and SEC schools recruiting him."
-- Tarboro coach Jeff Craddock.
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WR: Chris
Crumity
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Four Oaks (N.C.) South Johnston, 5-11/199, Senior
Buzz: Crumity caught 90 passes for 1,681 yards and 13 touchdowns
last year. He was the state leader in pass receiving yards as a junior.
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WR: Tevin Clay
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Wilmington (N.C.) Laney, 6-2/187, Senior
Buzz: Clay caught 75 passes for 1,301 yards and 10 touchdowns
last year. He currently holds offers from Liberty, Western Carolina and
Western Michigan.
Quotable: "I'm doing pretty well right now, I'm working on my
speed and I've gotten way faster than I was last year." -- Clay, to
Rivals.com national analyst Mike Farrell.
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WR: Jody Fuller
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Monroe (N.C.) Sun Valley, 6-0/200, Senior
Buzz: Fuller caught 77 passes for 850 yards and 16 touchdowns
last season. THe four-star receiver has verbally committed to South
Carolina.
Quotable: "Jody is a true Division I talent that is beginning to
understand what kind of work it takes to get to that level. He is
strong quick and a true playmaker." -- Sun Valley coach Scott
Stein.
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OL: Brock Stadnik
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Greensboro (N.C.) Western Guilford, 6-5/285, Senior
Buzz: Stadnik committed to South Carolina along with his twin
brother, Clayton. He projects as a center.
Quotable: "It was important to us to make the decision now to
focus on things like school and getting ready for next season." --
target="_blank">GamecockCentral.com writer Chris Clark in May after
the commitment ceremony.
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OL: Thomas Evans
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Franklin (N.C.) High, 6-4/270, Senior
Buzz: Evans, an offensive tackle, has seen interest pick up
recently from several programs in the SEC and ACC. He's been both an
offensive and defensive line starter at Franklin for the last two
years.
Quotable: "He's very aggressive; a hard-nosed kid that plays
extremely hard and is a very strong kid." -- Franklin coach Josh
Brooks.
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OL: D.J. Humphries
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Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek, 6-5/265, Senior
Buzz: What else can be said about Humphries? He's the nation's
No. 1 offensive tackle, the top overall prospect in North Carolina and
the No. 3 overall national prospect. The five-star recently narrowed
his college list to a top five.
Quotable: "He hasn't given up a sack in two years and is the
hardest worker I've ever been around. He does it all and has great God
-given talent that he continues to improve with his work ethic." --
Mallard Creek coach Michael Palmieri.
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OL: J.J. Patterson
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Roanoke Rapids (N.C.) High, 6-4/310, Senior
Buzz: Patterson, a four-star, is also a standout defensive
tackle. He has verbally committed to North Carolina and throws shot put
in the spring.
Quotable: "His strength, for a high school kid, it's in the very
highest percentage. The young man is just a beast in the weight room."
-- Roanoke Rapids coach Russell Weinstein.
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OL: D.J. Reader
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Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley, 6-2/340, Senior
Buzz: A three-star offensive guard, Reader holds 10 offers from
schools in the ACC, SEC and Big 12 among others. He impressed
Rivals.com analysts at the U.S. Army All-American Combine in
January.
Quotable: "I'm a hard worker and I am very coachable so I feel I
could be a good leader also with time. My goal is to be the best player
I can be and win most of our games and make playoffs." -- Reader, to
target="_blank">JacketsOnline.com writer Eric Thompson.