ForumsGainesville, GA- Recruiting can be very strenuous for some families. Constant phone calls from media, coaches, and recruiters throughout each day. That doesn’t even count the visits to schools, and visits by coaches at the recruits’ school each week. All this attention can leave a high school teen very little time for himself. Ultimately some kids narrow down their schools very early in the process only to focus on a few select schools and to attempt to limit all of the attention. Sterling Bailey, a 6’5″ 270 lb defensive end from East Hall high has narrowed down his list to 6 schools. His father, Kevin Bailey detailed his final six and some other recruiting details regarding Sterling.
“We have narrowed it down to 6 schools. Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina are the 6 schools we will consider. They are not in any order. The only one of the group who has not offered is Alabama, they said they were waiting to give it to him in person. We are looking for a good staff, and a good chemistry between Sterling and the coaches. We will really pay attention to the Christian values represented at each school, that is very important to our family. I want to be sure that someone there will be like a father figure to Sterling and look after him the right way. Right now we are looking to keep it down to 6, then we may narrow it again right before his senior season starts”
Sterling is being recruited at defensive end, and some schools that run a 3-4 plan to utilize him at the “Jack” linebacker position. Alabama is one of those schools that would consider him at the Jack position.
“Alabama, we love the program. They are a contender for the national championship and SEC championship. Coach Saban has them on the right track. We talk to coach Kirby Smart pretty often. He made a real good impression on us. We went to watch a couple games in Tuscaloosa last year, against LSU and Tennessee. We were really impressed with what we saw.”
Tennessee also made the cut in the final 6. There have been many questions regarding which offers are being upheld by the new staff. The Bailey family has been in contact with coach Dooley and assistant coach Chuck Smith.
“I talked to coach Dooley. If he is anything like his dad he will be great. Coach Smith is great. I talked to him this morning in fact. He was telling me how they plan to utilize Sterling and some plays they could use around him. He mentioned he sees Sterling like DaMarcus ware and Michael Strahan. Last year we went to watch them play Western Kentucky which is my alma mater. His older brother is there playing. In fact I’m going to watch the Western Kentucky spring game this weekend. Sterling can’t go though, he has a church revival to attend.”
Florida State missed the cut, but according to his father it was very close.
“FSU is a good team and school. He wanted to visit down there, and he still could possibly. Coach Haggins called me this morning. We talked for a little bit, he wants us to call him tonight when Sterling is home. They were close to the top 6 group, like top 8 or so. Right now they are not in the top 6 but anything can happen.
At only 16 years of age, the sky is the limit for this dynamic defensive prospect. His recruitment is really starting to heat up so stay tuned.
Comments on this entry are closed.