'05 Wide Receiver is a Lock for All-South

Patrick Turner is one of the top receivers in the south this year. He has picked up five early offers, and he names his favorite teams.

Patrick Turner of Goodpasture High School in Madison, TN is a lock for the first team All-South Squad at wide receiver. He is a huge target at 6-5 and 210 pounds, and he has excellent body control and sticky hands. He extends his arms for everything he catches, and he uses his hands on every catch possible. That's a trait he takes considerable pride in.

"It makes me sick when the ball gets into my body," said Turner with a laugh.

Turner has excellent footwork and runs precise routes. He can make a defensive back miss with a shifty move, and with his size, he uses his off arm as a weapon to stiff arm would be tacklers. With his size, he also takes great pride in his blocking. He is just as physical without the ball as he is with the ball in his hands.

What teams are after this receiver early?

"Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Alabama, and Florida have offered me scholarships so far," said Turner. "I think LSU is on the verge of offering me, and Michigan is a team that is looking at me too. I guess my Top 5 would be Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Florida State, and Michigan right now, but I'm pretty wide open."

Turner didn't get to see many teams' campuses last year; he spent the bulk of his time at one school that was close to home.

"I was supposed to go to Tennessee for a game, but something came up. I practically lived at Vanderbilt last year. I have three good friends on the team there, and I spent a lot of time there."

Turner finished his junior season with 56 receptions for 955 yards and 12 touchdowns. What is he doing during the offseason to prepare for his senior season?

"I've been running track three times a week at Tennessee State. I know some of the guys there, and they are really helping me with my form and getting my time down."

Turner has more than good enough speed at 4.6, and he is working hard to be even better as a senior. That is a scary proposition for schools trying to cover him next season, because he was one of the best receivers in the south last year. Turner is a lock to make 1st team All-South for the class of 2005. The 2004 team included Xavier Carter, Calvin Johnson, Early Doucet, and Nikita Stover.

I will post his parts of his junior highlight reel tomorrow so you can see him in action.