All-American Linebacker Has 60 Offers

by TigerNet Staff - Sat Jul 24 12:28:50 GMT-04:00 2004

Derek Nicholson - Linebacker
Height: 6-2 Weight: 228 Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC (Mount Tabor HS) Class: 2005

ESPN: NR

Derek Nicholson is one of the most sought after linebacking prospects in the country.

Coming into his Senior year, he is 24 tackles shy of 500 for his high school career. He has offers from of the Oklahoma, Michigan, Notre Dame, Southern California, Arizona St., Oregon, and all of the ACC and SEC schools.

"FSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and Nebraska are in my top 10 right now, but it all could change. I will have down to five in September, but some schools outside the top 10 may have a shot at my final five. It all depends on what happens between now and September."

Nicholson's older brother, AJ, will be a starter at linebacker for Florida State this season. "AJ is not really putting any pressure on me. My Dad went to UNC, but everyone wants me to do what is best for me."

He will look at many options at each school, but he will ultimately go where he feels led to go. "I want to go somewhere I feel very comfortable, a home away from home. If God leads me to a place where I feel like if I didn't have football, I would still be there."

Nicholson did not go to any camps this summer, rather he just focused on the weight room. "I've been in the weight room lifting everyday this summer trying to get right for the season."

He does almost everything on the field very well. "I feel like I scrape from inside out very well. I run sideline to sideline, and I attack up the field very aggressively. I don't miss many tackles, if I get a hold of you, you are going down that is all there is to it."

Nicholson is very excited about the upcoming season. Last season, he came up short in the state title game. He has set the bar at an almost astronomical level right now. "I want 200 tackles, and 50 tackles for loss. I want to dominate every play, every quarter, and every game."

The linebacker is a future star that has coaching staffs salivating about his potential.