Jackson Free Press

Wednesday is the big day when high school seniors can sign with the college football factory of their choice. But before you make your national championship hotel reservations based on all the so-called blue-chip recruits your team signs, remember a few things:

1) Most of these guys won't play as freshmen. It usually takes three years to determine a recruiting class' sucess.
2) Several of these big names won't qualify academically as freshmen and will probably be visiting a junior college football stadium near you next season. Garry Pack, the state's top-rated high school senior, has committed to Ole Miss, but the Oak Grove product will probably be wearing a Pearl River CC uniform next season.
3) Don't believe the hype about some of these big-name players. Rating high school seniors can be very subjective. Good example: Southern Miss almost never signs a big name from Mississippi. So how come the Gilded Eagles keep winning conference championships and sending guys to the NFL?

Meanwhile, check out the Willie Williams recruiting journal for the Miami Herald. Williams is a stud linebacker from Carol City, Fla., who's being wooed by most of the major college football powers. He's been providing details of his recruiting visits to the Herald. If football doesn't work out, Willie might have a future as a comedian.