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WholeHogSports.com - THE RECRUITING GUY : UA eyes Alabama cornerback

Talented cornerback Gerald West is receiving strong interest from Arkansas, which already has two Davidson athletes — wide receiver London Crawford and defensive end Demario Ambrose — on the roster.

The Hogs are one of eight schools that have offered scholarships to West. Auburn, Alabama, Mississippi State and Florida State are among the others. West has visited Alabama and Auburn, but he said he wants to visit all the schools that have offered him. “Those are definite,” he said. “This summer, I plan to make as many camps as possible.” Davidson Coach Fred Riley said West is not lacking athletic ability. “This is my 27 th year to coach and I coached 10 [years ] on the college level, and Gerald West is the fastest kid I’ve ever timed consistently in the 40 [-yard dash ],” Riley said. “He runs some 40 times that you look at your watch and say I’m not telling him what it said. He’s just run some times that are just phenomenal.” West, 5-11, 168 pounds, 4. 36-second speed in the 40, recorded 25 unassisted tackles, 11 assisted tackles and 3 interceptions last season for the Class 6 A Warriors.

Crawford could play an important role in helping the Razorbacks win over West.

“I really don’t know much about Arkansas,” said West, who has a been timed at 4. 10 in the pro-shuttle. “I just know they picked up London Crawford and London was a bigtime wide receiver down here. I talked to London the last time he came down. He was telling me Arkansas has good facilities and they offer you good academic help. He said it’s a good environment to put yourself in and it’s a real good football program.” West said he believes it’s essential for a cornerback to play the ball like a receiver. “I feel like every time the quarterback is throwing the ball, he’s actually throwing it to you,” said West, whose father James Johnson played running back for Mississippi State in the early 1990 s. “You have to have the mentality that the quarterback is throwing it to you. I believe you can go get anything. That’s the main thing I have on my mind.”