'10 NC WR Matt James (Wake Forest Verbal)

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Wide Receiver
Raleigh (NC) Sanderson

Ht: 6-foot-6
Wt: 205 lbs
Forty: 4.6 secs
Bench max: 280 pounds
Squat max: 300 pounds
Vertical: 29 inches
GPA: 3.7
Class: 2010 (High School)

North Carolina recruiting notes - ESPN

Receiver Matt James (Raleigh, N.C./Sanderson) did not put up the numbers of a Division I prospect at his position last season because his high school team ran a ground-oriented offense (throwing it approximately 46 times all season) last year.

The 2009 season will be a different one in terms of scheme, though. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound James will be featured in a new spread attack.

I am real excited about what we are going to be doing, not just for me individually, but for the entire team to help us win more games, he said.

Despite the lack of stats, college programs have taken notices of James upside. Virginia Tech, Air Force and East Carolina have already offered him a scholarship. The offer from the Hokies came just this week.

That meant a lot in terms of the opportunity that I may have with colleges, he said. I just felt honored to be offered by a football program of that stature.

James also is getting looks from Wake Forest, Clemson, North Carolina State and Duke.

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FayObserver.com - Current Article Page

James, who’ll be a senior next fall at Sanderson, is one of the state’s fastest-rising college prospects. Already he’s received scholarship offers from Air Force, East Carolina, Maryland, Navy, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia. Ivy League schools such as Harvard are also pursuing James, an excellent student who sports a 3.7 grade point average.

Tindal has been James’ head coach since he arrived at Sanderson, although he’ll be moving on to run the program at Wilmington’s Ashley High next season.

The first impression James made during that summer meeting of eighth graders wasn’t misleading. Playing for the Sanderson junior varsity as a freshman, James did some incredible things before a broken thumb sidelined him.

“He blocked seven kicks in the first three games,’’ Tindal said. “It was ridiculous. We would have moved him up to the varsity if he hadn’t been injured.’’

James became a varsity starter at safety as a sophomore before breaking his hand. When he returned, Tindal began to use him more at receiver in his run-oriented offense.

“He just started making big plays when he came back,’’ Tindal said. “Against New Bern in the state playoffs he made two really long catches, one of them for a touchdown in the second half. He was such a mismatch that the New Bern coaches told me later that spring they were glad he hadn’t matured enough yet to take over the game.’’

Because Sanderson has used a run-oriented offense under Tindal, James had just 18 catches last season. But they went for 450 yards — an average of 25 yards per catch — and eight touchdowns. He also returned three kicks for touchdowns.

Tindal’s assistant, Tony Lewis, will take over the program in 2009 and is expected to install a more pass-friendly offense.

“Obviously, they’ll be getting him the ball more,’’ Tindal said. “He has so much upside with his height and size, his academic standing and character. And just look at the stats when he gets the football. He makes great things happen.’’

James, who has been timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash, could wind up playing receiver, tight end, outside linebacker or even defensive end in college, according to Tindal.

“You can always find a place for a 6-6 kid who can run that well,’’ Tindal said.

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Summer has been good for Wake Forest football recruiting