'08 FL QB D.C. Jefferson (Rutgers Verbal)

[GoRU]

'08 FL QB D.C. Jefferson



Dual-threat quarterback
Winter Haven (FL) Winter Haven
Ht: 6-foot-6
Wt: 243 lbs
Forty: 4.76 secs
Bench reps: 14
Vertical: 30 inches
Shuttle: 4.41 secs
Class: 2008 (High School)

[HotMic]

Scout $

7/18

Jefferson talks a bit about each school he is interested in.

[wadc45]

Scout $

7/24

From the Tennessee site...article says he may be a strong Rutgers lean.

[GoRU]

Courier News Online - Two QBs commit to Rutgers

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano picked up commitments from two high school quarterbacks late Friday evening, with Winter Haven, Fla., product D.C. Jefferson and Ewing native Steve Shimko becoming the eighth and ninth players to pledge to the 2008 signing class.

Jefferson is regarded by scouting services as the more polished of the two, turning down scholarship offers from Boston College and LSU, among others. While Shimko had yet to receive an offer, John Otterstedt, a recruiting analyst for rivals.com, considers the strong-armed quarterback one of the hidden gems in New Jersey's rising senior crop.

"I've long said he's the kid with the highest upside of any of the unranked kids," Otterstedt said of the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Shimko. "He's probably one of the hardest-throwing quarterbacks in the country, but the thing that might've scared some college off right now is his accuracy."

Of Jefferson, Otterstedt said, "He's the national-level quarterback that Rutgers hasn't attracted yet. He has five or six offers right now, but if he was qualified (academically), he'd probably be one of the top quarterback prospects in the country."

And the fact that both stand 6-6 isn't a coincidence, according to Otterstedt. "I just think they're the perfect complement to the 6-8 monster linemen they've already recruited. You're not going to see 6-2 quarterbacks anymore."

[GoRU]

I am downgrading D.C. to a soft verbal for the meantime, until these comments can be verified.

PolkOnline.com: Local Sports

D.C. Jefferson has a good idea of where he wants to play college football next season, but the quarterback isn't ready to make it official, contrary to media reports.

"At the time, I felt like that was where I wanted to be, but now I did some second-guessing of my decision based on my family getting to see me play," Jefferson said.

Winter Haven opens its season Friday in the Kickoff Classic at home against Ridge with Jefferson under center. The three-year starter has thrown for a combined 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns the past two seasons, leading the Blue Devils to the postseason.

Jefferson said he will visit both schools after the year and then make a commitment decision at a later date. He said Rutgers' recent success - an 11-2 season in 2006 topped off by a 37-10 win over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl - played a big part in his decision.

"They're a rising program," Jefferson said.

The Tigers also are coming off an 11-2 year and a 41-14 win in the Sugar Bowl over Notre Dame.

"LSU is just a good team that would give me a chance to play," Jefferson said. "They have a good pro-style offense that gets you ready for the next level."

At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Jefferson often draws comparisons to former LSU quarterback and 2007 No. 1 NFL draft pick JaMarcus Russell.

"I get those comparisons wherever I go, not just at LSU," Jefferson said.

Blue Devils coach Charlie Tate said he understands that recruiting can be complex process, but he hopes Jefferson eventually makes a commitment he will stand by come Signing Day in February.

"The process is a little bigger than it should be," Tate said. "He's human, and he's gotten caught up in it a little bit. He got pressured into telling somebody something and didn't want to let them down. He still very much would like some more options."

[GoRU]

Rivals $

10/22

Verbaled to LSU on his visit.

I personally expect that this isn't over.

[RUCampioni]

The former Rutgers commit who de-committed for LSU is now back in the saddle with Rutgers. Announced tonight on scout.com and scarletnation.com D.C. Jefferson the top rated QB out of Florida is recommitted to the Scarlet Knights. This is a huge update and if he stays true to his word this Rutgers team is really going to have some firepower and entertaining players on the field in the future. GO RU!!!!!

[Heavystarch]

Scout $

12/10/07

Link confirming Campioni.

Decommitted from LSU and recommitted to Rutgers.

This is a huge swing for Rutgers. Looks like Schiano staying is paying dividends.

[GoRU]

Now it's a matter of getting him qualified. There has been talk of him prepping.

I never thought this was a done deal (nor did I think the Michigan NJ verbals were...) Mostly because of the depth chart and the Miles rumors. And it's not necessarily done still, we'll have to wait this out until signing day.

This is great news, but we still need another big time QB next year. Jefferson has a lot of video on Youtube. He's raw of course, but has the big time arm. That, and the frame draw comparisons to JaMarcus Russell.

[RUCampioni]

stateofrutgers.com

[GoRU]

Some bits from Aditi, interviewing D.C.'s mom.

Most of those people really impressed me. They're so excited about Rutgers and they were so excited about DC." Even when her son de-committed, she said, "I barely saw anything nasty written about him. It makes a big difference when you know fans are like that."

Mrs. Lane promised that her son would be eligible, that she just received a test score confirming that. DC promised that that would matter to Rutgers fans in February, that this latest commitment is his last.

Aditi promises more details in tomorrow's Record.

[GoRU]

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

From his first day on campus, at Rutgers' summer passing camp, Jefferson said he "felt like I was at home." From her first phone conversation with Rutgers' coaches, when assistant Chris Demarest "pulled out of traffic to the side of the road," Lane said she "felt bonded." Jefferson committed to Rutgers on Aug. 11 and stuck to that after visits to Auburn and Tennessee.

But then in mid-October, the family took a visit to LSU, where Jefferson said he started thinking "how easy it would be for my family to come see me."

Lane said she didn't like her son's subsequent Oct. 22 commitment to LSU and her voice still held some reproach when she said, "It was bad de-committing." But even as Jefferson vouched that his mother had always preferred Rutgers, Lane said, "Don't blame DC. We all got caught in the hype of LSU."

A month later, the hype had worn thin.

Wary of bad-mouthing LSU, Jefferson cautiously said, "I was told some things and then they didn't come true." Rutgers' coaches, meanwhile, kept everything "straightforward," Lane said, and "didn't sugarcoat anything." Offensive coordinator John McNulty's calls always opened with queries of school and his family, Jefferson said, and the teenager said, "He really seems like he cares about me as a person and not just an athlete."

And so, though he's coming to campus on an official visit Friday, Jefferson said he didn't need to wait to change his mind back. He very candidly giggled when asked if Rutgers' fans really should trust this commitment (For the record, he said, "Yes -- I'm 100 percent Rutgers") and, like his mother, he managed to sound worried New Jerseyans will think him a flake. Of course, the Feb. 6 national signing day is still two months off.

"I'm very excited and I do want to be Rutgers' quarterback of the future," he said. Jefferson said he fully expects to be eligible and his mother promised, "I'm staying on top of everything."

Curtis' Green picks Alabama over LSU- NOLA.com

"My impression is that in his mind, for whatever reason, he has scratched LSU," Winter Haven Coach Charles Tate said Tuesday. "I know (LSU assistant) Coach (Earl) Lane is going to talk to him again."

Tate said he left school Monday unaware that his quarterback had made a second about-face and that he had scheduled an official visit to Rutgers for this weekend.

"(His reasons) just didn't make sense to me, and I don't want to elaborate on what they are," Tate said. "I don't get it. His reasons don't hold water in a man's world. Maybe they do in a boy's world. I hope it's just something that he's going through. It sounds like he doesn't want a lot of competition and that he's nervous about the competition at LSU."

"If D.C. wants to take a trip to make sure he's OK about his decision, that's one thing. I know he got a little nervous over the rumors of Coach (Les) Miles going to Michigan. But I don't understand the decommit and the recommit and the decommit and the recommit and all of that."

PolkOnline.com: Local Sports

"I know that he's getting on a plane Friday to go to Rutgers," Tate said. "What that means to his commitment to one school or another, I don't know. I'm not quite as involved as I once was. In the day and age of cell phones, they just call them direct. I'm sort of a third wheel at this point."

Tate said he didn't know why Jefferson chose to take another visit, but he said it's likely that Jefferson just wanted to reaffirm his college choice and weight all his options.

"That's what I'm hoping," Tate said. "I'm hoping that he just wants make the right decision."

...

Tate said playing time at both schools may have been an issue as well.

...

"He's wrestling hard with what the competition is and what's on people's rosters," Tate said. "He wants to go and play, not go and watch."

[JCB-RU]

Polk Online - North Wins All-Star Classic

LAKELAND - D.C. Jefferson threw for 106 yards Friday night in the North-South Football All-Star Classic at Bryant Stadium and the North won, 25-7.

Jefferson led two drives that ended with field goals and was 10-for-21 passing, but threw an interception and fumbled the snap on a quarterback sneak attempt on fourth down at the 7-yard line.

"I played all right," Jefferson said. "It's hard getting to know all