'09 FL TE Orson Charles (Official Offer)

[HotMic]

Creating Mismatches By Allen Wallace
National Recruiting Editor
Posted Jun 19, 2008



"I really have no favorites," said tight end Orson Charles, who claims 29 offers. "I want to visit as many schools as possible before I start to narrow it down. Right now they are all even. I don't care where I go. I'll go anywhere. I just want to go where they use their tight end and where I'll get the ball. I want to find a place where I feel like I can live for four or five years..."
Continued...

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[HotMic]

Scout $

6/20

From the Florida site. Junior Highlights.

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Rivals $

7/7

From the UF site...recap of the crystal ball incident...has visited Florida, LSU, Georgia, Miami, Purdue, Notre Dame, Illinois and Central Florida and plans to visit Florida State, Southern Cal, UCLA and Clemson.

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ESPN - Barkley, Murray top seniors at Nike 7ON - Football Recruiting

Orson Charles, 6-3, 220
ATH, Tampa (Fla.) Plant
A lot of scouts are divided on Charles and there are good reasons for that. The term 'tweener fits him pretty well and the question is, is he fast enough for receiver or big enough to play tight end? Plant split him out wide most of the tournament. But at the next level, we don't think he has the quickness to play wideout in college.

So the question is, can he play a tight end or h-back roles? He's very developed physically right now, and when you see that in a high school player, you wonder if that player has peaked already in terms of being able to get much bigger down the line. Charles is very strong and was a huge weapon in the red zone all tourney long.

He showed solid hands and caught the ball well in traffic. He won't get you much after the catch but because he's so wide and physically strong, he's able to box out smaller defenders or just over power them when the ball is in the air. Charles actually might be a fit at fullback at which his physical strength and hands out of the backfield would be an ideal fit.

[GoRU]

Prep Report - Hillsborough Sports - from TBO.com Blogs

What he’s not ready to do is narrow down his list of nearly 30 Division I scholarship offers. Charles had hoped to whittle down his lengthy list to five before the start of the season. Not gonna happen. Charles said he can’t even get his list to 10. That’s because more schools have contacted Coach Robert Weiner and said they want to see Charles in action this season.

So instead of taking official visits this fall, he’s going to concentrate on his senior season.

“Coach Weiner said there’s new people looking at me and they want to see how I play,” said Charles, who plans on attending Saturday night’s game between Florida and Miami, two schools that have made him offers. “They don’t want to go off the summer. They want to see how I play in pads. So now I’m wide open and I’m going to wait until the end of the season because I don’t want it to interfere.

“I’m not really thinking about college right now. If they want me, they’re still going to be there at the end of the season.”

What position will Charles play in college?

Everyone knew Plant tight end Orson Charles could catch the ball. But last week, Wharton discovered that Charles also is an explosive pass rusher.

"He came after me every play," Wildcats quarterback Andrew Clifford said.

Because of Charles' ridiculous versatility, the question is this: Which position will the senior, who is listed on the Plant roster as being 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, play in college? Rivals.com rates Charles as the country's No. 2 tight end, but at least one person thinks he may have a better future on the other side of the ball.

A very good future at that.

"Very good athlete, very good hands, but he's your classic tweener," recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg told Gatorbait.net. "I don't know what position he is. I don't think he has the size to play tight end. I watched him play defense and he's a weak-side end, outside 'backer. The kid is pretty athletic."

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Rivals $

9/9

From CaneSport...the Miami/Florida game was his first college football game in person. Was surprised by how well Miami played and says everyone is even.

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Rivals $

9/20

From TheWolverine...UM has been in touch with his coach lately and he will be discussing a possible official visit soon with the UM staff, possibly on 10/4. Has an official scheduled to Georgia.

Rivals $

9/22

From the UGA site...visiting UGA on 9/27 for the Alabama game with teammate Aaron Murray.

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Rivals $

11/4

From CaneSport...is waiting until after his season to narrow things down...talks about his contact with Coach Pannunzio.

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Rivals $

11/19

From the Nebraska site...talks about his contact with Nebraska, who is looking at him as a WR...has been to games at USF, Miami, Georgia and Florida...still no favorites.