Johnny Thompson has been a wanted man — wanted by college football recruiters that is.
The rising senior at Apalachee High School has made a verbal committment to play for the Purdue Boilermakers. Other schools who had been courting Thompson included Wake Forest, Colorado State, Ohio, Syracuse and Western Carolina.
“Purdue is a great school and really pushed academics,” Thompson said Monday morning. “I look forward to getting up there after I finish high school. This will be a great opportunity for me.”
Thompson said Wake Forest and Syracuse were also in his final three.
“This is one of those deals where it’s big for Johnny, but also big for our program and for our school,” AHS football coach Shane Davis said. “It’s good for everyone involved.”
The Wildcat coach said he believes Thompson certainly has his best football in front of him. With a lean yet muscular 210-pound frame (and size 17 shoe), Thompson will benefit from being in the Purdue program, his high school coach said.
“An up side for him is he will be able to put on a lot of weight,” Davis said. “He has a very tall frame. He’s very athletic. He runs well. He has some things he can offer at the next level.”
Thompson said Purdue coaches have expressed an interest in using him at outside linebacker.
Davis said he has offered some advice to Thompson — like he does any of his players involved in the recruiting process — although not a great deal.
“The main thing myself and our coaches have told him is to make sure it was a good fit for him,” Davis said. “You have to get past the hype of a school being in the SEC, ACC, Big 10 or one of the BCS contenders. All that’s nice, but at the end of the day you need to pick a place you will enjoy being at and coaches you will enjoy playing for. With a redshirt year, he will be around these people for the next five years.”
The AHS coach said the attention Thompson has received has not affected him in a negative way.
“He still comes to practice every day ready to work,” Davis said. “He never asked me who was interested in him.”
Thompson said Monday he is not concerned that Purdue is located so far from Apalachee High School.
“I have family all over the place,” the Wildcat said. “I look forward to being in a different place.”
Thompson becomes the fourth player to make a verbal committment to Purdue for its 2013 signing class. He plans to major in business management and minor in accounting.
WILDCAT NOTES: Thompson’s teammate, Rakim Peters, continues to receive attention from college recuiters as well, although he is still weighing his options.
“At the end of the day, Rakim knows it will be his decision,” Davis said. “At this point, you begin to worry about schools filling all their spots. He knows the longer he waits then more schools will be full. However, Rakim has enough offers to be able to play somewhere.”
The AHS football team had another strong week of offseason work, Davis said.
“The last two weeks have been good in fact,” the Wildcat coach said. “We are just looking forward to Aug. 1 when things will pick up a notch for us with official preseason work.”
