By Ross Johnson

Sports Writer

Colleges stopping by the high schools of Troup County to scout potential football prospects is nothing new to the coaches of LaGrange, Troup and Callaway.

Veteran coaches Steve Pardue of the Grangers and Bubba Jeter of the Tigers are accustomed to drop-ins from college scouts to check in on some of their players, and college coaches are also beginning to arrive in droves to scout Pete Wiggins’ Cavaliers.

Representatives from several colleges, including Purdue, visited all three schools Tuesday - and that’s just the start of it.

“I’d say anywhere from five to a dozen coaches stop by on any given day in the spring like this,” said Jeter, who sent 10 of his players to colleges on football scholarships last season. “We’re fortunate to live in this town. It’s a credit to all of these schools and programs.”

Last week, Auburn defensive line coach Tracy Rocker came by to watch Troup defensive lineman J.C. Copeland, among others.

Rocker then visited LaGrange and Callaway before moving on to other areas in Georgia.

At LaGrange, coaches from the defending national champion Florida Gators arrived to scout Grangers quarterback Jamius Gunsby.

While Gunsby is holding most of the Florida coaches’ attention, Pardue said schools appearing at practice helps the recruiting stock of other players as well.

“If they do well when a team is there, they’ll get some attention,” Pardue said.

Pardue said Gunsby, running backs Ocie Salter and Xavier Heard, kicker Joe Mansour, defensive tackles LaMarcus Hardnett and Jarrell Williams, as well as offensive lineman Johnderrius Lovett all have potential to sign with colleges.

At Troup, Copeland, fullback Brandon Worle, cornerback Cadarious Sanders, running back Jacorius Cotton and others could be getting more scholarship offers soon, according to Jeter.

Copeland has offers from Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Maryland, among others, but likely won’t decide for a while.

“I’m proud of (Copeland), because he told me if he commits early, he might relax,” Jeter said. “He wants to keep working hard and realizes he can keep improving.”

Worle has already committed to LSU, but Jeter said a “curveball” was thrown into his recruitment when Georgia offered last week.

Sanders also has offers from Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and others.

At Callaway, a pair of rising juniors could be the most highly-recruited players in the area next year.

Running back Quan Bray and defensive lineman LaMichael Fanning have already recieved multiple offers, including Clemson and Alabama.

Upcoming senior wide receiver Quantavius Leslie has offers from Clemson, West Virginia, Central Florida and Florida International, among others.

Nearly every Southeastern Conference team will appear at practices around Troup County this spring, and schools from other conferences will arrive as well.

Jeter said the visiting coaches are welcomed by his players, and proves to them that their hard work can pay off.

“It makes them feel good, because all that hard work - in the classroom, weightroom and practice field - will pay off,” Jeter said. “It proves to them that if they do what they need to academically and trust us on the football field, they can play college football.”