Martins Big Day
Three Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division programs---Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech---will be on pins and needles this afternoon awaiting word as to where Kareem Martin, a 6-6, 225-pound defensive end from Roanoke Rapids (N.C.), will be playing his college football.
Given the way in which Martin has stayed neutral throughout his recruitment, Monday's 3:30 pm announcement at Roanoke Rapids High School has a feeling of genuine suspense to it as three ACC rivals wait to see if they'll have a new playmaker along its defensive front.
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Martin, the No. 14 prospect in North Carolina in the Rivals.com class of 2010 rankings and the No. 28 weak-side defensive end nationally, narrowed his list down to the Blue Devils, Hokies, and Tar Heels after receiving offers from most of the schools throughout the ACC along with others such as Penn State and Stanford.
UNC was among a wave of schools that offered Martin last spring, and led by area recruiter Ken Browning and position coach John Blake, the Tar Heels have deemed the in-state defensive lineman a major priority and a 'must-get' target.
Martin wound up taking four official visits during his recruitment---he was at Georgia Tech the weekend the Yellow Jackets knocked off North Carolina (September 25-26), and then a month later he made his way to Duke (October 23-24).
The senior visited Virginia Tech the weekend of November 20-21, and then came to Chapel Hill for UNC's big recruiting weekend of January 15-16.
Interestingly enough, Martin chose to cancel all his remaining in-home visits and schedule Monday's press conference just a few days after returning from his official visit to Chapel Hill, which could be one ray of hope for the Tar Heels in what otherwise has the potential to be a dramatic announcement.
TarHeelIllustrated.com will be onsite at Roanoke Rapids High School Monday afternoon for complete coverage of Martin's press conference. Stay tuned throughout the day for live updates and then an interview and photographs following his announcement.
Come to our Premium Football message board, Blue Heaven, for all the latest on the situation as Martin gets ready to makes his huge decision.