Lamar Dawson is now officially an all-American player.
PARADE Magazine will announce the 48th annual PARADE All-America High School Football Team in its Sunday cover story and the 6-2, 230-pound Boyle County linebacker is on the team.
For 48 years PARADE has picked the top high school football players in America. The All-America program has a legacy of recognizing outstanding athletes who have gone on to star on college and professional football fields. This year, working with Sporting News, PARADE editors chose 53 seniors from 22 states to represent the best of high school football. The full team will be listed in this Sunday’s issue in The Kentucky Advocate.
Fifteen PARADE all-Americans have won the Heisman Trophy: Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Ron Dayne, Herschel Walker, Charles Woodson, Rashaan Salaam, Marcus Allen, Billy Sims, Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, Steve Spurrier and Mike Garrett.
This year 183 former players honored on this team played in the NFL and Sunday’s Super Bowl will feature 14 PARADE all-Americans including Graham Harrell, Ryan Pickett and Charles Woodson of the Green Bay Packers along with James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, and LaMarr Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Over: Dawson took his final official visit to Tennessee over the weekend. That came after UK recruiting coordinator/linebacker coach Chuck Smith spent Thursday in Boyle County talking to Dawson, his grandmother and his mother.
Dawson made officials visits to Kentucky, Central Florida, Oregon and Southern California before going to Tennessee.
“He’s been exposed to a lot of great coaches and schools,” said Boyle coach Larry French. “Now he has until Wednesday to decide where he’ll go to school.”
Waiting, watching: Another former Boyle County star, Indianapolis Colts tight end Jacob Tamme, has even been following Dawson’s recruitment.
“I am anxious to see where he is going,” Tamme said. “I know all those Boyle County coaches really care about him and it’s good he has them to talk him through this big decision because it is not easy.”
Tamme went to Kentucky and earned all-Southeastern Conference honors. However, his initial commitment to UK was turned down by then-coach Guy Morriss. After Morriss left for Baylor, new coach Rich Brooks immediately offered Tamme a scholarship that he accepted.
“It’s hard to know what to do because you only have one chance at it,” Tamme said. “If you were recruited three or four times, you would know more what to do.
“He had a great career and I am looking forward to watching him wherever he goes. He just has to go with his gut. My recruitment was different and kind of weird at times. I was not being courted by Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, USC. It’s a great thing to have, but I know how hectic it must be for him.”
On the Web: Remember that Dawson’s 9 a.m. announcement Wednesday will be shown live at http://vaughtsviews.com/ and www.amnews.com.
“I know I am going to be watching and I suspect a lot of people will,” Tamme said.
Dawson will also participate in a live chat at http://vaughtsviews.com/ at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to answer questions about his future.
