TBT abuzz with recruiting activity

Posted Jan 19, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 19, 2010 at 01:49 PM

As National Signing Day approaches, there’s been a noticeable increase in recruitment activity at Tampa Bay Tech, Titans head coach C.C. Culpepper said Tuesday.

And that includes players who might have already made a verbal commitment. Among them is linebacker Greg Hickman, who although has verbally committed to Florida International University, will make an official visit to Western Kentucky next week. Culpepper said there’s been new interest in his star linebacker from several other Division-I schools, including South Florida, Cincinnati and Michigan.

Joining Hickman on the trip to Western Kentucky will be safety Jerome Speights, who was recently reported by a recruiting service as having committed to New Mexico. Culpepper said that report is not accurate and that Speights is still weighing offers from Michigan State and Middle Tennessee, which he plans to visit this week.

Several other Titans are either garnering interest or planning visits with some solid programs, Culpepper said. C.J. Jackson, one of TBT’s big play makers at receiver, has been contacted by Toledo and Bowling Green; cornerback Derrick plans a visit to Northern Michigan next week; offensive linemen Dalton Diehl and Ian Sarginson have hit the radar screens of Idaho State and Seton Hill (Pa.), respectively; and linebacker Sam Jones plans to visit Florida A&M next week.

One guy you won’t see changing his verbal commitment is fullback Maurice Hagens, who has said he’s headed to the University of Miami.

“He won’t even talk about other schools,” Culpepper said. “He’s already a ‘Cane for life.”