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January 21, 2008
Xavier Avery
Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -
A professional baseball career continues to be a distinct possibility for Georgia-bound running back Xavier Avery of Cedar Grove.
Avery’s official visit to Georgia this weekend was cut short after he departed Athens late Saturday to be in Suwanee on Sunday for an invitation-only event at Chipper Jones’ 10th Inning Baseball Academy.
“Xavier had a good visit,” Avery’s father, Theophilus Griffin Jr. said Sunday evening. “We went to Athens on Friday and I dropped him off at [Georgia coach] Mark Richt’s house. They were having a meeting [with the recruits visiting Georgia].
“Then they went to the Arkansas basketball game on Saturday.”
Pro baseball aside, Avery may not be a lock to sign with Georgia on Feb. 6. Schools such as Oklahoma and Stanford continue to court Avery.
“[Oklahoma coach] Bob Stoops was at Xavier’s school on Friday to see his teammate, Josh Jarboe [who has committed to the Sooners],” Griffin said. “Stoops was putting some pressure on [Xavier] on Friday.
“And Stanford has indicated he could start much quicker for them because they don’t have much speed in the secondary.”
But Avery, who is scheduled to play football and baseball at Georgia if he signs with the Dogs next month, may have put on a set of shoulder pads and football helmet for the final time.
Griffin hinted that his son will be a lock to turn pro if he is a first or early second round pick in June’s major league baseball draft.
“And I kind of get the feeling that baseball is going to draft him high,” Griffin said. “Scouts from the Phillies, Padres, Pirates, Dodgers, Yankees and Royals have all come to our house.”
I'm starting to get some bad Billy Cannon Jr. flashbacks.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at January 21, 2008 09:38 AM