Courtships are over; it's time to sign

There's still some recruiting suspense left for today's national signing day.

Although college football programs are identifying top prospects and offering scholarships to players at increasingly younger ages, nothing is official until recruits sign letters binding them to a school.

And as is the case every year, some highly anticipated decisions remain to be made public on signing day, the first day prospective recruits can officially make their commitment.

Northern Guilford defensive back Keenan Allen, the No. 1 player in The Charlotte Observer's rankings of North Carolina high school players, is holding a news conference at 9 a.m. today at The Underground restaurant in Greensboro to announce his school choice.

Allen had verbally committed to national champion Alabama, but Clemson, Penn State and California have emerged as possibilities, according to Internet reports that say Allen wants to go to school with his half-brother, Zach Maynard, who's transferring from Buffalo.

"I really don't know what they're going to do," Northern Guilford coach Johnny Roscoe said.

Ethan Farmer, a tight end and defensive tackle from Tabor City, will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. at South Columbus High. North Carolina and Clemson are among the favorites to land Farmer, who's rated No. 6 in the state by The Charlotte Observer.

In South Carolina, the big news came Tuesday as Duncan Byrnes running back Marcus Lattimore picked South Carolina. Lattimore is the top-rated player in South Carolina and is generally regarded as the best running back prospect in the nation.

Lattimore announced his commitment during an evening news conference at his church in Spartanburg. Auburn was the other finalist for his services. He is expected to immediately help a Gamecocks rushing attack that finished last in the SEC in each of the past three seasons.

In North Carolina, the Tar Heels' most critical recruits will be able to speak to the media at the school's signing day news conference. Offensive tackles James Hurst and T.J. Leifheit are highly regarded recruits at a position of urgent need, and they're already on campus and enrolled in classes after graduating early from high school.

Highly-regarded offensive line signees are expected to be a trend throughout North Carolina. N.C. State's highest-rated prospect also is on the offensive line, as Athens Drive's Robert Crisp - rated the No. 2 prospect in the state - is expected to sign with the Wolfpack.

Duke's top recruit is offensive guard Laken Tomlinson of Chicago. Wake Forest once again will rely heavily on recruits from Florida, including offensive guard Antonio Ford of Pahokee High.

North Carolina also added to its class early this week with the commitment of a late-blooming defensive line prospect. Quinton Alton of Memphis is 6 feet 6 and 250 pounds, but he has played just one year of organized football. William Johnson, Alton's coach, got him to come out for football after he transferred to Hillcrest High from another school.

Alton's mother initially opposed the idea because she was afraid he would get hurt but relented after Johnson told her he had the potential to do big things in football.

Alton played defensive end, defensive tackle and tight end in his one season at Hillcrest and earned a late scholarship offer from the Tar Heels. He had opportunities to take official visits at Middle Tennessee, Mississippi and Tennessee State, but he declined to take them because he said he was determined to play for North Carolina.

Johnson said Alton will play defensive end or defensive tackle for the Tar Heels.

Staff writer Joe Person of The (Columbia, S.C.) State contributed to this report