Tommy Brown’s Orangeburg-Wilkinson football team is slated to take the field against Calhoun County in the final match-up of the Willie Jeffries Classic tonight at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Brown used to coach at Calhoun County. He knows the kids. The kids know him, and the Calhoun County-Orangeburg-Wilkinson game has become a bit of a strong rivalry of the course of the past several summer passing leagues.

“It’s just a good rivalry,” Brown said. “They have some good athletes and a good coach. It’s a good challenge for us because of the type of athletes they have and the good job that Walt (Wilson) does. We are excited about seeing each other in the jamboree.”

Calhoun County isn’t the only team with an abundance of athletes in the jamboree this year. In fact, the field is loaded with talent.

“This is probably one of the best we have put together as far as teams and as far as talent is concerned,” Brown said. “That is one of the things we are blessed to have in this area. We have some real good football, and it’s an opportunity to have it in one place.

“It is a testimony to football here in the Orangeburg area,” Brown added. “People don’t realize that there is some good football here. There is some good football even in 1-A and 2-A. The jamboree says it all. A lot of kids playing have been offered by major universities.”

Brown’s Bruins are scheduled to take on Calhoun County at 8:30 p.m. Denmark-Olar and North are slated to kick off the action at 5:30 p.m. followed by Bethune-Bowman and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (6:05), Darlington and Battery Creek (6:30), Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Lake Marion (7:20) and Allendale Fairfax and Scott’s Branch (7:55). Each game will consist of two, 12-minute quarters.

Top talent in the

Willie Jeffries Classic

A.J. Cann, OL, Bamberg-Ehrhardt, 6-3, 260 – The Under Armour All-American spurned offers from a number of schools including Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and Oklahoma to commit to South Carolina earlier this year. Cann is ranked as the second best center prospect in the country by Rivals.com. He displays great agility. Cann graded out at 92 percent and had 40 pancake blocks on the offensive line last season. On defense, he recorded 64 tackles, 22 for loss and 14 sacks.

Eric Mack, OL, Calhoun County, 6-4, 315 – Mack is massive but agile. He boasts a 5.1, 40-yard dash. An Under Armour All-American, his college offers include Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami and Oklahoma, but earlier this year Mack committed to South Carolina. Mack is the fifth-ranked guard in the country by Rivals.com.

Kendrick Frazier, DE, Denmark-Olar, 6-3, 250 – Frazier is the 34th ranked strongside defensive end in the nation, according to Rivals.com. A physical freak, he sports a 320-pound bench press and ran the 40 in 4.49 at the Shine Bowl combine. Frazier will also line up in the backfield and carry the ball. He has an offer from South Carolina. Frazier had 91 tackles and seven sacks last season.

Shamier Jeffery, WR/DB, Calhoun County, 6-2, 180 – Like his brother, South Carolina Gamecock Alshon Jeffery, Shamier Jeffery is an amazing athlete. He is not as physical as Alshon, but likely a step quicker. Jeffery has offers from South Carolina and Tennessee and is one of the top juniors in the state.

Brandon Golson, DE/OLB, Calhoun County, 6-2, 210 – Golson has played just six games of high school football, but has 18 sacks and a commitment to South Carolina under his belt. Golson is extremely fast off the end, but is projected as a linebacker in college. He played outside linebacker for Calhoun County in summer passing league play and did extremely well.

Justin Henderson, DE, Bamberg-Ehrhardt, 6-4, 240 – Henderson spurned offers from Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Colorado and Duke to become the University of Kentucky’s first commitment in the Class of 2010. He boasts a 4.7, 40 and a bench press of 350 pounds. He is ranked 40th among the country’s weakside defensive ends by Rivals.com. Henderson had 65 tackles and 10 sacks last season.

D’twane Fulmer, WR, H-K-T, 6-3, 195 – Fulmer, who has committed to South Carolina State, will have a chance to show off at Oliver C. Dawson ahead of schedule. He is a big, physical receiver that appears larger than he is listed. Fulmer will go up and get the ball and has strong hands. He has been timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. He finished 2008 with 46 receptions for 832 yards and eight touchdowns.

Schawn Jamison, WR, H-K-T, 6-1, 150 – Jamison has also committed to South Carolina State, but he is a different type receiver than Fulmer. Jamison is faster and runs better routes, but needs to focus on catching the ball better. Still, he can be exciting. Jamison finished 2008 with 39 catches for 809 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Ricky Chaney, S, Battery Creek, 6-3. 200 – Chaney has committed to Clemson. Ranked No. 65 in the nation by RIVALS.com at outside linebacker, Chaney possesses 4.45 speed. He collected 37 tackles, eight for loss and four sacks a season ago.

Jerrell Priester, TB, Allendale-Fairfax, 5-9, 168 – Priester, who is related to former Clemson star Raymond Priester, has committed to Vanderbilt. Small, he has an incredible burst and has been clocked at 4.48 in the 40. Priester rushed for 1,194 yards on 99 carries and scored 12 touchdowns last season.

Bashaud Breeland, QB/DB, Allendale-Fairfax, 6-2, 190 – Breeland is the 29th ranked safety in the country, according to Scout.com. He possesses 4.5 speed and turned that into 789 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 95 carries last season. On defense, he had 76 tackles and three interceptions.

Javonta Middleton, LB/FB, Bamberg-Ehrhardt, 5-10, 215 – Middleton sports a 4.64, 40 time, and recorded 108 tackles, three forced fumbles and three sacks a season ago. He has an offer from North Carolina A&T and is reportedly getting interest from several other schools including Georgia Tech.

Quinton Singleton, TB, Scotts Branch, 5-11, 185 – Singleton makes the list after leading the state in rushing a season ago with 2,434 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has been clocked at 4.7 in the 40.

Javontae Brown, DT, Calhoun County, 6-0, 245 – Brown is ranked as one of the top players in the Class of 2012 by Maxpreps.com. Brown had 66 tackles last season and boasts a 300-pound bench press.

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

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