Stephenson LB latest to commit to Vandy

Darreon Herring (Stephenson HS/Stone Mountain, GA) is the latest 2012 prospect to commit to Vanderbilt. The talented 6-2, 205 pound linebacker chose Vanderbilt over Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. Herring is being recruited as an outside linebacker and made his decision last night.

“Last night I told my coach that I was ready to commit to the school that I want to go to,” said Herring. “He asked me where I wanted to go and I told him Vanderbilt. He told me that I could tell everyone today at 8:30 am and he would send it out to all of the reporters and everything. The night before I was thinking about all of the schools that I wanted to go to and Vanderbilt ended up coming out on top.”

Last season, Herring collected 76 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and one interception for a TD. Because of his body of work, he has received 17 offers from various colleges such as Arkansas, Clemson, Nebraska, North Carolina, Stanford, and West Virginia. What made Vanderbilt rise to the top?

“Vanderbilt offers a great education and with the coaches coming in they are turning things around,” he said. “I am ready to be a part of that. The coaches were happy with my decision. They really recruited me and were like the first offer that I got. They were really excited.”

Stephenson High School is arguably the most loaded high school in the nation this year when it comes to Division 1-A prospects. Six prospects from their 2012 class have already committed to BCS schools, and there’s another highly rated prospect at Stephenson that Herring will try to convince to join him in Nashville.

“Our Defensive end Jarontay Jones is one that I’m trying to get him to think about going to Vanderbilt,” said Herring. “Really anybody that I know that has an offer from Vanderbilt, I am going to recommend the school to them.”

While many prospects in this 2012 class seem to be committing early, many of those prospects will choose to take official and unofficial visits to different college campuses. Herring is aware that other prospects will choose to do that but he is content with his decision and will only take a visit to one campus.

“I’m pretty much done; the only visits that I will take will be to Vanderbilt,” he said.