One of the top prospects from ACC country is
Tripp Carroll from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park High School. Carroll, 6-5 and 295 pounds, is being recruited at offensive guard and defensive tackle. In high school, Carroll has also played quarterback, wide receiver, center, guard, tackle, tight end, defensive end and nose tackle.
"I will do whatever it takes to help the team," said Carroll. "Colleges like me at guard (offensive) and tackle (defense). As a guard, I am smart out there and I set up the defender for different things. I have good footwork and move well laterally. Defensively, I am kind of like a heat seeking missle. No matter where the ball is, I will be around it on every play."
Carroll is outstanding off the field as well. He bench presses 390, squats 515, power cleans 280 and
dead lifts 700 pounds. In the classroom, he carries a 4.5 GPA and has scored a 1200
SAT. Everyone that has come through Charlotte has offered him a scholarship.
"Right now, I would say Virginia Tech is my leader with North Carolina a close second. The whole staff at VT is great. It is a pretty place and their academics are ranked pretty high. At UNC, I also love the staff and school and the
facilities are unreal. I am also looking at Virginia, Ohio State, Miami and a bunch of others. I am looking for a comfortable place for me and I want to pick a place where I can be a part of something special.
"Sometimes I wonder if this is really happening to me... Am I the right guy? Is there another Tripp Carroll in Charlotte? I feel lucky."
Carroll did not camp anywhere this past summer. Instead, he took a job with American Express in their financial department.
"I love football but if it doesn't work out, I want to do something with my brain. Academics are the most important thing to me."