Move to Louisville could be a Dunn deal

The Greenbrier High School football team enjoyed an outstanding campaign on the gridiron in 2003, finishing 7-3 in the regular season and advancing to the Class AAAA state playoffs.

One of the keys to the Wolfpack's success was the play of offensive guard Rashad Dunn.

The 6-foot-3, 270-pound senior was a three-year starter for the Pack, and a two-time selection to the all-county team.

Until recently, Dunn was being recruited by Division I-AA and Division II college programs. Greenbrier coach Mickey Derrick sent out about 20 tapes of Dunn, but the response from recruiters was slow.

Now Dunn's stock has risen, thanks to former Lakeside High quarterback Todd Stanford and North Augusta's Michael Carvelle, a staff writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

For years Carvelle has helped area athletes put together highlight tapes and get them into the hands of college coaches.

One of Carvelle's past projects was a defensive back from Silver Bluff High School in the early 1990s. That player had virtually no college offers, but as a result of Carvelle's help, he eventually earned a scholarship to Vanderbilt.

That player, by the way, is Corey Chavous, who now suits up for the Minnesota Vikings and will start in the NFL Pro Bowl next month.

Stanford, meanwhile, is giving Carvelle some assistance. Stanford's mission it to find college prospects in Columbia County's high schools.

Stanford knows the process. After a stellar career at Lakeside, this same type of marketing effort landed Stanford a full ride at Texas Christian University.

Carvelle and Stanford evidently have put Dunn on the map.

Less than a week after tapes of the Greenbrier star were sent out to college coaches, Dunn received a call from University of Louisville head coach John Petrino, who informed Dunn that he loved the tape and wanted to fly to Augusta for a face-to-face meeting.

The news just kept getting better - Dunn was invited to make an official visit to the campus in Kentucky.

This weekend Dunn is returning from the trip, and I wouldn't be shocked is he makes a commitment to the Cardinals.

Dunn is a full academic qualifier, and as good as he is on the football field, he's an even better young man. "If there's any kid that deserves attention and credit, it's Rashad Dunn," Derrick said.

Louisville is in line to sign a player with great character, and it goes without saying that he can block a little bit too.