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Camp performances made Culpeper's Fells-Danzler a hot prospect

Camp performances made Culpeper's Fells-Danzler a hot prospect

BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

Date published: 2/7/2007

BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

Before Terrence Fells-Danzer knew his SAT score, he had already passed the initial exam from college football coaches: the eye test.

The Culpeper High School senior linebacker stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 225 pounds. He played every position except offensive line and place-kicker during his career with the Blue Devils.

He's also a standout track and field performer who has excelled in events ranging from the 100-meter dash to the shot put.

So when Fells-Danzer attended four showcase combines, including two at Virginia and one at Virginia Tech, coaches were impressed. The exposure offered the kind of up-close contact with recruits that game film doesn't.

Both the Hokies and Cavaliers offered Fells-Danzer full scholarships. He chose Virginia in May and will sign a national letter of intent today, National Signing Day.

"To be honest, that [camp exposure] kind of brought him to the forefront more than anything else," Culpeper coach Greg Martz said. "That's the way a lot of recruiting is done today, and it definitely helped him."

In addition to his athleticism, Martz said Fells-Danzer was attractive to colleges because he's a "low-risk" recruit, with excellent academics and good character.

He's the eighth-ranked player in Virginia by Rivals.com, a popular recruiting Web site, which rates him as the No. 7 inside linebacker prospect in the country.

He's the highest rated player from the Fredericksburg area since former Culpeper star Kent Hicks, who enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2004, but recently transferred to Liberty after failing to earn playing time with the Hokies.

Fells-Danzer said he doesn't feel any pressure to live up to his lofty ranking.

He said he wants to join a strong list of successful linebackers under Virginia coach Al Groh that includes former all-ACC performers Ahmad Brooks, Kai Parham and Darryl Blackstock.

"It's a strong possibility I can put myself into that category if I work hard enough," Fells-Danzer said. "But stepping into college, what you did in high school doesn't mean anything. You have to start over from scratch."

Fells-Danzer said he was recently clocked by Culpeper coaches in the 40-yard dash at 4.4 seconds and he has a 33-inch vertical leap. While he and Martz admit there's no substitute for on-field production, those numbers are certainly impressive for a player his size.

CHANCELLOR Field Hockey Jenna Cinalli, William & Mary Missy Woodie, Delaware Lara Cariker, Radford Baseball Justin Moore, VCU COLONIAL FORGE (Expected to sign Friday) Girls soccer Erin Downing, Ole Miss Alex Myers, Longwood CULPEPER Football Terrence Fells-Danzer, Virginia MASSAPONAX Football Anthony Mihota, Virginia Football/Wrestling Josh Wine, VMI Girls soccer Liz Eichler, Western Carolina LIBERTY Football Andy Smith, JMU Devaugh Parsons Boys soccer Mike Handlin, Rutgers LOUISA Football Jeff Melhaff, Concord Davell Smith, Concord Todd Shelton, St. Paul Eric Church, VMI Terrell Wells, William & Mary ORANGE Football Brad Starks, West Virginia Asa Chapman, West Virginia Zach Johnson, UT-Chattanooga Wrestling Ryan Goodsell, VMI STAFFORD Football Torrey Smith, Maryland Field Hockey Kimmy Sullivan, Longwood Ashley Frye, VCU WASHINGTON & LEE Football Jermaine Weldon, Norfolk St.

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Date published: 2/7/2007