Tabron transfers, will play for Pups
Wednesday, July 26, 2006 By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
CANTON On Tuesday morning, George Tabron became a student at McKinley High School.
By Tuesday evening, he was a Bulldog.
Tabron, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound All-Northeast Ohio Inland District linebacker last season at Central Catholic, made his transfer from private school to public school official Tuesday morning when he enrolled at McKinley. He attended workouts later that evening and is expected to practice for the first time Thursday.
“We’ve never seen him, but going on reputation and the fact he looks like a football player, he can help us,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said. “Our top four linebackers graduated. He has a chance to make us better.”
Tabron is regarded as one of the best players in Stark County. He should make an impact at McKinley.
“There is no question he will be an impact player at McKinley,” said Duane Long, the state’s top recruiting analyst for rivals.com. “This will put him back on the radar. He’ll be playing at a higher level of competition. It’s a good move for George Tabron. It’s a huge get for McKinley.”
This is the fourth transfer the Bulldog football program has received since last season. Jackson running back Steve Gardner, Massillon wide receiver Ricardo Wells and Alliance linebacker Gaylan Roberson all are now at McKinley.
Two of those transfers were court-appointed guardianship issues, and Tabron used to attend Canton City Schools. His mother graduated from McKinley.
“There are things you have to take into consideration when someone transfers in ... like the kids already playing that position ” Cross said. “Team chemistry is another. But at Canton McKinley, we believe in playing the best players. If someone who moves in is the best player, then he’s going to play.”
Clearly, Tabron has the highest profile of the four players and has the most interest from Division I colleges.
In addition to his all-county and all-district honors, Tabron was a Division IV second-team All-Ohio linebacker. His six sacks and more than 100 tackles helped lead the Crusaders to a regional final last year. He also scored six touchdowns as a fullback.
Central Catholic honored him at its season-ending banquet with the team’s “head hunter” and linebacker award. Tabron already has been offered a Division I scholarship by Ball State.
Many big colleges are waiting for Tabron to make it through the NCAA’s Clearinghouse. Once that happens, he could receive offers from Michigan State and West Virginia.
“I feel bad,” Central Catholic head coach Lowell Klinefelter said. “He’s a great player. This wasn’t recruiting at all. I believe it’s a free country, and parents have a right to send their kid where they want. Those chose not to send him to Central Catholic this year. I think this was a decision the Tabron family made and felt it was best for George.”
A change of scenery may be good for Tabron. An offseason incident between teenagers led to Tabron being charged with felonious assault. Long believes that hampered his recruiting prospects. But a Stark County grand jury declined to indict Tabron because of a lack of evidence.
“He’s a heck of a football player,” Long said. “This offseason silliness was blown out of proportion. He was put on the backburner until (college programs) saw how that played out. ... I had him 30th in Ohio in what is a great class for the state.”
Tabron does not live in Canton City School District. His family resides in Plain Local. Canton City does not accept open enrollment students. That means the Tabrons will have to pay tuition to attend McKinley or move into the district.
A message left for the Tabrons was not returned.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail:
[email protected]
