FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RAEKWON MCMILLAN
December 25, 2012
By DENNIS KNIGHT BY DENNIS KNIGHT
FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RAEKWON MCMILLAN
SCHOOL: Liberty County
POSITION: Linebacker/Running back
AGE/GRADE: 17/junior
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
ACHIEVEMENTS: McMillan was named the defensive player of the year in Region 3-AAAA. Ranked as a 5-star prospect by Rivals.com, McMillan has offers from all of the top Division I schools, including Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and South Carolina. This season he recorded 151 tackles with seven sacks, one interception, five forced fumbles and a fumble returned for a touchdown. He also ran for 316 yards (6.45 yards per carry) and scored nine rushing touchdowns. He is playing in the third annual AT&T Georgia Junior Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31 and was named by USA Today as a second-team All-USA selection.
INTERESTS: McMillan maintains a 3.4 GPA and also was a basketball player for the Panthers until this season, when he decided to focus solely on football.
WHAT?S NEXT: McMillan thinks the Panthers will be strong next year and hopes to end his high school career on an extended playoff run. He says Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Alabama and South Carolina are his top five schools. He plans to visit campuses and make his decision public at the Under Armour All-America game in 2014.
What they are saying ...
MCMILLAN ON MCMILLAN: ?I think I improved this year by dedicating myself to the weight room. I also really learned the playbook ? so I know where I?m supposed to be to make plays. My most memorable game this year was against South Effingham. I had 16 tackles, four tackles for a loss and rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns. It was unfortunate we lost, but I played my heart out in that game.?
LIBERTY COUNTY COACH KIRK WARNER ON MCMILLAN: ?Raekwon keeps improving physically and he is getting better in the mental game by leaps and bounds. He became the quarterback of our defense this year ? he knows where everyone should be. He works hard in the weight room, you just can?t keep him out of there. We were blessed to have Shadrach (Thornton, now at N.C. State) the last few years, and Raekwon has taken the torch from him. He?s become our leader.?