James focused on summer workouts

Long Beach (Miss.) High School's Nick James has spent most of his summer working out with his teammates and preparing for his senior season. That has left little time for attending camps, said the 6-foot-5 and 335-pound defensive tackle.

"Things have been going pretty good," said James. "We went to a conditioning and linemen camp at Gulf Coast (Miss.) Community College and it went good. But other than the Team USA camp I went to in Atlanta, Ga., that has been about. I have just been focused on getting in good shape and I have dropped about 10 pounds. So it's been going good."

James owns offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee, Miami and Arkansas State among others. And he said he's been hearing from the same schools of late.

"I am hearing from the same SEC schools like LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss," said James. "I have visited LSU but that's been about it. I would like to see Mississippi State and Ole Miss but I haven't yet. It's been hard to find time with work and our team workouts. So I just have to see what else I can do the rest of the summer."

And among those recruiting him, James said he doesn't have a leader but did note of the schools showing the most interest.

"I don't have any favorites yet and it is still kinda early for me," said James. "But I would say LSU and Miami are on me the hardest right now. Those two programs talk to me the most."

When that time does come to make a decision, James noted of the factors he is looking at the most.

"Staying in the state or going out of the state for college is really not a factor at all," said James. "I am just looking at these programs and see who has the best atmosphere surrounding the football program. I want to see how the coaches-players' relationship is at these schools and also look at the academics programs at these schools."