Grambling signee gone?: Pa. athlete heads to prep school

Grambling may have lost one of its top recruits from last spring.

Deonte Flemings, a standout defensive back/quarterback at Erie, Penn.’s Strong Vincent High, has enrolled in prep school.

He now says a stint at North Carolina Tech in Charlotte will help raise his point average — and, perhaps, his stock as a recruit with larger programs.

“I want to improve my GPA,” Flemings told his hometown newspaper, “so I can be re-recruited by (more) major colleges.”

Flemings’ signing helped push Grambling’s 2008 signing day class to a No. 2 ranking in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and No. 4 among historically black colleges and universities, from Press Box To Press Row — the North Carolina-based radio show and Web site devoted to HBCU athletics.

The site noted that Flemings “received interest from the University of Pittsburgh and turned down a scholarship to Ohio to sign with Grambling. He received a two-star rating by Rivals.com and was ranked 89th nationally amongst CBs by Scout.com.”

Flemings, a member of the Associated Press 3A All-state team in each of the past three seasons, helped his Pennsylvania high school team to consecutive 10-3A championships as a junior and senior — finishing with a record of 24-4. He was also named Super All-State and Super All-Metro after recording 13 interceptions and 40 tackles during his freshman season, played in Alabama.

Flemings has connections back to Birmingham’s s Parker High — where Grambing assistant and former standout defender Andre Robinson once coached.

North Carolina Tech, according to its head football coach, is a one-semester program with daily SAT work and classes. Flemings (5-10 170) has said he hopes to add weight during his time in Charlotte, as well.

Tim Newman, who has compiled
a record of 116-7 and sent 14 players on to D-I scholarships at North Carolina Tech, has confirmed in published reports that SEC and MAC schools are still evaluating Flemings. As a senior, Flemings originally mentioned interest from Tennessee, Penn State, Georgia and Pittsburgh, according to Scout.

(Click HERE for Grambling’s complete signing class of 2009, first published by TheDerisoReport.com.)