Etiwanda tackle 95% sure he'll choose Nevada
Etiwanda High School's Christian Barker is "95 percent sure" he'll sign a national letter of intent with the University of Nevada on Feb. 6, national signing day.
After the 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive tackle took his official recruiting trip to Reno, Nev., last weekend, he is considering cancelling a trip to Oregon State scheduled for the first weekend in February, he said Wednesday.
In addition to the scholarship offer from Nevada, Barker has received one from Utah State but he has not received an offer from Oregon State.
Oregon State has proposed gray-shirting him, which means he would sign a letter of intent Feb. 6 with the Beavers, but would skip the 2008 season and wouldn't receive his scholarship until January of 2009, at which point he would enroll in school.
"I think I'm, still going to visit but they'll have to show me a lot," Barker said. "(Oregon State) is a Pac-10 school, but I might not get a scholarship. With the gray shirt, they tell you they're going to give you a scholarship but some teams find another player by then."
Barker visited Utah State Jan. 11-13 after receiving a scholarship offer from them roughly three weeks ago. Nevada offered him the next day.
Barker, a three-year starter who played offensive and defensive tackle, had 48 tackles and one sack his senior season. He would prefer to play offense in college, a request Nevada is prepared to meet.
Nevada graduated one starting offensive lineman last season and will graduate three more after the 2008 season.
"They're telling me that I might start next year right off the bat," Barker said. "And if I'm not ready I can red shirt and three more starting spots will open up the next year."
About Clay
Clay Fowler has been covering high school sports for six years in California and Texas. He was born in Dallas, attended the University of Texas and worked in Central Texas before joining the Daily Bulletin staff in 2006.
Email Clay here
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