Linebacker, 6-foot-6 offensive lineman commit to ODU

With the countdown clock to National Signing Day ticking, Old Dominion landed two more commitments Monday: linebacker Rodney Hunter from suburban Atlanta and offensive lineman Ellett McGeorge from suburban Richmond.

Hunter, a coach's son, is a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Etowah High in Woodstock, Ga., who says he will convert from his high school position of defensive end. He played some linebacker in high school but ended up this season lining up at defensive end and "chasing quarterbacks."

He's a late commitment because the Monarchs got in on him late.

"I'd had no contact with ODU until about mid-December," Hunter said. "My dad told me they were a basketball school and that I'd probably seen them on TV but just didn't remember it. So I started doing my research on the program online, and one thing led to another.

"Defensive end or outside linebacker, I'm just one of those guys who loves to run to the ball and make plays."

Hunter said he picked ODU over Navy and Charleston Southern.

McGeorge, a 6-6, 285-pounder from Cosby High in Midlothian, said he'd had invitations to walk on at North Carolina and Maryland and had more serious discussions with Richmond, Villanova and Massachusetts.

"But that all ended when I said yes to ODU," McGeorge said. "I might have been a bit overlooked and under-recruited because I'm at a relatively new high school. Cosby's just 4 years old. "

Hunter and McGeorge give ODU 18 commitments from high school players. Junior college wide receiver Prentice Gill from Los Angeles Harbor College also is expected to sign Wednesday.

Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com