Recruiting

Class of 2016 Syracuse target Robert Washington to reportedly transfer high schools

By Paul SchwedelsonSenior Staff Writer

Four-star Syracuse target Robert Washington is transferring from SouthLake Christian (North Carolina) Academy to East Gaston (North Carolina) High School, according to The Charlotte Observer.

The Class of 2016 running back will announce his college decision on Saturday at 3 p.m., he said via Twitter. Washington has narrowed down his list to six schools, which includes Syracuse, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina and Texas Christian.

Komica Coote, Washington’s mother, said the transfer to the public school is due to a “family matter,” not anything to do with SouthLake, a private school, per The Charlotte Observer.

“I will do what I can, and run the ball as well as I can,” Washington told the Observer. “One player can’t change everything, but one player can affect the efforts of his teammates. They haven’t really had leaders in the past and if I do what I can, I can try to help transform the team into a playoff contender.”

Washington, listed at 5 feet, 10 inches and 215 pounds, has received offers from 41 schools and is ranked as the 21st-best Class of 2016 running back in the country, according to Scout.com.



If Washington commits to Syracuse, he would join former Indianapolis Colt Delone Carter (Class of 2006), Doug Hogue (Class of 2007) and Averin Collier (Class of 2008) as the only four-star running backs to choose SU in the past 10 years, per Scout.

Sophomore Ervin Philips, senior Devante McFarlane and senior George Morris II are the only running backs currently on the Orange’s roster. In the Class of 2015, three running backs have pledged to SU — Dontae Strickland, Jordan Fredericks and Tyrone Perkins — all of whom are rated as three-star recruits on Scout. Syracuse has two players in its Class of 2016 and neither one is a running back.

In his junior year at SouthLake, Washington ran for 2,233 yards and 27 touchdowns on 239 carries, according to MaxPreps.com. As a sophomore, he ran for 2,512 yards and 28 touchdowns on 219 carries, per MaxPreps.





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