A record-setting running back, and record-setting wide receiver, a steady place kicker, a rock-solid lineman and a dependable line backer make up the 2008 class of Powhatan High School football players drafted to play at the next level next year.

First Team All State wide receiver Emmett Brown has accepted the scholarship offer tendered by Elizabeth City State University. Brown, who was also invited to play in the Virginia Coach’s Association All Star Game in Hampton this July gained 842 yards and scored 12 touchdowns his senior year. His Powhatan High School record 57 receptions this year destroyed the old record of 49. “Besides being a class act kid, Emmett fits well into our west coast offense,” said Vikings Coach Calvin Hudgins. “He has the height and the hands and is the kind of character kid I’d recruit every day if I could find them.” Brown has an excellent chance to break into the starting lineup in his freshman year Hudgins commented. “We play six receivers and we’ll just have to see what happens when the dust settles.”

Coach Hudgins was also aware of Brown’s considerable basketball skills and did not rule out a two sport career for this excellent all around athlete.

The much coveted Taron Hampton will be showing off his running back skills at Virginia State University in Petersburg. As a First Team All Region running back, Hampton carried the ball 163 times for 1360 yards and 23 touchdowns in his final year at Powhatan. Hampton played at PHS for only two years, having transferred from Cumberland County, which makes his 3243 career yard totals at PHS an outstanding achievement. Even more impressive is his school record of 55 touchdowns scored in that two year period. He broke Lee Goode’s record of 54 which Goode set over four seasons.

“This is a kid we’ve been watching since his junior year,” said Virginia State Head Coach Andrew Faison. “He’s what we call a second level back, a complete back. He can run between the tackles but has great speed. Actually he’s a lot faster than the guy we have starting now.”

Coach Faison pointed out that Hampton is also a capable receiver and could possibly see time as a special teams return man. Will he start as a freshman? “Probably not. He’ll need time to get physically and mentally ready for the college game.”

Place kicker and wide receiver Kevin Price will be taking the field at Ferrum College. Price earned First Team All District honors and the Panthers, a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA Division III South Region, will be looking for him to duplicate the consistency he showed as a place kicker. Price was successful on 49 out of 60 extra point attempts and made the only field goal he attempted.

Offensive tackle Nate Mullins will line up for another Division III school when he travels to Winchester, Virginia. As a First Team All Region lineman, Mullins hopes to crack the starting line up at Shenandoah University. He will join 2007 Powhatan High School graduate Blake Campbell at Shenandoah.

Outside line backer and running back Eric Watts’ decision is not quite as cut and dried. As a Second Team All Region and First Team All District selection Watts has been invited to walk on at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia or may enroll at Fork Union.

Watts will showcase his talents at the upcoming Fork Union Military Academy Football Combine and make a decision as to where he will matriculate after that.