Dantzler’s on the ‘Rise’

Published 11:05 pm Monday, January 25, 2010

Watts Dantzler has been named to the ESPN RISE all-junior first team offense. According RISE, the team consists of “juniors who are sure to be on the top of every college’s radar and All-American lists heading into their senior seasons.”

Dantzler, a 6-foot-8-inch, 315-pound junior for Dalton High, is just one of five offensive lineman and the only player from Georgia named to the team. The other lineman are La’el Collins (6-4, 285, Baton Rouge, La.), Antonio Richardson (6-5, 305, Nashville, Tenn.), Christian Westerman (6-5, 275, Chandler, Ariz.) and Brandon Shell (6-7, 310, Charleston, S.C.), who is the nephew of NFL Hall of Famer Art Shell.

The honor is just the latest of many for Dantzler, who participated in the U.S. Army National Combine for the nation’s top high school juniors. He was also named to the Georgia Sportswriters Association’s and Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s all-state teams and The Daily Citizen’s All-Area team.

With the national spotlight shining brightly on Dantzler, he said he’s prepared to try and live up to expectations.

“I guess it puts pressure on me,” said Dantzler, “but I’ve always liked pressure. It’s another incentive to work harder. … You just gotta go to work every day and get better. A lot people are counting on me to be good.”

Dantzler has received offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami (Fla.) and Tennessee among other schools. Though he’s yet to commit, he said he’s leaning towards playing for an SEC school. His father, the late Danny Dantzler, played at Georgia from 1971-73.

Dalton coach Adam Winegarden said he’s proud for Dantzler and the recognition he’s received, but he believes Dantzler’s capable of playing at an even higher level.

“He understands that there’s a lot of work left to be done,” Winegarden said. “It could be several years before he reaches his potential, because he’s got a young body that is still growing.

“The thing I look at with him is what is his daily attitude toward improving everyday? So far, his attitude has been great. As long as that continues, he should keep getting better and better.”

Dantzler, who helped produce two 1,000-plus yard rushers for the Catamounts in Shaquon Moore and Tre Beck, agrees he has more to achieve his senior season and beyond.

“I still have a long way to go before I’m where I want to be,” Dantzler said. “I need to get faster and get my footwork better and there’s a lot of other little things I need to work on this offseason. I need to make sure I make every work out and go to work everyday, because you can’t be complacent with how good you are.

“I just want to keep getting better everyday.”