Over the next two weeks, panties will be bunched in unreal quantities over the intents and desire of athletically gifted 18 year olds as recruiting season barrels along toward signing day. And with this, take as a warning of pinning too much hope on one recruit the tale of Xavier Lee, former…all-everything, apparently.

High School: Graduated from Seabreeze High School in 2004… rated a five-star player by Rivals.com and the No. 1 rated dual threat quarterback in the nation…named to the Superprep Elite 50 …PrepStar Top 100 Dream Team member…regarded by some as the top quarterback prospect in the country…holds Florida’s all-time record for passing yards (9,082), completions (549) and TDs (98)…named Florida’s Mr. Football for 2003..

He’s taking all of that to the NFL draft and declining to transfer, says Lee’s father in the announcement telling the bit of the world still cognizant of Lee’s existence that he was, in fact, leaving Florida State after the coaches asked Lee to switch to tight end for the 2008 season.

According to Willie Lee, Xavier likely will prepare for an anticipated invitation to the NFL scouting combine, and will not transfer to another school.

“Can’t blame him, man,” Willie Lee said of his son’s decision to leave school, according to the Sentinel. “What else is he going to do — sit around there and watch other kids go ahead of him?”

It worked for four years, Willie. What’s a fifth? Lee, as heralded a high school recruit as there was in college football, will move on to prep work for the combine. If Drew Weatherford is drafted exactly one spot ahead of him, we will roll on the floor in fits of laughter.


Xavier Lee, seen here seconds before being benched for Drew Weatherford.