Plant safety Paris Bostick has four schools on his mind, but there’s one that stands out in his heart.
The hard-hitting safety for the Panthers named West Virginia, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Georgia as his top schools, but it’s the one closest to home that’s really grabbing his attention.
“I loved Athens and I loved the community,” Bostick said. “ [Georgia] is a great school and has a great downtown area.”
Bostick, a three-star safety according to Rivals.com, visited the Bulldogs last year and saw some familiar faces on campus.
“I was there with (former Plant stars) Aaron Murray and Orson Charles, and they showed me a good time,” Bostick said. “They said, if you’re looking for not only a good football school, but a good education, this is where you need to be at...so Georgia definitely has a chance of landing me.”
So far, Bostick has only visited Georgia, but has plans to take a trip to Arkansas with head coach Robert Weiner later this summer. His selling point is simple: he wants a place he can enjoy living at all four years.
“A lot of people decide where they are going to go if they are going to play their first year, or if they’re going to sit or redshirt,” Bostick said. “I feel like wherever you’re going to go, you are going to have competition. That’s just a part of college ball.
“So wherever I choose to go to school, it’s not going to be because I feel like I’m going to play or I’m not going to play, I’ll go there because it’s a good environment.”
Bostick, one of BHSN’s Top 30 football players for 2012, is known as a guy who throws his body all around the field. He models his game after another hard-hitting safety, former Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos safety, Brian Dawkins.
“I want to strive to be the best and get some of the achievements he has had,” Bostick said. “He has always been my all-time favorite safety. He is a hard hitter and a humble Christian man...so he’s not only a good football player, he’s a good man.”
Bostick is also very spiritual. He looks up to guys like Dawkins and New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow, who put their faith before football.
“I’m pretty much a good Christian man,” he said. “I never put anything before God, ever. Me being able to play football is just a gift from God to me.”
Whichever schools lands Bostick, you can be assured of one thing. He’s going to bring his all-out toughness on every play.
“I love to hit, I don’t stray away from contact,” Bostick said. “It’s not all about picking the ball off and getting a pick six, you have to be able to deliver that blow to change the momentum of the game. If I have a chance to go for a pick or to hit you, I’m going to hit you.”