247 Sports, a national website that focuses on football recruiting, released its initial player ranking for the 2018 class Thursday afternoon. Bainbridge High School’s sophomore running backing Dameon Pierce is a four-star on 247 and ranked as the number 65 player in the country for the 2018 class. He is also ranked as the number six running back and number seven player in the state of Georgia.

“I think that’s pretty awesome,” Bearcat Head Coach Jeff Littleton said. “It’s a great consideration by one of the top services.”

Pierce rushed for 2172 yards and 33 TDs during his sophomore season as he helped lead the Bearcats to a Region 1-AAAA championship and a run to the state semifinals.

“Saw him play against Cartersville and a tough defense,” Rusty Mansell, who covers recruiting for Dawgs247 said. “He runs behind his pads and he can break tackles. The ability to move the chains is much more to me than top end speed.”

Pierce currently holds scholarship offers from Auburn and Florida State, but Mansell says he expects that more offers will be coming in the near future.

“I believe once the spring evaluation starts (April 15- May 31st) more people will focus on the 2018 class and his offers are going to take off,” he said. “Before it is over with I would be surprised if he does not have 15-20 SEC/ACC type offers before the first game next year.”

There is very little separating the running backs ranked third through sixth and Mansell said that to be exact they are all about equal.

“In the end some has to be number one and someone has to be number four, it get picky at that point,” he said.

Littleton said that going into next season, Pierce will need to continue working hard and focusing on both his individual goals and those for the team as a whole.

The Bearcats open the 2016 season on August 26 with a home game against Lee County.