Since the start of the year, Whitefield Academy’s 2027 TE Luke Linder has seen his recruitment take off. Kennesaw State got the party started in late January, and afterwards, Troy, Georgia Southern, Liberty, Georgia State, ECU, and Coastal Carolina have jumped into the picture.
The 6’3″, 215 lbs. pass-catcher talked about the early college interest thus far.
“It’s definitely picked up over the past few months and has been a lot, but it’s a really cool thing, and I’ve really enjoyed it,” Linder said.
Throughout the offseason, Linder has focused on gaining weight and improving speed. Meanwhile, on the baseball diamond, Linder is helping his team to a 7-2 start and says that he’s been swinging really well.
The multi-sport athlete shows a broad range of skills at the tight end position. He gets upfield and out of his release with urgency, shows great hands catching through contact, and quick acceleration with natural body lean to fall forward for extra yards.
No wonder programs have taken an interest in the 2027 Whitefield prospect. He spoke about several colleges creating the biggest impression.
“Georgia Southern and Troy really stand out to me right now. They’ve been really personal with me and have stayed in touch a lot. I went to Troy a month ago and really enjoyed my time there. Really cool atmosphere and love the way they go about their business and the culture they build,” Linder said.
The 2027 tight end said he plans to visit Georgia Southern, Troy, ECU, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Georgia in the coming weeks and months for spring practices and junior days.
Going into his final season of football, Linder outlined a few goals he would like to achieve.
My goals for next season are to continue to grow in my faith and to be the best leader I can be. Football-wise, just want to continue to attack the weight room each and every day and to continue to build on my speed and athleticism.”
Linder is a natural athlete with enough versatility to line up at sniffer, off tackle, in the slot, or outside. And while his receiving skills are the main attraction for colleges, Linder is a willing blocker, getting leverage underneath the pads of the defender and driving his legs.
For modern offenses, his strong hands, physicality, and versatility are hot commodities, so we expect more FBS offers to flow in soon. Be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear the latest recruiting new Linder and athletes across the state.
