2016 4-Star LB Tre Lamar Dishes on New Offers, Academic Deal-Breakers

With a 3.4 GPA and plans to major in civil engineering, Tre Lamar is equally focused on getting it done in the classroom at the next level.

For someone who has a knack for blowing plays up on a football field, Lamar hopes to put things together as an engineer when his playing career is over.

“The main factors are me feeling comfortable on the campus and really seeing myself being able to go there everyday for four years,” Lamar told Bleacher Report. “Also, I want the school to have a good engineering program. I want to go somewhere where I can feel good about getting my degree and who can provide the academic support and help that I need to get it done in the classroom as well.”

The beastly 4-star linebacker from Roswell, Georgia, is one of the most sought-after prospects in the 2016 class.

There’s no denying the credentials the 6’4”, 240-pounder has on the gridiron. Within the last week alone, Lamar’s lengthy offer list has expanded to include Georgia, Texas A&M and Oregon.

“They are just a winning program,” Lamar said. “They’re well-coached. They have awesome facilities. They have a lot to offer, so that’s why I like Oregon.”

He’s also high on the Aggies and their tradition of developing studs at his position. 

“In terms of Texas A&M, I’ve been watching them play, and they are also well-coached. I’ve seen a lot of great linebackers come out of Texas A&M like Von Miller and guys like that, so I think they do a good job of developing linebackers,” Lamar said. “If I went there, I think they would do the same with me.” 

He mentioned the Aggies along with Clemson and Georgia Tech as schools whose engineering programs have impressed him—something that could give head coaches Dabo Swinney and Kevin Sumlin a leg up in the recruiting process. 

Lamar has been active in the offseason. He was named one of the top performers at the Adidas Georgia Showcase camp earlier this month. He was also one of many studs on hand in Athens last weekend for Georgia’s junior day. 

However, his experience was made a little more special when Mark Richt personally informed him that he had an offer from the Bulldogs.

“It’s always awesome to get an offer from the in-state team,” Lamar said. “It’s really cool because I got that one from Coach Richt. I got to talk to him and they told me that they really like my film and they like what I could do at Georgia, so it was a good feeling to get that offer.”

The Bulldogs are pitching him on the idea of staying close to home for college. However, even though Lamar admits that thought does appeal to him, he maintains that distance won’t be a factor in his decision.

Trips to Alabama this weekend and then Auburn and Florida are on deck for the Peach State standout. In particular, Lamar—who noted that his school “went off” when Tide head coach Nick Saban visited him recently—is excited about his trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend.

“I’m definitely interested in Alabama,” Lamar said. “I have a great relationship with the coaches down there. Coach [Kirby] Smart and those guys, it’s good to talk with them again and get a more in-depth look at Alabama and kind of the academic side of it there. Also, I want to see how they see me fitting into the defense.”

Despite Lamar’s busy schedule—one that he mentioned will include trips to the Atlanta Nike Camp in March—he maintains that he’s in no rush to make a decision.

In fact, Lamar enjoys the traveling he’s been doing, and he feels each trip is a fact-finding mission that he hopes brings him closer to making his choice. 

“I’m really having fun with this process, and I want to take as many visits as possible before I make the decision,” Lamar said. “I want to get a good feel for the school I’m going to.”

In the end, his fit away from the field will have as much to do with the benefits he can provide for his future home on the field. 

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani