KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown High offensive lineman Dustin Abercrombie wants to spend his adult life in Washington, D.C.
What makes Abercrombie different than his high school teammates, is that he doesn’t daydream about being a Redskin someday. Instead, the 6-foot-2, 260-pounder wants to help the home folks as a Congressman.
So far, so good. Abercrombie was accomplished enough on the football field and in the classroom as a senior to earn a scholarship offer from Wake Forest University.
The student body president, Abercrombie is an exceptional student. And he kept his grades up while earning All-North Piedmont Conference honors on the gridiron.
Many of the 1,321 yards that superstar Chris Carter rushed for this season came behind the agile Abercrombie’s lead blocks. Many of the 1,921 yards that Drew Maher tossed for came because Abercrombie gave him time.
Still, an opportunity as an O-linemen in the ACC was a bit of a surprise, because Abercrombie was a tight end as recently as his junior year.
“I had no idea Wake was even recruiting me,” said Abercrombie. “They came to see me and told me they’d seen game tapes. Then they brought me up there for a visit. When they offered, it didn’t take me long to say yes.”
Abercrombie’s verbal commitment will become law on national signing day — Feb. 6. That’s when he’ll officially ink with the Deacons.
Wake is coming off a solid football season and appears poised to enter an era of prosperity under coach Jim Grobe, but the biggest attraction for Abercrombie is the school’s lofty academic reputation.
Abercrombie will most likely study political science with the idea of entering law school after he earns his degree.
“It’s amazing the way he’s been able to balance academics with football,” said Wonders head coach Ron Massey. “He’s always had some quickness for a big kid, and this year he got so much stronger. That’s what got him this opportunity.”
Abercrombie, who’s currently a reserve on the basketball team, will definitely red-shirt next season — he’d like to put on another 20 pounds of muscle — but plans to make a future impact at Groves Stadium.
“I’ll still be small for an ACC tackle, but Wake likes smaller, athletic tackles,” he said. “What they liked on my tapes is the way I could pull. They do some of the same things we did at Brown.”
“He’ll do well,” said Massey. “He’s just one of those kids who’s a natural leader.”
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