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Elijah Holyfield runs during a game for Woodward Academy (Ga.) this season.

(Photo courtesy of Elijah Holyfield)

When Rivals four-star running back Elijah Holyfield headed to the locker room earlier this fall before practice and saw what Mississippi State had left for him, he couldn't believe his eyes.

Propped up against the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Georgia running back's locker sat 150 letters from the Bulldogs.

"That was crazy," he said. "Me and coaches sat there for awhile opening some of them, but we couldn't open 150."

For Holyfield, it was message received – 150 times.

The Class of 2016 prospect was little more than a curiosity just a few months ago, but after ESPN pounced on his seven-touchdown performance in a Woodward Academy victory this season, the attention rapidly built.

"It was pretty crazy after that and still is," he told The Oregonian. "It's a lot of pressure sometimes, but I'm the type of person that I think performs better under pressure, so it's not that big of a deal."

Holyfield now holds offers from more than 20 schools, highlighted by Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

Oregon offered in late September, according to the son of boxing champion Evander Holyfield, and the idea of playing for the Ducks intrigues him. Now, he's trying to put that interest into action with a West Coast tour of Oregon and possibly Cal and/or USC.

"I'm definitely going to get out there this year, probably some time this summer," he said. "It's a matter of when."

Holyfield's interest in the Ducks comes from a variety of factors.

"First thing is, they are always good at football. I want to go to a place that is going to win. I don't like losing," he said. "Their backs are always good. They always have a good back, whether it's a little speed back or a bruiser, so I feel like all types of backs come through there and do well. The one they have now [Royce Freeman] is really good, too."

While Holyfield insists he doesn't have a leader, Ohio State and Georgia are two campuses he's already checked out and enjoyed. Both schools, he said, will be involved in his recruitment for the duration.

This weekend, the Georgia product may add a third school to that mix, as he's scheduled to take an unofficial visit to watch the Ohio State at Michigan State game.

Holyfield still has 15 months before Signing Day, but he's already started the process. So far, Oregon remains in the hunt – without creating a letters avalanche in the Woodward Academy locker room.

-- Andrew Nemec | @AndrewNemec