Staff file photo J.R. Ferguson

Ferguson said he verbally committed to Hargrave, where he'll compete for the school's post-graduate team.

Ferguson said he's going to Hargrave because the competition level would help him achieve his goal -- and it's quite an ambitious one.

"I want to be known as the best in the country," Ferguson said. "I think this is a step toward that."

Hargrave's post-graduate football program churns out college football prospects. With that team, the 17-year-old Ferguson will playing against older players from college or college JV teams.

Ferguson could graduate from Hargrave in January, allowing him to participate in spring practice for the college team he chooses and increasing his chances of playing as a freshman.

"This in no way reflects anything negative (toward) St. John's," said Ego Ferguson, J.R.'s father, who expressed gratitude for how the school and Vikings football coach Jimmy Ward helped his son. "This reflects his desire to be the No. 1 player in the country."

Ferguson has always set high standards for himself as a competitor.

"Even video games as a kid, he hated to lose," Ego Ferguson said. "He always wanted to be the best."

J.R. Ferguson has already made vast strides on the football field. He never played football before arriving at St. John's as a freshman, and he rapidly developed into a force that helped the Vikings and drew interest from a slew of college scouts. Ferguson said he has scholarship offers from 44 Division I schools, including some of the nation's top college programs.

He has fond memories of his three years playing for the Vikings.

"I appreciate everything St. John's has done for me. Without St. John's and Coach Ward, I wouldn't be where I'm at today," Ferguson said. "This was a real hard decision for me."

Ferguson, a Walkersville resident who moved from Miami to Frederick County during the middle of his eighth grade year, mentioned that teachers and friends also helped him at St. John's.

"St. John's is always going to be a part of me, no matter what," Ferguson said.

Ferguson has all the tools. He's got size (6-foot-3 1/2, 270 pounds), great hands and footwork. His arsenal includes spin, rip and swim moves.

In Rivals.com's ranking of the top 100 prospects in the Class of 2010, Ferguson is ranked No. 14, regardless of position. And being relatively new to football only makes him a more enticing prospect.

"J.R.'s big thing is, he has unlimited potential. He's only played organized football for three years," Ward said.

Ward said that Ferguson is as good as other college recruits who have maxed out, but that he also comes equipped with tremendous upside.

Ferguson still hasn't decided where he'll play college football. He has scholarship offers from prominent programs like Penn State, Southern Cal, LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Florida State. He plans to start narrowing down his choices this summer.

"With the recruiting process, I'm going to keep in contact with Coach Ward because he's like a mentor to me, still," Ferguson said.

The Vikings will miss Ferguson, but they return other Division I prospects like Forrest Mason, LaMont Wims and DeShawn Weaver.

"We have a good core," Ward said. "We'll be fine."