The Big Ten got busy over the weekend with several key commitments for a few schools.
Penn State Coach Bill O'Brien got the call from five-star OT Dorian Johnson on Sunday evening saying he was committed.
12s all over State College
Penn State got the biggest piece of news when Belle Vernon (Pa.) High five-star offensive tackle Dorian Johnson chose the Nittany Lions over his other two finalists, Pittsburgh and Ohio State.
Long considered a lean to nearby Pitt, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Johnson visited Ohio State two weekends ago and was in Happy Valley this past weekend, where the Nittany Lions coaching staff worked their magic in flipping the script on their in-state recruiting rival.
"We went up for the visit yesterday and on the ride home I just had this feeling," Johnson told Lions247. "I liked the comfort level and I realized that I could get a top education and have that tradition. When you go to Penn State, you play the top level of football and still get that education.'
Ranked as the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 12 prospect overall, Johnson became commit No. 12 for Coach Bill O’Brien and his staff. Johnson’s pledge elevated Penn State to No. 12 in the 247Sports national recruiting rankings.
For more Penn State coverage, be sure to visit Lions247.
Ferentz Rakes Em In
Three commits for Iowa on Sunday. Six in the last four days. Fifteen total.
Lakewood (OH) St. Edward DB Solomon Warfield capped off six commits in four days for Kirk Ferentz and Iowa.
Coach Kirk Ferentz’s 2013 recruiting class is beginning to take shape with the Hawkeyes climbing to No. 4 in the 247Sports Big Ten rankings. Michigan still leads the way with Ohio State and Penn State in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.
-Last Thursday, athlete Derrick Mitchell Jr. jumped into the boat, choosing Iowa over Kansas State, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa State and Memphis.
-Next in was Springboro (Ohio) High’s Sean Welsh, who is arguably the Buckeye State’s most athletic lineman. If the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Welsh was a couple inches taller, it’s possible he could have been the state’s top-ranked lineman. Welsh chose the Hawkeyes over opportunities at Cincinnati, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville and Miami.
-St. Louis (Mo.) Kirkwood athlete Andre Harris made the decision for Iowa over an offer from Big Ten foe Illinois, and will begin his Hawkeyes career as a receiver. Harris also has the ability to play defensive back.
-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Iowa talent Ike Boettger plays quarterback in high school, but will move to tight end in an Iowa uniform.
-Iowa beat out Iowa State for another athlete recruit in Des Moines (Iowa) Lincoln standout Trevon Young. The 6-foot-4, 217-pound Young could end up at linebacker, defensive end or tight end in Iowa City.
-Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward defensive back Solomon Warfield capped off a huge Sunday, following Boettger and Young in giving Ferentz the good news. The sought-after Warfield had a bevy of offers from the likes of Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan State, Boston College, Arizona State, Penn State, Arizona, Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
For more Iowa coverage, be sure to visit Voice Of The Hawkeyes
Darius Mosely was a big in-state get for Illinois.
NFL Legacy On Board For Michigan State
Waukesha (Wis.) West tight end Dylan Chmura earned his Michigan State offer at camp two weekends ago, and a week later he gave his word to Spartans coach Mark Dantonio.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Chmura is the eighth commit for Michigan State in the class of 2013. A torn ACL cost Chmura his junior season, or he likely would have been more highly recruited. Despite the injury, both Central Michigan and Western Michigan offered.
Chmura is the son of former Green Bay Packers All-Pro tight end Mark Chmura.
For more Michigan State coverage, be sure to visit Spartan Tailgate.
Two More Lincoln State Talents On Board For Illini
First-year Illinois coach Tim Beckman had a good end of the week.
Just two days after landing touted defensive back Caley Day out of Hilliard (Ohio) Darby, the Illini picked up a big in-state get from O’Fallon (Ill.) High athlete Darius Mosely. The 6-foot, 190-pound Mosely had close to 20 offers, and ultimately chose Illinois over places such as Vanderbilt, Iowa, Michigan State, Boston College, Northwestern, Arizona State and Kansas State. Mosely will join Day in the Illini secondary.
The day before Mosely’s big news, Illinois offered and received a commitment from legacy Bryce Douglas of Plainfield (Ill.) Central. Douglas’s father Bruce Douglas was a standout basketball player for the Illini.
Boilers Lands Key In-State Talent
Running back is a big need for Purdue in the class-of-2013, and on Saturday they landed a commitment from the state’s best skill player in St. John (Ind.) Lake Central’s David Yancey.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Yancey had a huge junior season, rushing for 2,130 yards and 27 touchdowns in earning Duneland Conference MVP honors.
Along with quarterback Danny Etling, who will soon move up in the 247Sports rankings, Purdue has commitments from two of the three top offensive players in the state. Indianapolis (Ind.) North Central two-way lineman Darius Latham is still uncommitted.
Gophers Get Their Signal-Caller
Woodstock (Ill.) Marian Central quarterback Chris Streveler committed to Minnesota on Saturday. The Gophers were his first offer.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Streveler is arguably the Midwest’s most athletic quarterback recruit. As a junior, he threw for close to 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for nearly 1,000 more yards and 17 scores.
Notes
-Peninsula (Ohio) Woodbridge kicker Hunter Niswander became commit No. 9 for Northwestern.
- Steve Wiltfong
- National Recruiting Writer - 247Sports