2015 LB has three offers

Indianapolis (Ind.) Park Tudor class of 2015 linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr., utilized the month of June to take part in several college camps, and came out of that period with his first three scholarship offers of the process.

"Actually, in the last 30 days Akron, Toledo and Louisville have offered me scholarships," Kirkland said. "It definitely relaxes me a lot going into my junior year. Last year I was really antsy thinking I needed exposure and needed to do well. Now, I am just focused on helping my team win a championship."

All three of Kirkland's early scholarship offers came after the 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker was able to show his abilities in a camp setting. His camp appearance at Louisville was actually his second time on the Cardinal's campus for recruiting purposes.

"In February I was invited down to their Junior Day," he said. "Then, I went down for their camp and about three days after the camp I called them and they said they were going to offer."

Having been to Louisville a couple times, and having an offer from the Cardinals, Kirkland has a positive, early vibe about the program.

"I had a great feeling about Louisville, especially because they were one of the first schools to recruit me," Kirkland said. "I really love what they are doing with the program coming off a Sugar Bowl win against Florida. I really like Coach [Charlie] Strong and what he is doing with his program."

Kirkland also was able to take part in camps at Ohio State, Cincinnati and Indiana this summer and is generating interest from those schools.

"I had some great feedback from all three of them, especially IU and Ohio State," Kirkland said. "I had an unofficial visit to Ohio State before I camped there and had some meetings with Coach [Kerry] Coombs, Coach [Luke] Fickell and Coach [Mike] Vrabel. I really like what they were saying to me, and it gave me a lot of motivation.

"IU told me they like me and I will be an early scholarship guy for them. They want to check me out this season, along with my teammate Brandon Tiassum, who got offered by them earlier this summer."

With his recruiting process just getting started, Kirkland is in no rush to end it with a commitment and said he could take his recruitment into his senior season. He did come into the process, though, rooting for one school that is recruiting him.

"I have always grown up an Ohio State fan because I have a lot of family from Ohio and my father is originally from Ohio," Kirkland said.

A two-year starter, Kirkland played both running back and linebacker for Park Tudor as a sophomore. He is being recruited as both an inside and outside linebacker at the college level.