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3-Star CB Isaiah Essissima the latest local commit to Houston

Offers from all over the country jump-started Isaiah Essissima’s recruitment this past spring, but when he made his commitment on Friday, it was the hometown team that got the call.

At Hightower’s afternoon pep rally ahead of its game against Fort Bend-Marshall, Essissima announced he’ll be playing his college football for Houston. He became the thirteenth commitment for the Cougars in 2019 but said that he expects to be the only cornerback in the class, and that was a heavy motivator in his decision.

“U of H has some seniors leaving and they told me that they’re only looking to take one cornerback out of the 2019 class and they decided to pick me,” he said. “I feel like it’s a good fit for me. They have some people leaving and I would say that I’m a good cornerback that can hopefully get in there early and get some good playing time.”

Essissima released a Top 6 at the end of July, but said that his decision ultimately came down to Houston and Texas Tech. Though he had a good relationship with the Red Raiders’ staff, his level of comfort at Houston just reinforced the feeling that staying local was the right move for him.

“Through all the schools that I had visited, that was the only one where I really felt relaxed,” he said. “I’m not really a talker and I was talking to everyone when I was out at U of H. I’m not shy, but out there, they had me just being myself and feeling at home.”

Essissima said that outside of a small, select group of teams that he had on a wish list dating back to the very beginning of his recruitment, he doesn’t plan on seriously exploring other options. He did say that even though he’s committed, he has plenty to play for this season, whether or not that means others will continue to show interest in him going forward.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “Knowing that all these schools want me motivates me to work out harder every single day, but it’s good to have a school that welcomes me and I don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

Houston has done another strong job focusing on talent from the areas closest to the school and Essissima likes the group of players that have also committed thus far. He said that he has been speaking most with Rivals250 defensive end Nelson Ceaser about the duo’s future as a one-two-punch in pass defense and their anticipation to hit the ground running.

The Cougars staff has also done a good job staying on top of Essissima. He felt that his relationship with them made him more confident that they’ll help set him up for success on-and-off the football field.

“I like Coach (Paul) Williams,” he said. “I sat down and talked with him, talked about some coverages with him, see what he likes to do. I’ve talked with defensive coordinator [Mark D’Onofrio], the safeties coach [LaMar Morgan], the corners coach, Coach (Major) Applewhite, we all have a good relationship and talk on the daily.

“U of H produces good DB’s that make it to the league and more than getting there, it’s about education and networking,” he said. “I’ll be in the city of Houston and a lot of people around me, even when football is over with, I know I’ll be able to find a good job and have some money in my pocket.”

Essissima joked about how much he had heard from his peers at Hightower that they expected him to commit to Tech, but between the Red Raiders and Cougars there was only one team that made it clear he was a critical part of the future. Not having to look beyond his own backyard to find that made the fit that much better.

“It was more than about how much they wanted me, they let me know that they needed me,” he said. “Staying at home in Houston is good so my parents can come see me … there’s endless opportunities in Houston. Why leave when I want to live here for the rest of my life?”

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