Barton lands two Pac-12 offers

Michael Barton has quickly picked up two Pac-12 offers and both intrigue the Concord (Calif.) De La Salle inside linebacker. Oregon State offered Thursday night and that's big because some former teammates are in Corvallis. Washington has also offered and there is high interest in the Huskies as well.

With Dylan Wynn signing in the 2011 class and Tyler Anderson already on Oregon State's roster, the Beavers stand out because Barton would already be familiar with some players on the team.

"That's a big part of it with Dylan and Tyler up there," Barton said. "Oregon State knows what they're doing recruiting De La Salle guys.

"(The coaching staff) really brought Oregon State to that competitive level. As soon as those guys got up there they started competing and they beat USC, that was huge, and now they have that staff together. Just hearing from what Dylan says and the other guys say it's a lot like De La Salle up there."

Washington had gotten involved earlier and that was the first offer for Barton, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound prospect who said Cal, Nevada and Sacramento State have been showing interest as well.

Getting an offer from the Huskies early on was important because it showed Barton that they trusted him and did not hesitate to offer first. The De La Salle standout said he wants to take visits to both Washington and Oregon State and doesn't want to rush any kind of decision.

"I'm really happy about that one because giving me that first offer that shows they trust me as a player and they want me up there badly because they were the first to offer," Barton said of Washington.

"It's a beautiful place up there. I'm really looking forward to visiting both of these schools."

What happens next in Barton's recruitment is anyone's guess. He said neither Washington nor Oregon State were heavily involved with him before the offers so he's not sure if and when he'll pick up his next one. That's why he's planning to be patient and not rush things, sitting back a little just to see who else gets involved.

"I want to go up there and see how the schools fit me as a person," Barton said. "They're all great schools. I just have to see which one fits me best and gives me what I need for the next four years and then the rest of my life."