Cass Tech star gets Big Ten offer

Detroit Cass Tech is loaded with talent each season, and one player that has gone a little under the radar because of some of his heavily recruited teammates is defensive back Cortez Smith.

However, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is now starting to pick up more and more attention.

"Most recently I've been contacted a lot by Ball State," Smith, who rushed for 1,150 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior but projects on defense, said. "I just took an unofficial up to their campus for their junior day camp. And I just heard that I was offered by Indiana like three or four days ago. The Indiana coach went up to my high school and told my coach they were going to offer me. I'm pretty excited about it. Indiana is a Big Ten school, so I like that."

"But I've been getting a lot of love from Ball State. They've been sending me a lot of love. But Ball State is really the only school I've visited."

Smith, unlike some other players, wants to get away for college. He hopes to put a good distance between himself and Detroit when he plays college football.

"I'm trying to go far away from home, at least 5 hours from home," he said. "I'm trying to get away from Detroit. I really like all the schools down in Florida. I'm just trying to go down South. Right now my top team would have to be Ball State because they're showing the most interest. Then it would be Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Indiana, Florida State and Miami."

"I plan on committing before the football season starts."

Smith said most of his success as a junior came at running back, but most schools like him on defense. He would like to stick to offense in college, though.

"I'm being recruited as a defensive back, either a corner or a strong safety," he said. "It just depends on the school. Ball State said they want me all over the place. They want me as a returner, defensive back, running back and receiver. I want to play running back. My goal is to play running back in college."