Duran picks Cincinnati

Cincinnati picked up a commitment from Marietta (Ga.) Kell tight end David Duran. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder selected the Bearcats in a heated race over offers from Hawaii, Akron, Southern Miss, East Carolina and Central Michigan.

"I actually committed over a week ago to coach Warner," he said. "He was very excited about it and told me a lot of people are going to be fired up. I then talked to coach Dantonio who convinced me that Cincinnati was the place for me."

What made the two-star prospect select Cincinnati?

"One of the things was that I felt like the offensive system they run fit me," he said. "I feel like I can be successful in it. They utilize the tight end a lot and the one playing for them right now has broken all the receiving records. If I get to that point, I like the fact that I'll get the ball.

"I also like coach Dantonio. He convinced me that Cincinnati will be a team that can compete for a Big East championship in the future and I want to be on a winning team. Finally, I like the opportunity to play. They claim I'll be able to compete right away, but haven't guaranteed playing time."

This season Duran has fought through injuries.

"The season has gone well although I've had a couple injuries that have caused me to miss three games," he stated. "I've had a sprained ankle and a torn meniscus. I've been pretty happy with my performance when I'm in. We have started throwing the ball a lot more and I like that I'm getting more catches."