Five stand out to Carter

LAKELAND, Fla. - With 12 scholarship offers already in hand, defensive end Zachary Carter has plenty of options for a class-of-2017 prospect. His opportunities span conferences and time zones. Already, though, the Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough High School standout says a few programs lead the way.

It's never too early to establish a loose pecking order, after all.

"I don't really have one favorite right now," Carter said. "I have a few favorites. It's Florida, Miami, USF, Clemson and Kentucky."

If Carter's list of early frontrunners seems to carry a theme of sorts, it's because it does. That is not accident. Carter has not settled on a school or even a conference. He does, however, have the urge to remain in his current region.

"I think I want to stay around here - sort of in the south - for sure," Carter said. I think I do,"

That take, of course, could change. Some major Midwestern programs are sniffing around Carter's recruitment. The 6-foot-4 junior believes Ohio State, and Michigan may be close to making things official with scholarship offers. Duke is in that category as well. And should more offers arrive in the near future, his situation will be re-evaluated.

"It's just talk right now," Carter said. "We'll see with Ohio State."

Carter, who intends to take more visits this summer, had the chance to tour USF this spring and says it's that visit that placed the bulls in his current top five.

"I really liked the coaching staff at USF and what they had to offer me there," he said.

A quick commitment is unlikely for Carter, who intends to wait until his senior season to make a decision on his college future.