Former Rivals100 member back on market

El Dorado (Kan.) Butler County C.C. strongside defensive end Justin Tomerlin was one of the nation’s highest ranked defensive end prospects coming out of high school in San Clemente, Calif., and he signed with Florida State. But because of a transcript problem and a long, drawn out process, he never was able to end up playing for the Seminoles.

He then landed at Butler County, where he’s now become one of the nation’s most highly-sought after junior college defensive linemen.

“I stayed in California for a year and moved to Florida State in 2002,” he said. “I was trying to find a loophole that would let me get in and the NCAA strung me along quite a bit. It seemed like every time they would set a hurdle in front of me, I would leap over it and then they’d put another in my way.

“For quite some time, Florida State was with me and they helped me out for the first six months. But then I guess they viewed me as a lost cause, because I would only talk to them every few months. I was then told that I needed to get my AA degree, and I went and got on the Internet and typed in junior college football. Butler and Coffeyville were the first two that came up. I called Butler County first.”

And the rest is history.

Now Tomerlin, who is a monster 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, is a key player for the Grizzlies defense, which is widely considered one of the best in the junior college game. And now Tomerlin is having to go through the recruiting process one more time.

“I actually talked to Michigan State earlier today,” Tomerlin said. “I’m talking to USC, Washington State, Fresno State, Nebraska, Oklahoma and a few other players have given me calls. I’d like to go back out West to California, but I will wait until the season is over, take all of my visits and see what happens.

“I’m keeping my eyes on everybody and all of my options open.”