Franklin names three standouts
Darrian Franklin has three standout schools - two close to home and one in the Big 10 - and the four-star linebacker said he's still working through all of them to name one favorite.
"The real big ones are USC, UCLA and Michigan," Franklin said this past weekend at the Rivals Camp Series in Las Vegas. "Those are my favorite schools."
Advertisement
USC and Michigan seem to have a slight edge over the Bruins for the Downey, Calif., four-star linebacker especially after assistant coach Jeff Ulbrich left for the NFL.
"At UCLA, I liked coach Ulbrich, he was really good to me but he's gone now so I have to go down there and check them out," Franklin said.
The Trojans and Wolverines definitely intrigue Franklin, rated as the ninth-best outside linebacker and the No. 120 prospect in the 2016 class by Rivals.com.
"At USC, I just have that home feeling because my guy Jabari Ruffin is there," Franklin said. "I've been with the team and I've hung out with them so I just have that home feeling with USC.
"(Michigan) called me about an hour after (coach Jim Harbaugh) signed and the next week they came down and watched me work out so they're very interested in me."
The Downey standout is expected to visit Michigan with his father for spring practice so there's no question he's highly interested in the Wolverines.
Franklin said he has been talking a lot more with LSU and Oregon and those two powerhouse programs could offer soon.
In his junior season, Franklin finished with 88 tackles and eight sacks.