Gophers, Sun Devils lead for linebacker

Rarely do Minnesota and Arizona State ever go head to head for a football recruit.

That's exactly what's happening in the recruitment of Jazzmar Clax.

What makes the case of Clax even more unique is the fact that he's a New Jersey prospect looking at two schools in two very different parts of the country.

"I'd say they're my favorites," Clax affirmed, referring to Minnesota and Arizona State. "It's tough to say I like one more than the other though.

"It's really hot out in Arizona and it's really cold in Minnesota," he laughed.

The 6-foot, 239-pound linebacker from Freehold (N.J.) Freehold Borough wants to take official visits to those two schools, as well as some others, perhaps.

"I might get out to Stanford and maybe Virginia Tech and Maryland, too," he added.

"A lot of schools are just saying they want to see what my first couple of games look like. They want to see what kind of progress I've made. Michigan State and Stanford are a couple of schools that fall into that category."

For now, though, those schools have some ground to make up. Even if they offer the Gophers and Sun Devils might be at the top of his list.

"I like Arizona State because they run a 4-3 defense and it seems like they're up-and-coming," he said. "They're going to be in the Top 25 this year and they're playing in the Pac 12 so they have a big-time schedule, playing teams like Oregon, Arizona, Stanford and all the teams in that division. Coach Erickson coached Ray Lewis at Miami and he won a national championship.

"I like Minnesota because they play in the Big Ten. That's all you need to say about that program. It's another up-and-coming program and they play against schools like Ohio State and Penn State. It's definitely a big-time program with Coach Kill over there."

Clax, a three-star prospect, is ranked the No. 24 senior in New Jersey.