Grant Mayes commits

Cornerback Grant Mayes has made his decision and is set to announce it officially tomorrow. He plans on calling his future coach tomorrow to give him the news.

"It's going to be Syracuse," Mayes said Thursday evening. "I'll talk to everybody tomorrow and make it official. I had been waiting to hear from a couple of other schools, but I know where I want to be now. Virginia Tech called me tonight and told me they thought I looked good but they didn't see the kind of speed they were looking for. I appreciate that honesty.

"There were some other schools that I was looking at but things just didn't work out with them. Wake Forest had talked about offering me but I couldn't make it down to their camp so they didn't. With Maryland, I was about the third or fourth guy on their recruiting board. Boston College was supposed to get back to me but didn't."

The 6-foot-0, 180 pound cornerback from West Orange (N.J.) Seton Hall Prep has received offers from Michigan State, Cincinnati, Illinois and Temple. Why the 'Cuse?

"I talked to the defensive backs coach from Syracuse and they told me they like my height," he said. "A lot of the corners they have now are a little shorter, and since I'm 6-foot they think I can come in and compete for time right away. They told me that's the type of corner they want to start recruiting. With Syracuse I'll be able to stay close to home, too. I'm getting a chance to play corner right away in the Big East, so I'm going to take it."

Mayes recorded 40 tackles, five interceptions and one fumble recovery for Seton Hall Prep as a junior. He will become Syracuse's fifth verbal commitment in the Class of 2008.