Indiana is offer No. 4 for Bunting

Hinsdale (Ill.) Central 2014 tight end Ian Bunting was one of eight prospects from the Chicago area that traveled together to Indiana this past Sunday for their junior day. He and teammate Brian Allen both drove home from the event with good news from the Hoosiers.

"Brian Allen and I both got offers there," Bunting said. "At first I was talking with Coach [Seth] Littrell, the tight ends coach. Later the head coach, Coach [Kevin] Wilson pulled Brian and I aside during the basketball game and talked to us. He was saying 'You guys are definitely high on our radar and we are definitely offering you scholarships.' It was a good conversation."

Another highlight from Sunday's junior day event for the 6-foot-7, 215-pound Bunting was being able to catch the Hoosier's basketball game against Michigan State at Assembly Hall.

"It was an awesome experience," Bunting said. "That place is crazy. They had us in the first row, right behind the basket."

Sunday's junior day also gave Bunting the opportunity to get a better feel for Indiana and where they are going as a program.

"The team is on the rise, which is exciting," Bunting said. "They were saying they've got their best recruiting class in the history of their program coming in this year, so that's something to look forward to."

Besides Indiana, Bunting has also been offered by Illinois, Purdue and Vanderbilt. Additionally, coaches Iowa, Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Northwestern were in his school during the last two weeks. Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze was supposed to be in, but his flight was delayed and his visit postponed.

"The Oregon tight end coach, Coach [Tom] Osborne, is coming to school tomorrow," Bunting added. "Coach [Greg] Frey from Indiana is stopping by at the end of the week to follow up with Brian and I."

Bunting has no other junior day visits scheduled in the near future, but does plan to check out more schools this spring and summer.

"I'm having a lot of fun with it and definitely very luck to be in the situation I am in," Bunting said. "I am kind of leaning towards a verbal commitment sometime this summer, maybe the end of summer, but I'm not 100 percent sure of that."