Juco All-American makes pick

There are ways to make a commitment and then there are ways to make a commitment. For Ervin Baldwin, a three-star Rivals.com junior college top 50 prospect from Reedley (Calif.) College, his pledge came today when he called the lucky school of his choice and let not just one, but several members of the staff know where he was heading.

"I called Kansas State and let them know I was committing," Baldwin, who is 6-foot-3 and 260 pound, said. "I first got on the phone with coach Pat Washington. Then I ended up talking to almost every other coach. I called Ron Prince, and he was really excited. I can't wait to play for those coaches.

"I guess that's how you go about making your commitment official. You tell them all you're coming."

And this is a significant pickup for the Wildcats, who needed help along the defensive line, especially at the end spots. Baldwin picked Kansas State over offers Michigan State, Texas Tech, Utah, Washington State and Marshall. He took a visit to Michigan State in December and then was scheduled to visit Marshall this upcoming weekend, but that visit has now been canceled.

"I think I'm going to have a great opportunity to play right away at K-State," Baldwin said. "I also really like the school and the players are really great. I could tell that I'm going to be able to relate and be around those guys a lot.

"The coaches are great, and they had a big part in my decision, but it's the players that won me over the most. They are used to winning at K-State and they've dedicated themselves to getting back on track with the new coaches. The players were awesome."

Baldwin earned All-America honors this season after racking up 13 sacks. He will have three years to play two seasons in Manhattan.