Kansas, Nebraska pursuing Laster
Cleveland Heights (Ohio) athlete De'Niro Laster holds offers from most of the Mid-American Conference and has picked up a couple BCS offers as well this spring. Kansas is one of the new teams showing strong interest.
"It just kind of popped up," Laster said. "I am really excited about them. I am still doing my research on them as a program, but I'm familiar with the team."
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Laster has been in conversations with Jayhawks' assistant coach Rob Ianello. He is looking to make a visit to Lawrence this summer, but has not set a date for that trip.
Kansas is recruiting the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Laster as a linebacker, which is a departure from his early recruitment where most teams saw him on offense at either tight end of wide receiver. Nebraska is another team that is showing interest in the three-star prospect as a linebacker.
"Nebraska, I think they are going to be next to offer me because they are very interested," Laster said. "My coach wants me to talk to them every week.
"The defensive coordinator said they really like me a lot. They are taking three linebackers and already have Courtney Love. I guess the defense we run at Cleveland Heights is similar to what they run at Nebraska, so they want to see the first two games of my senior year."
As a junior, Laster had 40 catches and scored six touchdowns on offense, but he also tallied 65 tackles, six sacks and an interception on defense. He is open to playing either side of the football in college, and is fine with his recruitment progressing more towards the defensive side.
"I can play anywhere," he stated. "You would think it helps you out more to be an athlete, but a lot of teams didn't know at first where to put me or where I would fit in."
Laster is looking to further add to his offer list this summer. He is currently nursing a strained hamstring, but expects to be ready to go by the time camp season opens.
"This summer I think I am going to camp at Ohio State and Michigan," Laster said. "Those will probably be my next trips."