KU, OSU battle for star CB

El Dorado (Kan.) Butler County C.C. four-star cornerback Maurice Gray has been a wanted man for quite some time. And it looks like the war to get his commitment is going to come down to two Big 12 schools.

Those two schools?

Kansas and Oklahoma State.

Gray, who is ranked as the nation's No. 16 junior college player by Rivals.com, took an official visit to Kansas back on Nov. 16, but recent recruiting attention from Oklahoma State has catapulted the Cowboys up his list.

"I got another offer from Oklahoma State, and I would say Oklahoma State is my No. 1 school now," Gray said. "I just visited with Joe DeForest today, and I really like him. He's a great guy. I like that guy a lot.

"I'm going to go down there for an official visit next weekend after we play in our bowl game. Oklahoma State is a school I've always followed since I was young. I know they have great facilities. And from being around coach DeForest, I know they have a lot of pride in their program and it's like a family setting down there. I think it's going to be a fun visit."

But it's going to tough to top the visit he had to Lawrence a few weeks back.

"It was a great visit," Gray said. "The top thing that I liked was how the seniors showed you the love. They really embraced the younger guys and they were really supportive to the recruits on the visit. I also love the coaches. Clint Bowen has been recruiting me really hard, and I still like KU a lot. But if you had to ask me today, Oklahoma State would be No. 1 on my list."

After visiting with DeForest on Monday, Gray said he is expected to play host to Bowen and Kansas coach Mark Mangino on Tuesday or some time later this week. The Jayhawks had been in the leader's spot for most of the recruiting process and could easily push back up to the top with an impressive visit.

But either way it looks like a decision is going to have to come soon for Gray.

"I have the bowl game this weekend, then the visit to Oklahoma State next weekend, and then I have just one more week before I'm done here," Gray said. "So I don't have a lot of time left."

Gray said he will be joined on the visit to OSU by star running back teammate Beau Johnson. Oklahoma State has also stepped up the recruiting attention for four-star defensive tackle Swanson Miller.

"They want all three of us really bad," Gray said. "That could be a good triple threat."