Linder ponders all the offers

Brandon Linder is an offensive line prospect from Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas High School that has a truck load of scholarship offers. Most of them are from the who's who of the college football world. Sometimes even Linder is surprised by all the attention. Then again, sometimes he is not.

"It does seem a little crazy to me and I never thought it would come to me like this," Linder said. "I mean it's a dream come true. Then again, I worked hard to get where I am and it's a nice feeling knowing the hard work paid off."

According to Linder he has "28 to 29" scholarship offers. It's a very impressive list. So who among the offers are the early favorites?

"Of the offers, the group that I am really looking at are Miami, Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia, FSU, Stanford, and Oklahoma. They have all offered but I am not real sure on Oklahoma because that was just a verbal offer.

"I go to Miami a lot because it's right here. I have been to Florida a bunch. I have also been to Notre Dame twice. I want to get back to Florida, Notre Dame and Ohio State this summer. I also want to make a trip to Florida State and Georgia. I might get to Alabama. Stanford is a school out west I want to see for sure. USC came by the school recently and they are starting to show some interest. So I may want to check them out too."

Is there one team or a few that stand out for Linder? Or is he completely open with the recruiting process?

Every time I go visit a school I comeback wanting to go to that school. I know that I am not just looking at it for the next four years but for the next forty years. This decision is my life. I want to feel it. I would love to take all my visits and see what happens. It looks like I will probably make the decision after the season."

Linder's in a great situation because he can lean on so many players that have walked in his shoes in year's past. Is there one past St. Thomas Aquinas star he seeks for advice?

"Sam is a really good friend and is actually down here now. He's teaching us some stuff and has been such a big help to me with the whole thing. He's not recruiting me to Notre Dame, rather telling me to make the decision for me."

Aquinas is in the middle of spring ball. They have their spring game on Thursday and it's been a good few weeks for one of the top teams in America.

"It's about refreshing the mind and staying focused. We have some new kids learning the system. But at the end of the day we just have to stay focused."

Linder, 6-6 and 286 pounds, is a four-star center prospect and the No. 3 overall rated player at that positon.