McGruder committed, eyeing officials

Alief (Texas) Taylor three-star safety Kenneth McGruder committed to Oklahoma State in early June over offers from the likes of Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, and Nebraska.

There were several factors which went into his decision, and he feels good about his choice.

"The decision was great. The coaching staff, the head coach, I love the coaches there," McGruder said. "They're very cool coaches. I have Keenen and Chris up there and they said it was a great atmosphere to be in and stuff like that. Everything is really on me. They say I can definitely come in and have an opportunity to play early. There's no doubt about that."

As he mentioned having a couple of former Alief Taylor standouts already in Stillwater was helpful, but how big of a factor did they play in his decision?

"It's big. It's having someone up there you already know, you've already played your high school years with," McGruder said. "They're not going to tell you stuff just to get you there because you've been playing with them. It's a big factor."

However there was one factor which separated the Cowboys from the rest of his choices.

"It was just the coaching," McGruder said. "They weren't just throwing stuff at me. It felt like it was real. A lot of coaches they do a lot of recruiting so they do anything and say anything to try and recruit you, but coach was just being real with me and straight up."

Since he committed he has added another couple of offers.

"The day after I committed I went to the Tech camp. I just went to it because I was with some homeboys from my school and they offered me right after I left. Then Colorado they had already offered me but I talked to the head coach. He hit me up after I went to another camp and they liked what they saw.

Texas Tech is coming on the hardest of the new programs, and McGruder does plan to take his official visits.

"Right now I have a couple," McGruder said. "I don't really know all of them yet. I'll definitely take Ohio State and definitely either Colorado or Texas Tech."

As for the status of his Oklahoma State commitment, McGruder described it as "pretty solid" right now.