Nasty OL Dylan Fairchild talks top six
It has been a great last couple of months for Dylan Fairchild.
The 6-foot-5, 295 pound offensive lineman out of Cumming (Ga.) West Forsyth finished 48-0 as a state champion in wrestling, he was invited to the All-American Bowl and he has added numerous big-time offers.
He thought about cutting his list down to 10 schools, but instead, with the extra time to think things out and talk with his family, he has gotten it down to six.
"These last couple of months, I have used the time to develop relationships, and that really helped me get it down to Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee.
"Anything could happen, and I guess the list could still change, but I am 99% sure I will commit to one of those six schools. I have strong relationships with coaches on each staff and that really helped me."
Florida State and Mississippi State were the last two schools cut from the list. If it would have been a top eight, the Seminoles and Bulldogs would have made it, but he worked hard to get it to six.
"It was honestly going to be harder to do a top eight or a top 10 than it was for me to get it down to six. I just didn't want to lead schools on, so I know the six I have on my list now are schools I could see myself at."
The last six weeks really helped schools like LSU and Penn State. He has visited the other four schools numerous times, so he has that in-person experience, but he has yet to get that in Baton Rouge or Happy Valley.
"Penn State has been recruiting me for a while and LSU has been on me hard since they offered early in March. I have built good relationships with coaches and I have used the virtual tours, different graphics, and things like that to help me too.
"I have always loved LSU since I was a little kid. Maybe it was their colors, I don't know, but I know I have always liked them. I have not visited, but I know their game-day is electric, and when I got the offer, it was one of those dream offers.
"With Penn State, I have really connected with coach Trautwein. He is so good at explaining things, and telling me what it would be like for me to be there. He has shown me what it would be like to be part of the team, and he has made it feel like family. He is a big part of why Penn State made it."
The other schools on the list have had that face time with Fairchild. They have had the chance to showcase their campus, facilities, academics and he's gotten the in-person feel for Auburn, Athens, Columbia and Athens.
He shares quick thoughts on each of those schools.
AUBURN: "There is just something about coach Bicknell for me. We just clicked as soon as we met and he is so easy to talk to and easy to get along with. I like other things about Auburn too, but coach Bicknell really makes them stand out. We just get each other. I like the overall school and the other coaches at Auburn too."
GEORGIA: "Georgia was one of those dream schools for me. Most of my family are huge Georgia fans, so I grew up watching them and it was huge when I got the offer. They have great coaches, the academic program is strong and it would be great to represent the home-state school."
SOUTH CAROLINA: "They were the first SEC school to offer me. South Carolina believed in me early, and that really means a lot. I came into their camp as a defensive lineman, but coach Wolford moved me to offensive line, worked me out, then offered me — that was awesome. I like him, the coaches at South Carolina and them believing in me first will always stand out to me."
TENNESSEE: "My first visit to Tennessee was for the Georgia State game last season. It wasn't their best game and I didn't really get much time with the coaches. It got better though. I went back, I spent a lot of time with the coaches and I had an amazing visit. I really like coach Pruitt, coach Friend and the whole staff. They really have something special going on there."
In the perfect world, Fairchild would love for things to open back up in June, be able to take some visits, get a little better idea of each school, then focus on a decision.
He knows things may not work out that way, so what is he thinking moving forward?
"I am ready to dig in and go into great detail with each of the six schools," said Fairchild. "I think all six are real possibilities for me. Each school has similarities and I like a lot of the same things about each school, so now I want to go a little deeper.
"I do like in-person visits better, and they show me a lot more, but I do think I could commit before taking another visit. I have kind of changed my mind-set on that, and I am thinking about committing right at the beginning of the season or before it.
"I would love to have that opening to go visit this summer, and maybe that will happen, but I am just going to keep talking to the coaches, continue to learn about the schools and just see what happens.
"The virus has changed a lot of things for all of us, and it could lead me to commit earlier than I expected, but we will see. I would say I could commit late summer at the earlier, and by mid season at the latest as of right now."
