Nebraska could change Pelons recruitment

Claude Pelon is waiting for Nebraska. That much is clear.

Why that is remains a tad blurry. When asked a general question concerning what's new with his recruitment, the Mesa (Ariz.) Community College defensive tackle's first thought concerns the Huskers. And, as it turns out, the excitement in his voice isn't the product of a player hording offers and cracking a smile each time another arrives. This seems bigger than that.

That's not to say he plans to commit on the spot. Pelon, who already holds 12 BCS-level offers, has plenty to think about as it is. Still, if Bo Pelini's program decides to pull the trigger, it will have a significant impact on the situation. It's a fact he's not trying to hide.

"It's not just another offer," Pelon said. "Nebraska is a school that appeals to me because they always play good defense and they have a great group of coaches right now. It's a great place for me. I'm still waiting for them to make things official with an offer, though. They're close.

Nebraska defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski is handling Pelon's recruitment, and the two have been in increasingly frequent contact as of late. For now, though, the relationship seems to be at a bit of a stalemate as far as an offer is concerned.

So while Pelon waits, he has plenty of other options to explore. He names no favorites in the process but has started drawing up an rough draft of possible visit locals.

"For sure, as of right now, USC might be a visit and Washington will be a visit," he said.

The business of finalizing anything will have to wait. Pelon won't take any visits until the fall and intends to add other schools to his travel itinerary. Once the offers finish trickling in and the season draws near, he'll evaluate and hit the road. The checklist he's using to determine his destinations is banal, but such is the norm. That said, he manages to lay it out with a bit of pizzazz.

"I'm look for somewhere I can go and dominate," Pelon said. "I want a place where I can go in and be the man. I want to become that first-round draft pick, so I'm looking for great coaching,"

All certainty fades when Pelon begins to kick around a timetable for a verbal commitment. The "why" may be certain. The "when" and "where", on the other hand, still need work.

"I might wait until the season or sometime after the season," Pelon said. "It really depends on how everything turns out before that."