Devyn Ford isn’t wasting any time. The 2018 recruiting cycle is about to finish up and the Stafford (Va.) North Stafford running back is about to hit a milestone in his recruitment. Ford, currently the top-rated running back in the 2019 class, named a top six of Clemson, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Virginia Tech. He discusses his interest in all six and his future plans below.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

Clemson- “I really do enjoy coach Dabo Swinney and his energy,” Ford said. “I like the way Clemson has done the last two years and they are always getting back to the final four.”

North Carolina- “I have a good relationship with coach DeAndre Smith, coach JP, and coach Fedora,” he said. “Everything has been going well there. I could see myself being there.

Ohio State- “I really enjoy the environment up there,” said Ford. “It’s always fun while I’m there. Coach Urban Meyer and coach Tony Alford are amazing people and I like being around them.”

Oklahoma- “I thought about it and if I really want to make it as a running back, Oklahoma is like ‘running back university’ so I could see myself there,” he said.

Penn State- “They’re a young team and I know they’ll doing something good,” Ford said. “Of course, they got Nana and that helps too. I could see myself playing with Ricky, playing with Nana, and playing behind a great coach like coach Franklin.”

Virginia Tech- “They have always been there since the beginning,” he said. “I like what coach Fuente is doing. They are doing better and I could see myself in that offense. It’s just like our offense so it would be a good fit.”

On what comes next- “I’m going to Virginia Tech this weekend and that’s the only visit I have planned right now,” said Ford. “I’m going to commit sometime in June. There is no order and no leader right now.

“The biggest factor is probably my relationship with the coaches,” he said. “The environment that I’d be in and how would I be able to start in the offense or contribute quickly, at least.

“My best coaching relationship is with coach Burden and coach Fuente,” Ford said. “They’ve been there the longest and we’ve been talking a lot.”

RIVALS’ REACTION...

Ford was careful not to give too much away about where each of these six teams stand but the word is that Virginia Tech and Penn State have the momentum right now. Clemson, Ohio State, and North Carolina have been the major players for Ford since last year but Oklahoma is a bit of a surprise to make this list because Ford hasn’t really brought up the Sooners in recent conversations. Expect Ford to do plenty of research on the team and the coaches as time goes on. At this point, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Penn State look like the three schools with the best chance to land Ford’s commitment followed closely by Clemson, then North Carolina and Oklahoma.