Offers increase for Langley after Nike

Since the Nike Camp at Penn State offers are starting to pick up for Germantown (Md.) Seneca Valley defensive tackle Donald Langley. The 6-foot-2, 267-pounder holds seven offers and believes more are coming any day now.

"After the combine, they blew up and I got offers from Temple and Syracuse," he said. "Maryland and Notre Dame have also really picked up recruiting me. Coach Sollazzo at Maryland told me they will offer, he just has to get the ok from coach Friedgen.

"The Notre Dame coach told me that I'm their No. 2 defensive tackle. He has been to my school a lot this month and said that my grades are fine, he just has to talk to coach Weis and then I'll get an offer from them."

Currently Langley holds offers from Akron, Ball State, Temple, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Marshall and Syracuse. He is also getting plenty of looks from other schools.

"Of course Notre Dame and Maryland are recruiting me hard, but Rutgers, Illinois and Alabama have picked up too," he said. "They are all giving me serious looks by text messaging me constantly and visiting my school. I believe Illinois could also be offering in the next week or so."

At this time, the Maryland prospect has four schools that stand out for his services.

"Obviously I'm starting to get broader interest, but I can say I'm favoring in no particular order Ball State, Maryland, Syracuse and Notre Dame," he said. "The reason Ball State is in the mix is that they were my first offer. They were the first school to realize I have talent and I visited there over spring break and they have good academic counselors, players and everything.

"Maryland is up there because coach Sollazzo has been recruiting me and he is the defensive line coach. He personally has been following me for a while coming to my school and watching me at Nike. He also constantly stays in touch text messaging and more. I also like the fact they are close to home. I like Syracuse because they have a strong football program and good academics. They also have a very impressive architecture and computer program there.

"Finally, there isn't much that has to be said about Notre Dame. They have tremendous tradition and coach Weis is there and my recruiter is a very personable guy. I'd say of the schools Notre Dame stands out a little more than the rest."

Previously Langley reported he'd like to decide by the beginning of the season, but that may have changed.

"I think it has changed a little since I realized you can't start taking official visits until September," he said. "It's appealing to me to go and take at least a few visits before I make my final decision. If I wait, I'll probably make my decision before the third game of the season since I plan to graduate in December."

All this increase in recruiting attention wouldn't have occurred for the Maryland prospect without a trip to the recent Nike Camp at Penn State.

"I went last year and was in awe of how it was operated and all the coaches that were on-hand," he said. "This year I went there with a different mindset to come in bigger, faster and dominate the competition. I didn't run a 40-time because my hamstring was sore, but in my one-on-ones I won them all.

"I think the coaches there really saw my work ethic and the fact I have a constant motor. I know I may not be the tallest guy, but I have heart and dedication. One other thing I proved there was that I'm a lot heavier than coaches think. Most of them I've heard felt I was around 250-pounds, but I weighed in at 271-pounds."

Langley plans to show coaches' first-hand his ability more this summer with camps at Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee and Notre Dame. He is also planning to take unofficial visits to Maryland and Syracuse in the next couple months.