Ohio DL down to two

Trotwood (Ohio) Trotwood-Madison two-star defensive end Carson Byrd says he's closing in on making a final decision and his list has been whittled down to two schools.

"I'm narrowed down to Akron and Hampton University," Byrd, who is 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, said. "I'm probably going to be making the decision later in the week."

Byrd reports offers from Akron, Hampton, Buffalo, Toledo, Bowling Green, Ohio, Miami of Ohio, Jackson State, Florida A&M, Southern, Grambling, Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan, but he did say in the end he's just felt the best about his final two schools.

"I chose Akron as one of my finalists because it is close to home," he said. "I like the coaching staff, and they was the first school to offer. My parents went to Hampton, so I always paid attention to them. If I didn't play football, I would go to Hampton, and then the football, that's a bonus. I could probably go there for free, that's how I narrowed it down."

He visited Akron on Dec. 1 and went to Hampton on Jan. 19. Both places have their pluses, he said.

"Akron – it was beautiful facilities," he said. "It was real cool, nice people, and its only 3 hours away. I've been to Hampton a whole bunch of times, but I never went there looking at it for myself. It was real fun, good coaching staff, and it has what I need to get to the next level. They had like five guys going to the combine this year, and they want me to come replace a guy that's getting drafted.

"That's a plus in my book, and the coaching staff sees me as his replacement. That's says a lot about my opportunity and what they think of my talent."