Options still emerging for AL defensive tackle

Though Mobile (Ala.) Davidson defensive tackle Pat McNeil has yet to receive an official offer from Florida State, that does not mean the Seminoles are not interested. Already with several offers to his credit, McNeil recently took in Florida State's final home game for an unofficial visit in hopes of securing an offer.

The game, Florida State's 29-26 home win over Maryland, was a good experience for McNeil and a good opportunity for him to give the Seminole coaching staff something to think about.

"It was good, it was a real exciting game," McNeil said. "I got to talk to Coach Andrews before the game. They haven't offered but hopefully they will be in the coming weeks. I dropped off my tape. I had a relationship with Coach Andrews and he had wanted to get me up there."

If Florida State were to offer the three-star defensive tackle, McNeil said that it would put it near the top of his list.

"That'd be one of my top schools," he said. "I just grew up watching Florida State. This was the first time I've visited as a recruit. For myself, I went up there one time with my brother (Auburn safety Michael McNeil) while he was being recruited."

McNeil is most interested in Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Florida and Mississippi State though he is still waiting on an offer from all of those programs. He does have offers from the likes of Louisiana tech, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisville and New Mexico, along with a recent offer from Duke.

Of the schools that have offered him, McNeil says that Louisville and Louisiana Tech stand out.

"Louisiana Tech has a real good defensive line coach and I just like Louisville. I've got to take an official visit up there. I have one scheduled for Louisiana Tech in December (Dec. 11-13) and I've got one to Louisville scheduled and I'm supposed to go to a Bowl practice."

McNeil and his teammates closed their season with a tough 10-7 loss to Alabama power Prattville two weeks ago but the athletic defensive tackle still ended a productive year. He estimated 90 tackles, five sacks, 13 tackles for loss and five pass breakups on the year.