Purdue offers Ohio tackle

The Purdue Boilermakers offered a scholarship to Youngstown (OH) Cardinal Mooney offensive tackle Eric Franklin on Friday. The offer is Franklin's fifth from a BCS school.

Rivals.com spoke with the 6-foot-7 prospect shortly after he received the offer.

"They have been sending me stuff in the mail, letting me know how many players have been drafted to the NFL from Purdue," Franklin said. "The coach was here last week, Brian Rock. Yesterday, he sent me an email and said it was nice to meet you and they would give my film to the head coach, and they would possibly offer. Then today, I got on my email and my account and got the word that Purdue is offering me. It said congratulations and keep in touch."

Franklin said he is being recruited as an offensive tackle.

"They all say I have good footwork, I am agile, and move well for a 6'7" offensive tackle," he said. "I feel my feet still need a lot of work, but that is just me. I think I can be a lot better."

Franklin said he plans to hit a few camps this summer. He is not sure which schools at this time. However, he is certain he will take his official visits.

"I am probably going to use two of my official visits for Kansas and Indiana," Franklin said. "I don't know about my other three. I do plan on taking all five of my official visits. All schools are equal right now. Driving wise, those two schools, Kansas and Indiana, take some pressure off my mother, so I would rather just fly to those schools. "

Franklin would like to make his decision following his senior season, which he hopes finally ends in a state championship.

"Really this is the class, people do a lot of talking about this class. It is just like we are here, we have to make our statement during the regular season, make it through the playoffs, and win state. We had the talent every year before this, we just didn't finish. We have the talent this year again, this is our year. We are in it to win it."

Franklin's other offers include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Akron, Bowling Green, and Toledo. He said Cincinnati and Miami (FL) also visited his school last week.