R100 DE Ferrell names top 11
One of the most hotly recruited players in the country is ready to name some top schools. Richmond (Va.) Benedictine School star defensive end Clelin Ferrell has chosen 11 schools that stand out among the rest.
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"I've narrowed it down to the schools that I talk to a lot and the schools that are moving in the direction that I like," said the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Ferrell. "I feel very comfortable talking to the coaches at these schools.
"I didn't want to have so many schools to consider during my senior year," he said. "I talk to almost all of these coaches at least once a week. I'm pretty close with all of these coaches."
Ferrell's top 11 schools, in alphabetical order, are Clemson, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech.
Clemson: "I love the whole coaching staff at Clemson," Ferrell said. "I really like talking to Coach Venables and those guys. I like the defense they run and what they do with their defensive ends. I've driven by the campus and it's beautiful but I want to go down there for a visit. On Twitter I got a lot of praise from their fans. Their entrance on game days is one of the best in the college football."
LSU: I like coach Brick Haley and coach Miles," he said. "Coach Miles is very involved in recruiting and he wants to get to know you early. Coach Haley is a good guy. LSU is known for putting out good defensive linemen and I like the scheme they have. They are always national title contenders so you can't go wrong with them and their winning tradition."
Miami: "The campus down there is crazy," said Ferrell. "It's like a luxury campus. They're known for having great college and NFL players. It's a place where you can get a good education. I like all the coaches down there. I like a lot of stuff about Miami."
Michigan: "It's the winningest program in college football," he said. "I like their stadium and I love their coaching staff. I like coach Hoke, coach Mattison and coach Manning."
Michigan State: "I love coach Burton," Ferrell said. "He's from Highland Springs and he's a funny guy. They had the number one defense in the country and they won the Rose Bowl last year. They're on the rise."
North Carolina: "UNC was the first school to offer me and give me a chance," he said. "I like coach Gilmore and I really like Chapel Hill. It's a nice campus, a great school and they're known for putting out great defensive linemen."
Ohio State: "I love the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry and all the tradition there and in the Big Ten," said Ferrell. "That's big boy football. They had a great year and I really like coach Meyer and Coach Johnson, the new defensive line coach. The tradition at Ohio State is really big to me."
Ole Miss: "I really like their Land Shark defense," he said. "They play a lot of good, young players and they know how to use them. I really like the coaches, the facilities and all the people down there. I have friends from my high school that go to Ole Miss and they tell me they really like it."
South Carolina: "I really like South Carolina," Ferrell said. "I really like coach Adams and coach Ward. They're some funny guys. I like that South Carolina has a nice campus. It's like a city and it's big. They're known for putting out great defensive linemen too. I really like the people down there and coach Spurrier is one of the best college coaches ever. I like the feeling there too. I've been there twice and it's kind of like a home away from home."
Tennessee: "I love coach Stripling, coach Jones and all those guys," he said. "They're easy guys to talk to and I have a good relationship with them. Tennessee's campus and Rocky Top is one of the best campuses in the country. I like the nutrition program they have there. I really like how kids are starting to go there. They had one of the best recruiting classes last year. Something is getting all those guys to go up there and I just want to go see why."
Virginia Tech: "I love coach Shane (Beamer)," said Ferrell. "I have a lot of friends that go to Virginia Tech and it's a family based program. I like that they are known for their defense."
Three other schools are on the boarder line of Ferrell's top 11.
"I've also been talking to the coaches at Oregon, Alabama and Iowa a lot," he said. "I really like their coaches. Oregon and Alabama haven't offered yet but all three of these schools are on the bubble."
Ferrell is already looking down the line at future plans.
"Over spring break I want to visit Michigan and Michigan State," Ferrell said. "I haven't decided the dates yet. I also want to get to Clemson.
"If I'm not committed by my senior year I'll have three to five schools in mind that I really like," he said. "That way I can figure out which ones I want to take my official visits to and I won't have to worry about these other schools coming in late."
Close to 30 schools have offered Ferrell a scholarship.
Adam Friedman is the Mid-Atlantic Region football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.
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