Tywone Malone is in a holding pattern right now, but the football and baseball standout from Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic has some schools that he really wants to take a closer look at as the recruiting process rolls on.
Ohio State, Michigan, Rutgers, Penn State and Alabama have been there from early in the process, but baseball is becoming a major focus in his recruitment. Malone is still very firm on taking his visits before announcing a commitment, even though the recruiting dead period seems to cast doubt on how the rest of the recruiting calendar will unfold.
Here's a look at where his top contenders currently stand.
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1. OHIO STATEÂ
Ohio State has been one of the schools that Malone has developed a great relationship with, and learning under defensive line coach Larry Johnson is a very intriguing option. The Buckeyes have an outstanding defensive line class already and adding Malone to the group would be a huge win. Learning more about the baseball team is something that Malone is interested in doing and that could be what ends up determining whether or not Malone is in this class.
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2. TEXAS A&MÂ
Texas A&M's recruiting class is on the rise and it looks like Malone is very interested in the SEC program because of its history of developing defensive linemen, and its baseball program is another plus. He has visited College Station and is looking forward to learning more about the program and building relationships with that coaching staff. The Aggies have already come out to the East Coast to land a few big commitments and Malone could end up being part of that group as well.
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3. OLE MISSÂ
Ole Miss is working on building momentum with its new coaching staff in place, and landing Malone would be a big step in the right direction. The Rebels have a good baseball program and that's something that has caught Malone's eye. The Ole Miss coaching staff also has a lot of connections to the northern New Jersey area, and it will certainly lean on those relationships and connections as the process goes forward.
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4. RUTGERSÂ
Rutgers was involved in Malone's recruitment almost from day one, and the relationships that he has with the coaching staff are extremely strong. He also knows a lot of the players on the roster and is very familiar with Rutgers' style and campus. The Scarlet Knights have some work to do until they're considered the leader in his recruitment, and they will need to continue to impress on the field and on the baseball diamond before a commitment is considered likely.
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5. FLORIDA STATEÂ
Florida State has a chance to rise up this list of contenders later in the recruiting process. A visit to campus is necessary, but the Seminoles have the type of football program and baseball program that Malone wants. Expect Malone to continue to stay in contact with those coaches over the next few weeks and months in an effort to plan a visit to the school.
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6. USCÂ
Much like Florida State, USC has the football and baseball programs that Malone is seeking. Defensive line coach Vic So'oto is familiar with recruiting the East Coast and already has one commitment from there in defensive lineman Colin Mobley. The Trojans' baseball program is something that Malone is interested in learning more about and its history is intriguing to him. Expect the Trojans to work on getting a visit from Malone later in this recruiting process.
