Samuel talks frontrunners, allure of Ohio State
Just a junior, Asante Samuel has already established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the 2018 class.
He’s proven himself on Fridays in the fall and against elite receivers on the national camp circuit. He returned an interception for a touchdown in Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas’ Kickoff Classic game on Thursday evening. That’s all to say Samuel, the son of the Miami Dolphins great by the same name, has a high profile.
He also has a list of favorite colleges.
“Right now, I would say it’s Florida State, Ohio State, Auburn and South Carolina,” Samuel said following Thursday’s game. “That’s how it is right now. It could change, but that’s it.”
The regional schools have been included in his list for some time. Florida State, in particular, is a mainstay at the top of the defensive back’s list. Ohio State, however, is the product of familiarity. Samuel’s former high school teammate Nick Bosa signed with the Buckeyes in February. His current teammate, five-star receiver Trevon Grimes, is likely to sign with Urban Meyer’s program following the season.
Does that play a part in Samuel’s recruitment? You bet.
“It’s nice that I could go up there and know some guys right away,” Samuel said. “It helps them for sure.”
And so Samuel will set on out visits this fall. He doesn’t have dates set in stone at this juncture, but is hoping to finalize details in the near future. Destinations are already being mulled.
“I want to get to to Ohio State this fall for sure for a game,” Samuel said. “That’s for sure. I want to go to Florida or Florida State … probably both. I want to get with Miami, too.”
IN HIS WORDS: “I think I want to wait commit,” Samuel said. “I want to wait, but not too long. I’ll probably do it this time next year.”
RIVALS REACTION: Florida State and Ohio State seem to be the main players from Samuel at this juncture. Auburn, South Carolina and Miami are also thought to have some semblance of chance to land the junior standout. His recruitment will almost certainly evolve over the next year, as west coast schools could become involved. Florida could insert itself with a successful 2016 season.