Schultz grabs OU offer, still favors Stanford

It's apparently going to take more than a scholarship offer from a college football blueblood to get Dalton Schultz off of this whole Stanford kick.

Despite being a year away from making a verbal commitment, the highly regarded 2014 tight end has been saying that Stanford is his favorite school for months. Still, you'd think the fact that Oklahoma came calling in the form of an offer on Wednesday night would start to quell the public love affair with the Cardinal.

You'd also be wrong.

"The door is always open and is going to stay open until the end of my senior season, but I don't think the offer changes anything," Schultz said on Thursday. "I'd like to learn about Oklahoma. That could change things eventually, but I really love Northern California and I still really like Stanford."

It's not that he isn't flattered by the Sooners' invitation. It's also not that he won't consider Oklahoma. It's just that the Sooners are going to have to do a little work to overtake Stanford at the top of his list. The pecking order means little at such an early juncture in Schultz's recruitment, sure, but there are reasons the 2014 prospect keeps making eyes at Palo Alto.

"I have family in the area," Schultz said. "In California, you can do everything. You can go skiing or snowboarding an hour away from where you just went to the beach. I just love it out there because it's so versatile. So location is a big thing. Of course Stanford itslef is a big thing too."

The Sooners' current second-place standing could also be the product of a lack of knowledge. Schultz admittedly knew few details about Bob Stoops' program before assistant coach Bruce Kittle offered him a scholarship, but he is curious.

Schultz has no immediate plans for an unofficial visit to Norman. For now, he'll do his research in other ways. If the mood strikes, he'll hit the road.

"I don't know a whole lot about Oklahoma," Schultz said. "I know enough that they are one of the best teams in the nation. That alone is a big interest point, not only for me but for recruits all over the country. I'd like to see and learn more, but visits aren't exactly a necessity at this point.

"If my parents and I feel the need, of course we're going to go out and visit."

For now, though, the South Jordan (Utah) Bingham junior is content to let the process wash over him. The seven scholarship offers he holds are only the start, and Schultz is already bracing for the storm ahead.

"My parents and I were talking and saying that it's already crazy and hectic now and it's even going to be more hectic during my senior season," he said.