Spearman visits Syracuse; decision looms

Chicago Simeon linebacker Reggie Spearman is set to announce his college selection on Tuesday night, Feb. 5. First, however, the three-star linebacker took one final official visit to Syracuse this weekend.

"I went with my teammate Kendall Moore and we loved the place; it was a great visit," Spearman said. "I got to go through the facilities and it was a great vibe, a great feeling."

Moore, a three-star offensive tackle prospect out of Simeon, shared a number of the same offers as Spearman earlier in the process, but spots filled up and he lost many of those opportunities. He committed to Western Michigan last month, but Syracuse came in with an opportunity for both Moore and Spearman and the possibility of continuing their career together in college is a positive for the Orange.

"It would be big playing with one of my best friends," Spearman said. "To go to the same school so we could play ball together again would be amazing. That was a big thing even with Illinois when we both had Illinois, but that didn't work out."

Spearman and Moore are both announcing their decision Tuesday at a 6 p.m. CT press conference at Simeon High School.

The four schools that will have hats on the table for Spearman's decision are Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Syracuse. Spearman has been committed to Illinois since the summer, and is still fond of the Illini.

"They have a lot going for them going into my decision," Spearman said. "I really like being around Coach [Tim] Beckman and I like being around the players who are coming up."

Iowa is a team that has really surged for Spearman in the last couple months. He took an official visit with the Hawkeyes back in November, then returned to Iowa City for a two-day unofficial visit last weekend.

"Iowa is always a great place and every time I get to go out to Iowa I always have fun and always get a good vibe from the coaches," Spearman said. "It is just a family down there and I wouldn't mind joining that family. Malik Rucker, Colin Goebel, John Kenny - the whole gang is just great people and when I talk to them we always have a great connection."

Spearman took his official visit to Minnesota the weekend of Jan. 18. The Gopher's position on his list greatly improved following that trip.

"Minnesota is definitely up there now," Spearman said. "Just getting to meet everybody - they were all great guys. I really like Minnesota."

Spearman now enters the final two days of his recruitment with a decision between four schools, and is still torn on who to pick.

"It is really going to be a hard decision when it comes down to it," he said.