Talented CB Taking His Time Now

Chatham (Va.) Hargrave cornerback Michael Hinton is one of the top defenders on the east coast this year. And while he originally wanted to decide on a school by the end of September, he's going to slow things down thanks to some recent interest.

"Things are going great here at Hargrave," said the 6-foot-2, 190-pound corner who is prepping in Virginia after a stellar high school career in North Carolina. "We're 3-0 and I'm getting a ton of exposure. Virginia Tech has offered since the season started and a bunch of teams are close to offering as well."

Hinton, who has long favored NC State, now wants to take all five of his official visits.

"My visit with NC State is set for January and I want to take visits to Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida and Tennessee. I have offers from everyone except the Vols and Gators, but they said they're close to offering as well."

Hinton's combination of size and speed make him a top target of his five favorites. So who leads?

"I've liked NC State the longest, but I want to stay open," he said. "I'd be crazy if I didn't explore my options."