Teammates make their pledge

Gulfport (Fla.) Boca Ciega teammates Denzel Conyers and Elijah McClendon are used to making plays together on the field, but they are now making news off of it. The duo both pledged to their future colleges this week.

"Yesterday I verbally committed to FIU," Conyers said.

While Conyers will remain in the Sunshine State, McClendon is taking his services elsewhere.

"I committed to Middle Tennessee State," McClendon said.

For Conyers, a 6-foot-2, 184-pound safety, the opportunity to remain close to home was a big selling point.

"They were the first school to offer me and when they came to see me in the spring and the conversations that we had, it was real nice," Conyers said. "It seemed like FIU was a family. It is close to home, closest out of all my schools, and I don't want to leave the state of Florida. My sister also lives down in Miami, so that is someone close I know I can go and see."

It also helped that the Golden Panthers have stuck with Conyers throughout the process, even after he suffered a torn ACL that may lead to him missing all of his senior season.

"They have kept in contact with mail and contacting me when they are allowed to," Conyers said. "They are always asking how my knee is doing and how my family is doing. They ask how I am doing mentally, because after I tore my ACL I was down in the dumps but they have been great about staying with me through this difficult time. They have helped me see it through, let me know everything would be alright, and that they were with me the whole time."

Conyers, a three-star prospect, chose the Golden Panthers over offers from Connecticut, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico, and Western Michigan.

As for McClendon, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound safety is taking his talents to Middle Tennessee. The choice was an easy one for him to make.

"I chose Middle Tennessee State because after doing all my research and talking to Coach (Steve) Ellis, the school has my major (sports management)," McClendon said. "It feels like it is the best fit and they play some great football. My mom loves the school."

McClendon, a two-star prospect, chose the Blue Raiders over offers from Bethune-Cookman and Western Michigan.