Quavaris Crouch, the new No. 1 player in the Rivals100, took visits to Tennessee, Clemson, and North Carolina in January but the Charlotte (N.C.) Harding University star isn’t rushing his recruitment. Crouch shed some light on who some of his top contenders are and what will come next.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

“There are a lot of schools recruiting me really hard right now,” Crouch said. “I kind of like Tennessee and Clemson. I have a really good relationship with the Clemson running backs coach, coach Elliott. At Tennessee, I like coach Pruitt and I feel like they have something going. There a lot of new faces up there from other places.

“I like South Carolina and I have a really good relationship with coach Bentley,” he said. “I always have. They just got a new offensive coordinator and I think he can make something happen. This year will tell a lot about South Carolina and what they can do.

“I talk to Alabama a little bit,” said Crouch. “I’ve been keeping my eyes out for them because that’s running back university. I like Alabama but I need to get back down there.

“I like Michigan too,” he said. “Some schools are telling me I can play on both sides of the ball. I could play defense and have a package at running back so the other way. It’ll be interesting though because as a running back you take a lot of hits and may not last as long.

“I like North Carolina,” Crouch said. “I was up there for my birthday. I have a good relationship with the coaches and they aren’t too far away from home.

“There are a lot of schools I want to go see still,” he said. “Maybe I can get out west and go see Stanford and some of those schools. I might get down to Auburn too. I want to get on as many campuses as possible. I don’t have any visits planned right now but I might go to Georgia this weekend.”

RIVALS’ REACTION…

It is important to read between the lines with Crouch. Clemson, South Carolina, Michigan, and Alabama fans so should feel good about where they stand right now. Tennessee has some momentum and, like South Carolina, needs to perform well this season to solidify their position in Crouch’s recruitment. Look for Crouch to release a short list in June or July.

The big twist that could come down the road has to do with what position Crouch will play in college. The school that does the best job of showing Crouch a plan for him to be successful on either side of the ball will likely end up getting his commitment.