Teams from across the country have been chasing top 100 prospect Derrick Davis but the Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway star needed to take the next step in his recruitment. Seven teams remain in the running for his commitment and a decision may not be too far off in the distance. Davis breaks down his top seven and more here.
IN HIS OWN WORDS...
On how he will pick a school: “One thing will be about how many times I've visited the school," Davis said. "What school really has my major or what I want to major in. The third one I guess will be how much I trust them.”
On his commitment timeline: “Hopefully a commitment could be coming soon," he said. "I've never been the type to really rush the process. I'm kind of going off our state to see if we're going to have a season. Hopefully we do but if we don't I could be enrolling pretty early.”
Clemson: “Clemson has the facilities and it's a great school to go to," said Davis. "Coach Mickey Conn and coach Venables are tremendous and great dudes.”
Georgia: “I respect how coach Warren and coach Smart are really trying to recruit me," he said. "They came here multiple times to check up on me. They see me playing more of a slot corner and rotating to the safety. They see me as being a guy that could play almost anywhere on the defense and possibly play a little on offense."
LSU: “I just love how they recruit me," Davis said. "Coach O is a very cool coach. Coach Busch and the staff really loves me. That's what I like about them. They show a lot of love and support for me. I never visited but I did do a virtual visit. It was nice seeing that locker room with all that stuff was pretty cool.”
Ohio State: “The Buckeyes have always been one of the main schools for me," he said. "They have yet to show why they're not the main school for me. I like what coach Day is doing out there and I like what they're doing with the defensive backs. Coach Coombs is trying to breed top prospects for the NFL. He's really trying to win a championship. Some coaches might not mention winning a championship but he does."
Penn State: “Penn State is close to home and I love what coach Franklin is actually doing with the program," said Davis. "He made a huge turn in the past six years so I like what they're doing.”
Pittsburgh: “Pitt was one of the very first schools to recruit me and they haven't stopped recruiting me at all," he said. "Some schools have faded away but not them. They make sure they put their foot on the pedal.”
USC: “I felt like coach Williams and I share a nice connection with each other and I like what they're doing right now out there," Davis said. "I like what he's doing out there too. I'd like to get out there. I was supposed to get out there actually but then the coronavirus hit. They sent me a few little videos. I learned a little bit from them. I didn't realize it was a hard school to get into.”
RIVALS' REACTION...
The teams battling at the top of Davis' recruitment are Ohio State and Penn State. The Buckeyes have done a great job building relationships with him and his family and showing Davis how successful he could be in their defense. Penn State has done many of the same things and they have very strong relationships going back many years. Pitt and Clemson are in the next tier followed by Georgia, LSU, and USC. Pitt has been all over Davis since day one and Clemson has prioritized him as well but they were stung when Davis was unable to get on campus for a visit earlier this year. Georgia, LSU, and USC have all turned up the pressure on Davis in the last month or so and they are hoping he waits before announcing a commitment.
