Wisconsin OL Marcus Mbow is headed west, picks Arizona State
Wauwatosa (Wisc.) East’s Marcus Mbow accumulated nearly 20 scholarship offers, including several from programs an easy drive from his Milwaukee-area home, but on Thursday the three-star offensive lineman announced a commitment to an Arizona State program he has yet to visit.
“The reason I chose ASU is because of the relationships I have with the coaches,” Mbow sad. “I feel I can develop the best there and I feel they can easily be my second family.”
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Throughout the visit shutdown period, Arizona State coaches kept in contact with Mbow on the phone, via FaceTime and even by playing video games. That level of connection helped build the comfort necessary to make a commitment even though he was never able to visit the campus.
“I just heard it’s a beautiful campus and a beautiful area to live,” Mbow said.
Basketball had been Mbow’s primary sport before his junior season of football, and his relative inexperience on the offensive line caused him to seek out coaches he could trust with his development.
“I just feel like coach (Kevin) Mawae can develop me into a better football player,” Mbow said. “I haven’t had much experience playing offensive line, and I just felt who can be better than an NFL Hall-of-Famer teaching me how to play football?”
Arizona State has not specified exactly where they project Mbow along their offensive line. He expects it will be at one of the tackle positions, but acknowledged guard is also a possibility.
His college selection is now complete, but Mbow is still looking to make a final decision on his senior year plans. More information from the Wisconsin High School Athletic Association, which is expected to have more details on fall sports following a meeting Thursday, is needed before he decides when to leave for Arizona State.
“I really want to enroll early to better myself and my future, but part of me wants to play basketball," Mbow said. "I love basketball and that’s the reason why I am here right now, why I am athletic with good footwork. We also do have a chance to win the state championship this year with a bunch of great guys."
Mbow is the second prospect from the state of Wisconsin to commit to Arizona State in the 2021 class, joining Mukwonago tight end Garrett Gillette. The addition of Mbow boosts Arizona State into the top five of the Pac-12 team recruiting rankings.