Wynn commits to Pac-10 school

Dylan Wynn loved the coaching staff and the idea of staying at defensive end so after visiting Oregon State in recent days the Concord (Calif.) De La Salle prospect decided it was the place for him.

Wynn, a 6-foot-3, 234-pound recruit, said he told coach Mike Riley and defensive line coach Joe Seumalo that he wanted to commit before leaving campus, then called the other programs recruiting him to tell them thanks but that Oregon State was the right fit.

Playing for Riley was a big reason why Wynn picked the Beavers.

"It is a really, really big thing because he's an amazing coach and he took a lot of personal time with me and even Blake (Renaud) when he visited there," Wynn said.

"He stayed and talked with my family for an hour at least. You can tell he really, really, really cares about his players and I've just heard good things about him. It was a big deal. He's a great coach."

Something else incredibly important to Wynn during his decision-making process was that Oregon State wanted him to stay at defensive end. Oklahoma State was also under serious consideration but the Cowboys wanted him to play hybrid linebacker and Wynn just preferred staying on the defensive line.

"I'll be a speed-rush d-end (at Oregon State) and my job is to just cause havoc in the backfield," Wynn said. "I am a down lineman. That's another reason why I picked that school in general is because it was one of the schools that were offering the defensive end job.

"The other school was Oklahoma State and I love the position at the hybrid linebacker and they'd have me stand up but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be hard enough to transition to the collegiate level and being able to keep up with everybody. Having to change my position and learn everything again and learn how to do my reads again I was thinking that might be a little much."

Rivals.com rates Wynn, a three-star prospect, as the No. 27 strong-side defensive end nationally and No. 37 in the California state rankings.

Oklahoma State was also in contention and Colorado State, Fresno State, Kansas State, Washington State, Ohio, San Diego State and Cal Poly had also offered. Location was not at all a factor in Wynn's decision but staying relatively close to home and playing in the Pac-10 certainly doesn't hurt.

"Staying close to home was more of a big deal for my parents than me," Wynn said. "I didn't really think of that, when it came to distance away from home, I didn't really think of that at all.

"I would have had no problem going anywhere. It wasn't a big deal to me staying close to home or going far away. I just figured I like this school the best so that's why I went there. Distance really had nothing to do with it."