Four four-star recruits in the Rivals250 make verbal commitments
It has been a busy day in the world of recruiting as four four-star players in the Rivals.com Rivals250 made their college choices Tuesday.
Clifton Garrett, an inside linebacker from Joliet, Illinois, committed to Les Miles and LSU, choosing the Tigers over Ole Miss and Tennessee. The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Garrett is the nation’s No. 53 overall prospect in the 2014 class and the third-ranked inside linebacker. He finished his senior season with 139 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries and is LSU’s 16th verbal commitment for the Class of 2014.
"I picked them because it's a great football tradition," Garrett said. "The program is always in the running to win national championships, the academics are great for a SEC school and the atmosphere on and off game-day is great."
Elsewhere in the SEC, South Carolina picked up a commitment from defensive end Dante Sawyer. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Sawyer is the 16th commitment in the class of 2014 for the Gamecocks. He is ranked No. 164 nationally and considered the 11th-best weakside defensive end in the nation.
The Suwanee, Georgia native chose South Carolina over several other SEC schools including Missouri, Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama.
In the Big Ten, Penn State picked up its highest-ranked defensive recruit in the Bill O'Brien era with the pledge of Thomas Holley, a 6-foot-4, 299-pound defensive tackle from Brooklyn, New York. Holley, Penn State's 18th verbal commitment, is ranked No. 63 overall in the nation and No. 3 at his position by Rivals. Holley earned more than 30 scholarship offers before narrowing his choices down to Penn State and Florida.
"In the end it came down to Penn State being a better fit, but it came down the wire. It's closer to home so my family can see me play, I've been there so many different times and I just felt comfortable. Florida is a great place, but in the end Penn State was just a better fit for myself and my family. I believe in what Bill O'Brien is doing there," Holley said ($).
Also in the Big Ten, Ohio State picked up its second big commitment from the south in two days as West Palm Beach (Fla.) wide receiver Johnnie Dixon chose the Buckeyes over Alabama and Miami.
Dixon, the nation’s No. 17 wide receiver and No. 107 overall prospect in the country according to Rivals, made his decision just a day after five-star recruit Raekwon McMillan, the top-ranked middle linebacker in the country, committed to play for Urban Meyer. The 6-foot, 175-pound receiver gives Ohio State 19 verbal commitments for the Class of 2014.
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