'It's been really crazy.' Elkhart's Mariyon Dye sees football recruiting take off

ELKHART — You must be doing something right if a college football coach leaves the warmth of south Florida to visit sub-zero northern Indiana in January.

That happened for Elkhart junior Mariyon Dye, who was visited by University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal on Jan. 16. Dye also had Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel visit last week, followed by most of the Purdue coaching staff the day after and Ohio State on Monday.

It’s part of a college recruiting process that has skyrocketed for Dye in recent months, making him one of the more sought-after defensive end prospects in the country.

“It’s been really crazy, but it’s been a blessing for me,” Dye said. “I can’t complain, really. Just really blessed to be in the position I am now to have stuff like this happen for me.”

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As January comes to an end, Dye is the 324th-ranked prospect overall by the 247 Sports national composite rankings. He’s the 24th-best edge pass rushing prospect and fifth-best in Indiana, regardless of position.

Along with offers from Miami and Tennessee, Dye has received offers from other major Power Five schools such as Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC. A total of 26 schools have offered Dye, per 247 Sports, including three in-state schools in Indiana, Purdue and Ball State.

Dye plans on visiting Georgia this weekend, where his cousin NiTareon Tuggle enrolled a month ago following a successful prep career at NorthWood High School.

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Along with Tuggle and Elkhart head coach Travon Curry, Dye has picked the brain of former Elkhart player Rodney McGraw during the recruiting process. McGraw started his collegiate career at Penn State before transferring to Louisville, and then again to Western Michigan this offseason.

“I’ve talked to (McGraw) a lot; he’s given me a lot of advice,” Dye said. “I’ve probably talked to him the most out of everybody with the recruiting.”

While Dye understands the growing popularity of NIL and the transfer portal, those aren’t at the top of his list when looking at schools.

“NIL really doesn’t affect my decision because I’m trying to get to the next level,” Dye said. “I’m going to make a lot of money if I go to the right school that develops me, so NIL doesn’t affect me too much. And also, I want to go to a school where they don’t just automatically go to the transfer portal. I want to go to a school where they really develop their high school kids.”

Dye, listed at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, finished with 41 tackles (four for loss) and two sacks last season for the Lions, who went 3-7 and lost in the sectional opener to Penn. He had been playing basketball at the school but is not this season to focus on the football recruiting process.

Dye hopes to have a college decision made before the start of his senior season in the fall.

“I’m looking for somewhere with great relationships and where I can develop not just as a football player, but as a man,” Dye said.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Elkhart's Mariyon Dye sees football recruiting take off