Several prospects are still making decisions in the final hours before Signing Day.
Owls land three more
Updated 7:58 p.m. Three more players have committed to FAU, while another says he might take his services elsewhere.
Originally published on
1/31/2012
by
Chuck King
FAU's commitment list is seeing plenty of action in the hours leading up to Signing Day.
The Owls have added at least three more commitments, and one other player thought to be heading to Boca Raton may end up elsewhere.
Miramar defensive lineman Trevon Coley and Tampa Jesuit defensive lineman Isaac Edwards are the latest players to commit to FAU. Ft. Lauderdale-Westminster Academy's Josh Orsino, one of the most prolific wide receivers in the history of Broward County, also plans to sign with FAU on Wednesday. Neither of the three players took an official visit to FAU.
“I think it is going to be a great program of the future,” Coley said. “I'm really excited about going there.”
Coley said he had early interest from Louisville, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt and Florida International, but those schools pulled their offers before he committed.
“I waited too late to commit. It was on me,” said Coley, who estimated that 10 of his 78 tackles as a senior were sacks.
With those schools out of the running, Coley was looking at playing for FCS schools like North Carolina Central or South Dakota State, where he visited last weekend.
On Tuesday night, Coley said he intends to sign his FAU National Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning.
Edwards had been committed to Western Kentucky before sitting down with his family and changing his mind on Tuesday.
“We just felt better about FAU,” he said.
Unlike Coley, Edwards has been on FAU's campus before. He was in attendance for the opening of the Owls' new on-campus football stadium in October - a shutout loss to Western Kentucky.
Six of the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder's 50 tackles as a senior were sacks. He also finished runner up in the Class 2A shot put and third in the discus as a junior.
“He plays from the middle to the sideline - just gets after people,” Jesuit coach James Harrell said.
Orsino only had offers from FCS schools, but one of those schools was Northern Iowa, where new FAU linebacker coach Jovan Dewitt spent last season.
Dewitt remembered liking Orsino and kept in touch in recent weeks, finally sending Westminster Academy coach Greg Estep an offer Monday.
“It was awesome,” Orsini said. “It was my first FBS offer. It's very close to home so I took it.”
Orsino set Broward County records with 85 catches for 1,730 yards during his senior season. As a junior he scored 22 touchdowns, also a Broward County record.
Despite his prowess catching the ball, Orsini said it's possible he could move to the defensive backfield at FAU.
The addition of Coley and Edwards may help temper the potential loss of Miami-Southridge defensive end Roosevelt Donaldson.
On Tuesday the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Donaldson said he is considering signing with Western Michigan.
“I'm 50/50 right now,” Donaldson said.