Heavy interest for OL O'Neal
2018 prospect Raiqwon O’Neal of Conway (SC) has amassed nearly 20 offers so far, but his recruitment may still just be in the beginning stages.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound offensive tackle gave an update on his latest developments.
“I’m starting to hear from Michigan State, Rutgers, Penn State, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Georgia,” O’Neal said. “But, right now, I would say Louisville, Central Florida, Wake Forest, UNC Charlotte, Illinois, Georgia State, Navy, Mississippi State, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Maryland are recruiting me hardest. It's been a blessing, but I have to stay humble and continue to stay on the right path.”
O’Neal’s offers so far include the likes of Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Mississippi, Navy, Purdue, Wake Forest, and West Virginia, among others.
Within the large group of schools that have either shown interest or offered, O’Neal said there are a few schools that stick out at this point.
“Right now, Louisville, West Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Mississippi State, and Central Florida I would say are my favorites of the schools that have offered me,” O’Neal said.
O’Neal also mentioned Penn State, Rutgers, Oklahoma, and Missouri as schools that haven't offered, but are grabbing his attention.
Leading the charge for the Illini in this recruitment is offensive line coach Luke Butkus, who recently had the opportunity to watch O’Neal practice live.
"Coach Butkus is a great man,” O’Neal said. “When he came down, he said he loved my practice and he was able to tell me a little about his own background. I appreciated what he had to say."
Although O’Neal admits he has plenty to learn about Illinois, he said one thing that sticks out to him about the university is its Graphics Design major.
O’Neal, who boasts a 3.7 GPA, indicated that the education aspect will play a very significant role in his final decision.
“Academics is very important to me,” O’Neal said. “Of course, I want a place that has a good environment and where the coach build a relationship with their players. But academics are large to me because if something happens to me and I can’t play anymore, I need to have other options. I want to make it to the league, but I need to have a strong degree, too, in case I don’t.
O’Neal has yet to plan many visits, but he hopes to start that process in the next week or two. He said Illinois will likely be a destination on his schedule.
In no rush to make a decision, O’Neal stated he does not expect to make a commitment until after his senior season.