CCL/ESCC recruiting notes: St. Ignatius sophomore Justin Scott recruitment heats up with 12 offers

Justin Scott didn’t expect his recruitment to gain steam as quickly as it did.

The St. Ignatius sophomore didn’t think about the recruiting process when he finished his sophomore season, but Scott now has 12 scholarship offers with the latest offers coming from Michigan and Wisconsin at the end of March.

“It meant a lot, especially coming from Michigan,” Scott said. “They just came from the College Football Playoffs and they’re a big-time program that are always competitive. Same thing with Wisconsin, probably has one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. It meant a lot to get those two offers.”

Wisconsin and Michigan joined offers from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa State, Rutgers, Iowa, Western Michigan, Tennessee, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati and Syracuse.

247Sports Composite has Scott listed as a four-star prospect, the best in the state and 57th in the nation. Rivals also has the 6-foot-3, 310-pound lineman as a four-star prospect, 34th in the nation.

Scott visited Wisconsin and Iowa and enjoyed his visits there. He might take a visit to Michigan if he were to take another one this spring, but he has to decide whether he’ll want to wait and be patient with his process.

“Since it’s so early, I’m putting the process aside and I’m trying to get better because I’m still so raw,” Scott said. “I’m trying to put on some extra strength and more skill to get better. I’m just focusing on my craft.”

The sophomore wants to improve his 40-yard dash time. He clocked in at 5.1 seconds and wants to get it down to 4.9.

All the offers have been nice, but Scott also wants to get better and prove he’s worth the hype.

“It definitely motivates me a lot,” Scott said. “I see all these four stars knowing that I need to prove why I’m a four-star.”

[ Recruiting Kane County recruiting notes: Batavia standout linebacker Jack Sadowsky commits to Iowa State ]

Marist’s Sims could decide soon

Ryan Sims could make his college decision soon.

The Marist wide receiver holds 15 scholarship offers and said he could commit by the end of April or beginning of May. He’s grateful to be in this position.

“It’s a blessing to have so many opportunities,” Sims said. “To be able to go out and have an option to choose and pick what’s best for me and what I feel comfortable with, it’s just a blessing to have.”

Air Force was the latest school to offer Sims at the end of March. It joined Akron, Army, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Northern Iowa, Miami of Ohio, Western Michigan, Princeton, Penn and Columbia.

Rivals ranked Sims as a three-star, the 16th best in the state while 247Sports also gave him a three-star ranking, 38th in Illinois.

Sims recently visited Miami (Ohio), Western Michigan and Toledo and plans to return to Miami on Thursday and Western Michigan before he makes a decision.

The junior said he loved the coaching staff and people at Miami while he liked the way Western Michigan develops its players. He also likes the position coach at Toledo.

While his recruitment has evolved, Sims is still focused on finding a place where he’ll feel as comfortable as possible and succeed the most.

“It has to have an offense where I’ll have the ability to get the ball and play,” Sims said. “It has to have some form of academics in it. At the end of the day, I want to leave college with a degree.”

Sims’ recruitment might be closing soon, but he’s enjoyed the process, especially getting to learn about different people and places. He’s motivated to work harder and prove he deserves the 15 offers.

“It’s been amazing, getting a chance to go around the state to go look at schools that want me is a great feeling,” Sims said. “Getting to talk to some many people with different personalities, it’s a really helpful experience for later in life with whatever I choose to do, I get to talk to so many different people from so many different places. Doing this is getting me ready for that.”

St. Rita’s Kingsbury excited for future

Matt Kingsbury always wanted to play college football and receive offers.

Ever since Toledo offered the St. Rita linebacker prospect a scholarship at the beginning of the calendar year, he’s continued to get closer to his dream, now holding 20.

“It’s always been a dream to get offers,” Kingsbury said. “Me having them now, I’m so thankful and want to be a great leader for our guys because it’s my last year with them.”

Bowling Green, Lafayette, Utah State and Fordham were the latest schools to offer at the end of March. They joined Western Michigan, Toledo, Akron, Miami (Ohio), Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, South Dakota, New Mexico State, Miami of Ohio, Wyoming, Army, Navy, Air Force, Illinois State, Georgetown and Yale.

247Sports lists Kingsbury as a three-star linebacker, ranked 27th in the state. His father Matt played at Purdue and was a captain in 1994.

The junior visited Western Michigan, Purdue, Iowa and Miami (Ohio) and plans on potentially visiting Minnesota and attending camps at Vanderbilt and Kansas State over the summer.

“It’s whatever school fits me the most and what school is going to set me up after football, because of course the main goal is to go to the NFL, but football isn’t forever,” Kingsbury said. “So it’s what school is going to set me up for success.”

Kingsbury won’t make a decision until after his senior season. He doesn’t think his recruiting is done and wants to add some film from the season in hopes of maybe getting more offers.

But after talking with coaches at different schools, he’s excited for what’s to come.

“Right now I’m kind of just focused on next football season,” Kingsbury said. “I’m really excited about my future.”

Montini’s Robinson earns Power Five offer

Josh Robinson’s recruitment has had a domino effect ever since Kent State offered him in the middle of January.

Since his first, the Montini running back has received 13 more offers, most from the Mid-American Conference and one Power-Five offer from Boston College.

“It meant a lot,” Robinson said. “I was super emotional for me and my family. It’s an opportunity to go to college for free and I feel like I got the monkey off my back, all my hard work was starting to pay off.”

Lindenwood, Toledo and Navy were the latest schools to offer at the end of March. They joined Fordham, Army, Miami (Ohio), Boston College, Central Michigan, Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, Illinois State, Western Michigan and Ball State.

247Sports ranks Robinson as a three-star running back.

Robinson visited Kent State, Miami of Ohio, Purdue, Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Tennessee. He’ll visit Kent State again on April 16.

The junior has been in contact with Kent State regularly and he likes the offense that Boston College runs as well as the big linemen the program has. Coaching will be an important factor in his decision as he wants to feel comfortable with where he goes.

“You’re going to be there for the next three or four years of your life, so I want to see how the talent is,” Robinson said. “I don’t want to go where the talent is bad, I want to go where it’s a family atmosphere and where I fit in with the coaches.”

Robinson doesn’t know when he wants to make his decision, but knows that the latest it could happen will be some time during his senior season.

Until then, he’s going to work more to become even better.

“It keeps me motivated,” Robinson said. “There are a lot of kids who would want to be in the position that I’m in. I just take the most of my opportunity here.”