DeVonte Wilson shuts down recruiting, picks Kansas

DeVonte Wilson got the phone call he was looking for a couple weeks ago from Chevis Jackson. Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 200 pound cornerback was committed to Ohio, but that all changed when he spoke with Jackson.

“As soon as I got the Kansas offer, I told myself I am shutting it down,” Wilson said. “I don't want any more offers and don’t want to hear from any more coaches.”

Wilson wasn’t bluffing. He stayed true to his thoughts.

A week later he publicly decommitted from Ohio and five days later he gave his verbal commitment to the Jayhawks.

Wilson built a good relationship with Jackson that developed fast. One day they were having a conversation, and Jackson threw out the big question.

“Coach Jackson and me when we were talking and he said he was watching my film and he loved it,” Wilson said. "He asked me, ‘If I give you an offer for Kansas will you take it?’ I told him I definitely would and a day later he gave me the offer.”

Shortly after that he spoke with Kansas coach Les Miles, and again with Jackson, and that put a close to his recruiting.

“I called and committed, and my parents were on the phone with me,” Wilson said. “Coach Miles and Coach Jackson were excited when I told them. You could hear everyone in the background, and I felt like I just got drafted on an NFL team. Everybody was loud, happy and everybody congratulating me.”

Jackson saw on film what Wilson will bring to the Kansas program. He’s got above average size for a corner and possesses good athletic ability.

“Coach Jackson said I’m a tall, lanky corner who can shut down the field by myself,” Wilson said. “He loves my physicality and how I covered the receivers in man-to-man. He likes my aggressiveness and how I can tackle.”

Wilson’s best football days are ahead of him. He didn’t start playing football until his sophomore year, so he has a high ceiling with a lot to learn. When he started to focus on football two years ago, he met Kansas commit Omar Burroughs (goes by O.J.) and they trained together.

He and Burroughs talked about playing on the same team and when the Kansas offer came in, they realized it would happen.

“I didn’t start playing football until my sophomore year and that’s when and I started traveling and training with him (O.J),” Wilson said. “We became close and wanted to play on the same team with each other. He told me when I got the offer let’s make it happen and I would love Kansas and the fans.”

After making the decision to open his recruiting and eventually committing to Kansas, Wilson believes he found his future home.

“It's just a blessing to be able to commit to a school this early,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about my senior year where I’m going to college.”