by Bill Seals
With four weeks left until the regular signing period, four schools remain in the picture for a three-star defensive back in the state of Georgia. One of those schools in the running is Iowa State, which offered a scholarship last May.
Stone Mountain Stephenson senior Justin Birdsong put his recruitment on hold this last fall and has started to re-assess things with a February signing in mind.
“Things have been going well,” said Birdsong. “I wasn’t really talking to any coaches during the football season, because I was trying to stay focused on the season.
“I recently got back in contact with all the coaches and I started talking to Iowa State again. They explained to me that they wanted to bring me up on an official in January. I’ll be taking an official up there next weekend. They still like me a lot and feel like I can come up there and play.”
At various points in the recruiting process, Birdsong has had Power-5 offers from the likes of ISU, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State and Minnesota. A host of other G5 programs have also offered.
Birdsong’s taking his recruitment to the final weeks of the process may have cost him a few of those offers at the end, but the senior doesn’t regret the move.
“I’ve definitely been taking my time,” he said. “I pray a lot about when making my decision is going to come. I never know whether it’s going to be the day of signing day or tomorrow. I just pray about it and think about what’s the best option for me. That’s why I’m trying to take all of my visits.”
With the December signing period already in the books, four schools are realistically still in the picture for the 5-foot-11, 175-pound defender.
“I will visit Georgia Southern this weekend and Iowa State next weekend,” Birdsong said. “I think Duke is going to end up offering me next week and I’ll probably end up taking a visit there the last weekend in January. I’m still looking at App(alachian) State, so right now it’s probably those four schools.”
As for the Cyclones, it appears head coach Matt Campbell has one scholarship left to offer at the position and Birdsong is one of the leading candidates to take it.
“I think they’ve got one spot left and are trying to get me for it,” Birdsong said. “They don’t know exactly know my position yet because I’m a tweener,” Birdsong said. “They like my versatility and that I can play corner, safety or nickel. They’ll just use me at their disposal; whichever one I can play the earliest.”
Although much of his focus was on his senior season, he did take notice of the breakthrough season had by I-State.
“I definitely think they’re a good school,” he said. “They had a way better season than normal and I think that they can only go up from here. I think they’ll end up competing for the conference championship next season. I definitely want to play where I’m going to win at, so I feel Iowa State is a good move. I’m just trying to take my time with wherever I want to go.”
Birdsong said he can also see himself fitting into the defense in Ames.
“I like how prepared they were out there on the field,” he said. “Sometimes I would see little clips of how Coach (D.K.) McDonald would be, and explaining to the players that they have to get out there and do their jobs. I like his coaching. I like the defense a lot. They can do a lot better with the class that’s coming in.”
With four weeks left until the regular signing period, four schools remain in the picture for a three-star defensive back in the state of Georgia. One of those schools in the running is Iowa State, which offered a scholarship last May.
Stone Mountain Stephenson senior Justin Birdsong put his recruitment on hold this last fall and has started to re-assess things with a February signing in mind.
“Things have been going well,” said Birdsong. “I wasn’t really talking to any coaches during the football season, because I was trying to stay focused on the season.
“I recently got back in contact with all the coaches and I started talking to Iowa State again. They explained to me that they wanted to bring me up on an official in January. I’ll be taking an official up there next weekend. They still like me a lot and feel like I can come up there and play.”
At various points in the recruiting process, Birdsong has had Power-5 offers from the likes of ISU, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State and Minnesota. A host of other G5 programs have also offered.
Birdsong’s taking his recruitment to the final weeks of the process may have cost him a few of those offers at the end, but the senior doesn’t regret the move.
“I’ve definitely been taking my time,” he said. “I pray a lot about when making my decision is going to come. I never know whether it’s going to be the day of signing day or tomorrow. I just pray about it and think about what’s the best option for me. That’s why I’m trying to take all of my visits.”
With the December signing period already in the books, four schools are realistically still in the picture for the 5-foot-11, 175-pound defender.
“I will visit Georgia Southern this weekend and Iowa State next weekend,” Birdsong said. “I think Duke is going to end up offering me next week and I’ll probably end up taking a visit there the last weekend in January. I’m still looking at App(alachian) State, so right now it’s probably those four schools.”
As for the Cyclones, it appears head coach Matt Campbell has one scholarship left to offer at the position and Birdsong is one of the leading candidates to take it.
“I think they’ve got one spot left and are trying to get me for it,” Birdsong said. “They don’t know exactly know my position yet because I’m a tweener,” Birdsong said. “They like my versatility and that I can play corner, safety or nickel. They’ll just use me at their disposal; whichever one I can play the earliest.”
Although much of his focus was on his senior season, he did take notice of the breakthrough season had by I-State.
“I definitely think they’re a good school,” he said. “They had a way better season than normal and I think that they can only go up from here. I think they’ll end up competing for the conference championship next season. I definitely want to play where I’m going to win at, so I feel Iowa State is a good move. I’m just trying to take my time with wherever I want to go.”
Birdsong said he can also see himself fitting into the defense in Ames.
“I like how prepared they were out there on the field,” he said. “Sometimes I would see little clips of how Coach (D.K.) McDonald would be, and explaining to the players that they have to get out there and do their jobs. I like his coaching. I like the defense a lot. They can do a lot better with the class that’s coming in.”
