While Florida defender B.J. Butler has a virtual whose who of college football coaches hot on his tail this winter, Colorado State may have the best recruiter of them all - his cousin and CSU cornerback Gerard (Momo) Thomas.

Butler is a 6-foot-2, 240-pound defensive end/linebacker prospect from Kissimmee, (Fla.)'s Osceola High School. According to the Orlando Sentinel, he has played quarterback, running back, tight end, linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle as a four-year high school starter. Last season Osceola went 8-4 before losing in the second round of the playoffs and losing less than 10 starters has expectations high this season.

"We are going all the way - that is our expectation," Butler said. "We want to bring a state championship back home."

On the recruiting front, Butler said he holds offers from Florida, Florida State, Central Florida, South Florida, Michigan Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Alabama, Kentucky and Colorado State.

"Coaches say that I go hard every play," Butler said. "They like the way I attack off the edge and get the quarterback."

Colorado State may be a long-shot in the chase for Butler, but he is hearing plenty about the Rams through Momo, with whom he has played basketball and football with growing up.

"I like Colorado State, but I don't know that much about it," Butler said. "My cousin Momo tells me a lot about it. He said if I do go there, I could start and I am looking forward to visiting their school."

CSU offensive line coach and former Florida State strength and conditioning coach Pat Meyer is the official lead recruiter for Butler from Colorado State. Butler said they speak via email nearly every day.

Butler, who said he wants to major in engineering or business and holds a 2.6 grade-point average, said he grew up Florida Gator fan. While the Gators are still high on his list, he said Saturday that he wants to leave the state of Florida.

"They are my team," Butler said. "They have good players, but there are too many star players on that team for somebody to really stand out. The coaches are good and they are very nice too."

After checking out a South Florida practice this week, Butler will be in Athens this weekend for Georgia's Junior Day, which Butler lists as one of his favorites. he said he likes the fact the Bulldogs are outside of Florida, allowing him to see another part of the country. He also likes the team's winning record and coaching staff.

Alabama is another leader on his list thanks to the presence of Nick Saban, the Tide's winning records and their commitment to strong defenses.

"Georgia and Alabama are my top two right now," Butler said. "Tech and Florida are my top four. I want to ride it out through the football season," he added when asked about a timeframe for his decision.

...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now for a FREE Trial