Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Lakes WR Edwards commits to Boilermakers
Palm Beach Lakes standout receiver DJ Edwards is headed to the Big Ten.
The consensus threestar recruit on Saturday committed to Purdue over 28 other scholarship offers.
“Just the coaching staff and the family feel [made the difference],” Edwards said by direct message late Saturday night. “I felt comfortable. Also I feel like he [new head coach Jeff Brohm] can change the program around.”
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver caught 35 passes for more than 600 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season en route to be named to the Sun Sentinel first-team All-County squad. Edwards helped Lakes to an 8-3 season and a berth in the Class 8A regional quarterfinals.
Edwards was schooled at Lakes by receivers coach Vinny Sutherland, who played at Purdue. His main recruiters to Purdue were Brohm and WRs coach JaMarcus Shephard. Brohm was just hired away from Western Kentucky.
In the end, Edwards said he picked the Boilermakers over Houston and said he will be enrolling early at Purdue.
Edwards is one of 19 known commitments in the Boilermakers’ 2017 class.
Austin draws UF offer
North Broward Prep junior WR Kevin Austin Jr. announced on Twitter late Tuesday that Florida is the latest program to extend a scholarship offer.
The 6-foot-3, four-star is one of the top college prospects in Broward County in the Class of 2018. Austin is now pushing 30 scholarship offers, including from the Gators and Miami. He also holds offers from Notre Dame, Tennessee, Kentucky and Big Ten powers Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin among others.
The Sun Sentinel 2016 first-team All-County (5A-1A) selection led the Gold Coast Conference in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns (21). Austin camped at Miami and Florida Atlantic this past summer.
Around South Florida
Defensive back Marquis Williams and offensive lineman Cameron Stage, both juniors, announced separately on Twitter they are transferring to Cardinal Gibbons for their senior seasons. Williams, a three-star prospect, is leaving Coconut Creek, while Stage moves from Coral Springs High.
In other transfer news, junior Varrick “Oyeh” Davis said he is leaving Dwyer after two seasons as a Panther to transfer to Palm Beach Lakes. The speedy receiver/kick returner currently has offers from Central Michigan and Southern Miss. Also, 6-foot-4 junior QB Cameron Smith — who started the past two seasons at American Heritage-Delray — on Wednesday announced his transfer to American Heritage in Plantation.
St. Thomas Aquinas junior four-star DB Asante Samuel Jr. and Chaminade-Madonna four-star junior WR Xavier Williams announced on Twitter they have committed to play in the 2018 Under Armour All-American Game . ... Boyd Anderson senior DB Raheme Fuller, a Middle Tennessee pledge, said he will visit the Murfreesboro campus Jan. 13 and then take an official visit to FIU on Jan. 20 . ... Former Miramar CB and West Virginia signee Tyrek Cole said by direct message he will attend ASA College in 2017 . ... American Heritage-Delray senior DE Noah Curtis was recently offered by Cincinnati.