An Evans family affair at E. Mich.
Carter Evans says when he went to visit Eastern Michigan, the “entire program felt like a family.”
That was especially true for one of the Eagles in particular.
Evans, a Prairie Ridge senior who committed to Eastern on Monday, will be reunited with his brother Samson, the Sun-Times Player of the Year in 2017. Samson, who quarterbacked the Wolves to back-to-back state titles in 2016 and 2017, transferred to Eastern after spending two seasons at Iowa (one as a redshirt).
But Carter’s interest in the Mid-American Conference school predates his brother’s move.
“Eastern has been recruiting me hard even before Samson committed there,” said Carter, who made an unofficial visit this summer after the COVID-19 lockdown eased.
After meeting some players and seeing the campus, he was sold. “They were one of my top schools before,” Carter said. “[Samson transferring] just made the whole situation even better.”
Carter is the second high-profile player in the Class of 2021 to pick a MAC school while also being sought after by Power Five programs. Ranked 26th in Illinois in the 247Sports.com composite ratings, he had offers from Syracuse and Virginia, as well as five Ivy League members. Brother Rice running back Willie Shaw, who is 23rd among Illinois seniors in the 247Sports composite rankings, is a Toledo recruit.
“I definitely see a lot of good players committing to MAC schools,” Carter said.
The 6-4, 230-pounder is listed as a tight end by the various recruiting websites, but he will move to the other side of the ball in college.
“I committed as a defensive end,” he said. “I came to a decision I wanted to play defense at the next level.”
Before that, Carter will try to reach the state finals for the third time in his high school career. He started as a freshman on the 2017 state championship team. But he had to watch last year’s Class 6A final loss to East St. Louis from the sidelines because of a broken left fibula suffered in a playoff win over Grayslake North.
“I plan on playing in the spring,” he said. “I could speak for my teammates — we’re going to be really excited to get out there again.”
Willowbrook’s Cruz commits
Enrique Cruz’s first football memories weren’t good. The Willowbrook senior’s debut came as a fifth grader, when he was moved up to play against eighth graders. “I got creamed,” he said. “I hated football after that.”
Cruz didn’t try the sport again till his freshman year. “My mom kind of forced me into it,” he said jokingly.
After playing on the lower levels for two seasons, the 6-6, 265-pounder moved to the varsity last fall and had a breakout year. Ranked 13th among the state’s seniors in 247Sports’ composite rankings, Cruz committed to Syracuse on Monday. The Orange were the first to offer Cruz, whose other offers included Indiana, Mississippi State, Arizona and Arizona State.
He visited the campus with his family this summer and loved what he saw.
“It’s all a blessing, it’s amazing,” he said. “Last year, I was just trying to start. Then we made our [recruiting] film, and they made me an offer.”
Cruz is Syracuse’s second local commit in the Class of 2021, joining Glenbard West offensive guard Wes Hoeh.