4-Star OT Jean Delance Details How He Chose His Top 5 Schools

It's only fitting that a heavyweight recruit like Mesquite, Texas, offensive tackle Jean Delance have five traditional heavyweights in his final list of schools.

Early Wednesday evening, Delance announced via social media that Alabama, Michigan, reigning national champion Ohio State and in-state stalwarts Texas and Texas A&M comprised his top five. The 4-star offensive tackle chose those schools out of 25 reported offers.

The common denominator of the five schools? Delance said choosing wasn't as tough as some may assume.

"All the schools have showed me much love from day one," Delance said. "These are some of the best schools, and I know they will fit me personally and my family. All the coaches are very down to earth. You can have real man-to-man talks with all of them."

Delance continued: "Honestly, it wasn't difficult. You know the coaches who have been with you and the coaches who are serious about having you. You break them down and see how they treat you as a man and a recruit. I just broke things down like that and got my five."

At 6'5", Delance has a 7-foot-plus wingspan and good footwork and technique, which make him a candidate to see early game time in his college career. Add in the fact that he's bulked up to 291 pounds over the summer, and the future is bright for the North Mesquite High School prospect.

Missing from Delance's top five is the school he was once committed to. Delance gave a verbal commitment to Oklahoma on Nov. 25, 2014, but after seeing a video of a racist chant by members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, he decided against going to school at Oklahoma in March.

"I was disgusted. That's not anything I want to be a part of," Delance told Bleacher Report in March. "I know it's just those few select people, and it's not everybody [at Oklahoma]. It's not like cancer where it's going to spread all over."

Since then, school president David Boren removed the fraternity from the campus, and head coach Bob Stoops, his staff and members of the football team held a silent protest. And while Delance kept Oklahoma on his list in May, he has decided to move on.

Whether they're winning national championships or bouncing back from subpar seasons, each of Delance's top five garners respect in the college football world. He's chosen five schools with polarizing yet respected head coaches, all of whom he feels he can learn a lot from on and off the field.

He had a chance to get some personal time in with Michigan's Jim Harbaugh when he and the coaching staff were in the Dallas area for a satellite camp earlier this summer. Delance added that Alabama's Nick Saban and his staff "are recruiting me really hard," and they talk about everything.

Delance said Texas' Charlie Strong has made him a priority, as Strong wants to add quality offensive linemen to the Longhorns' growing 2016 class. Delance said he hasn't had as much contact with Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin as the other coaches, but he likes how Sumlin and the staff have turned things up with their recruiting.

Credit: 247Sports

Arguably, the wild card of the group is Ohio State's Urban Meyer. While the Buckeyes are showing strong interest, Delance said he wants to get to Columbus, Ohio, and visit with Meyer personally.

"They're all phenomenal head coaches," he said. "I think they can help me for the next three or four years. I know I can be that man they need on campus."

Delance added that while his top five is set, two schools are still on the outside looking in. He said LSU and USC are two schools that intrigue him.

For now, he's primarily focused on is his five schools. He said he will take three out-of-state official visits to Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama. The Michigan visit will take place the weekend of Nov. 27, when the Wolverines play Ohio State. Ohio State and Alabama visits have yet to be determined, but he added he wanted to get to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in November, possibly for the home game against LSU.

As for Texas and Texas A&M, Delance said he's looking into unofficial visits before the start of the season. Both schools are in the running for official visits, as well.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles.