Curtis Robinson: Top 7 Provides 'Combination of Academic and Football Success'

And then there were seven.

With 22 offers to choose from, 4-star linebacker Curtis Robinson found a commonality in seven. Announced via Twitter Monday evening, Robinson presented his top seven, in alphabetical order, of Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, UCLA, USC and Washington.

The common denominator with the seven: All could provide the total package, Robinson said. He's looking for success on the field, in the classroom and afterward as an alumni.

"It was hard to have to narrow it down from so many great choices," Robinson said, "but these seven are the ones that provide the best combination of academic and football success. That's really what it came down to.

"The schools with the best academics is what I first looked at, and then I went back and chose the ones of those top schools that would give me the best opportunity, football-wise."

In addition to being the nation's No. 10 outside linebacker, Robinson, from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, also is a solid student looking to major in business at the next level. On a 4.0 scale, Robinson has a 4.1 grade-point average with the help of AP courses.

As an athlete, Robinson also feels that he can build himself into an all-conference player quickly. He has built solid relationships with coaches from all seven schools, and he said he's made unofficial visits to Stanford, UCLA, USC and Notre Dame.

Trips to Duke, Washington and Ohio State could happen, Robinson said, but he's waiting to see how things pan out in the spring and summer. If the trips don't pan out, he said he will rely on the testimonials of a Mater Dei teammate.

"It's gonna be hard financially, but I definitely want to try to get out to them soon," he said. "Luckily I have [4-star linebacker] Ben Humphreys to talk to, because he visited both Washington and Duke. He can answer a lot about them for me, but I'd still like to get out to those three."

Whichever school lands Robinson will get a player who is extremely versatile. As someone who measured at Nike's The Opening Los Angeles regional at 6'2.5" and 208 pounds, Robinson can play both linebacker and wide receiver effectively. He's a lot stronger than he may appear to be, and he showed that at The Opening Los Angeles with his 38-foot power ball toss.

Robinson said all seven schools are sitting equal at the moment, but the possibility of trimming his list to five—or even three—could happen soon.

"I really just wanted to narrow it down to seven so I could get a better focus on them," he said. "But there's a chance that I may after the end of next week."

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