4-Star Eric Cuffee 'Wide Open' for Now, Will Narrow Down Choices at The Opening

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Deep down, Eric Cuffee has an idea of where he wants to play college football.

Good luck in getting him to spill the beans, though.

"I do," Cuffee said, with a pregnant pause and a slight chuckle following.

When it comes to poker faces in the recruiting world, Cuffee has one of the better ones. There's never a favorite, never a contender, never a team that isn't considered with the 4-star cornerback from Waco, Texas. For some schools, that's a good thing; for others, it can work a nerve as the summer approaches.

For now, the world will have to try to guess the schools Cuffee is interested in. Some questions will be answered the second week of July when Cuffee, a top-25 cornerback nationally, announces his first major top list.

"Right now, I'm still wide open," Cuffee said, "but I'm going to make a top 13 at The Opening."

A 5'11 ½", 188-pound defensive back, Cuffee said he's looking for a place that will challenge him on and off the field. He said he's strongly considering getting a degree in the field of either business or corporate law. He's added that he's thought about being a lawyer after his football days are over.

"I might change my mind later on in the future," he said, "but I like being a leader, and being a lawyer, you can be a really good leader. I like the power of it, too."

One of the schools that Cuffee admitted potentially has a shot is Michigan. Cuffee was in attendance for the Showtyme Elite Football Camp, which included the Michigan coaching staff and head coach Jim Harbaugh. Cuffee said he was impressed with the fact that the majority of the staff made the trip to Texas. He also liked the intensity and enthusiasm that Harbaugh brought to the camp.

"I've talked to him over the phone, but this was the first time I spoke to [Harbaugh] in person," Cuffee said. "He's a great coach. It says a lot about him coaching in the NFL and contending in the Super Bowl."

Credit: 247Sports

Ask Cuffee about his characteristics of a winning program, and he won't give much. He admits that he has a short list of things that his future list of schools will have.

"I'm looking for a family type of environment and a great coaching staff," Cuffee said. "I want stability in a coaching staff, too. That's pretty much it. I know academics are going to be there regardless of where I go."

The prognosticators participating in Cuffee's 247Sports Crystal Ball are leaning toward TCU ultimately winning him over. While TCU has 50 percent of the predictions, Baylor has 42 percent, and Texas has eight. Among the out-of-state schools to watch are Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Stanford and West Virginia, to name a few.

The world will have to wait until Cuffee arrives at The Opening, an event he calls "a tremendous blessing," to gauge his true interest in a school. Expect it to be a race that will have its fair share of fans tuned in.

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