B/R Recruiting Notebook: 4-Star Athletes Ready to Set Official Visits

There are many athletes in the 2016 class who have taken advantage of using some—if not all—of their five official visits. In the same breath, there are quite a few 2016 athletes who have yet to experience an official visit weekend.

With December in full swing, look for several athletes to begin setting official visits now through January in preparation for a late-January or early-February commitment date. Included are updates on five 4-star athletes—all top-300 players according to 247Sports.com's composite rankings—looking to make the next few weeks count regarding their college futures.

Credit: 247Sports.com

Illinois OT celebrates birthday, plans for the future

Mundelein, Illinois, 4-star offensive tackle Sean Foster, 32 offers strong, has an idea of where he wants to go. Making it public, however, is a different story.

Foster, who celebrated his 18th birthday on Sunday, said he's going to keep his schools of interest private for the time being, but added he's looking to begin the official visit process very soon. Monday is a day he and his family were expected to sit down and discuss his college future.

"I really am keeping my options open right now," said Foster, who decommitted from Minnesota last Tuesday after being committed since April. "I'm planning on starting [visits] either this weekend or next weekend. I'll talk about it more with my family so we all will have more of an idea about it."

Foster, at 6'8" and 285 pounds, said he's looking for a place with great player-coach relationships and a place that will develop him on and off the field. He said distance isn't an issue as long as he is receiving a quality education.

What does Foster want to do after football?

"I either want to become a teacher or have my own business," he said. "It's one of those things where a lot of my mentors are teachers. I look up to many of them, and it's something I'm interested in."

Iowa State offered Foster shortly after his decommitment from Minnesota. Look for the Cyclones to make a play on the big lineman, along with schools like Cal, Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and in-state school Illinois.

SEC official visits coming for Louisiana WR

Patterson, Louisiana, 4-star receiver Mykel Jones is looking to have a busy January. He has official visit dates set for Tennessee (week of Jan. 15) and Ole Miss (week of Jan. 29).

Before those, though, Jones said his first official visit will take place at one of the SEC schools' biggest competitors.

"My first one will be to Alabama," Jones said, "but I'm still trying to get the date set."

Jones, who has 16 reported offers per Rivals.com, said all three schools have recruited him since freshman year and have the talent to be championship-caliber each year. At 6'1" and 180 pounds, Jones also is a receiver who could play both the outside and slot, depending on the scheme of the offense.

Alabama will get the first crack at shutting down Jones' commitment, and it's a visit he's looking forward to.

"I'm looking to just get a feel with the team and the coaches and the campus," he said. "I just want everything to stay consistent with what they've been telling me. I want to know that I'll have a chance to come and play early."

Jones said he's looking to make his commitment announcement on national signing day. In-state school LSU is another program to keep an eye on as he finalizes his plans.

Credit: 247Sports.com

'I'm a San Diego boy': WR to stay on west coast?

Recruiting has been at a standstill for San Diego 4-star receiver Steffon McKnight, but look for things to pick up next month as he prepares for his official visit schedule.

McKnight said he is still finalizing which school he will visit first, but schools like UCLA, Arizona State, Washington, USC and San Diego State are being considered. Being from California, McKnight said he prefers playing college ball on the west coast.

"I just love the atmosphere," McKnight said of the west coast. "People have talked to me about [playing elsewhere], but honestly, I don't think that's me. I'm a San Diego boy and a west coast guy. I love it here."

McKnight is a top-250 composite player nationally, and at 6'1" and 160 pounds, he's a tall receiver who can play either the slot or the outside position.

McKnight said he's excited about the upcoming month, even though he has made it a priority to not let the process bog him down.

"It's recruiting; it is what it is," McKnight said. "I don't take it too seriously. There are so many people trying to come at you with so many things, and some of those people aren't trying to keep it real with you. I don't hate [the process], though."

Credit: 247Sports.com

DE/LB hybrid holding three schools high

Hybrid defenders are always on demand, and a player like Dallas 4-star athlete Marvin Terry can be a huge pickup for one of three schools.

Terry said Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State top his list of 17 offers, and the linebacker/defensive end hybrid will take his first official to Missouri this weekend. While nothing is set in stone, Terry said a decision could be close. The upcoming Missouri visit could make a huge impact on that decision.

"I'm looking to see how much love and true interest they have in me," Terry said of Missouri. "I want it to feel like home, like a place I know I can stay. I'm looking to see if they have the program I'm trying to major in, and I'm trying to see if I can just fit."

Whichever school lands Terry—who wants to major in computer engineering—will get a player who, although ranked as a top-25 weak-side defensive end, may see his future in college as an outside linebacker.

Missouri is competing against a school in Texas Tech that has Terry's former head coach in Emmett Jones, who is now the Red Raiders' director of player personnel, and a school in Oklahoma State that has safeties coach Tim Duffie, who has been recruiting Terry since his sophomore year.

"There's a lot of love with all those schools," Terry said. "I know [the schools] will take care of me. Plus, they all have good [academic] programs."

Sleeper alert: Vermont POY showcases versatility

The state of Vermont doesn't produce a large amount of Power Five talent, but Carson Leary is making his case to be the next to represent The Green Mountain State.

Leary, from Otter Valley Union High School in Brandon, Vermont, is a 6'2", 225-pound athlete who can line up at running back, quarterback, linebacker and rush defensive end. His talents didn't go unnoticed, as he was named the Gatorade Football Player of the Year for the state of Vermont.

According to the Burlington Free Press, Leary, who is unrated and doesn't have a reported FBS offer, rushed for 2,484 yards and 39 touchdowns and also threw for 988 yards and 13 touchdowns for Otter Valley Union, which won the Vermont Division III championship this year. Leary also was a contributor on defense, accounting for 15 sacks.

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.