4-Star DE Luiji Vilain Reveals Top Schools, Plans for Summer Commitment

Prized defensive prospect Luiji Vilain already carried a quality collection of collegiate scholarship offers before he transferred to an American high school, but he admits that the recruitment process has exploded since his arrival.

"I've had a chance to prove myself and become a lot better," the Canadian native told Bleacher Report on Sunday while attending The Opening's New Jersey regional. 

Rated No. 8 nationally among weak-side defensive ends and No. 92 overall in 247Sports composite rankings, Vilain holds nearly 30 scholarship offers. When he left Ontario last year, his options were limited to Penn State, Syracuse, Minnesota, Rutgers and South Florida.

While Vilain hasn't entirely ruled out other programs, he's currently focused on a condensed group of schools. He identified North Carolina, USC, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee as schools sitting a stride ahead of other suitors at this stage.

"All those schools have great academics and excellent coaching staffs that stand out to me," Vilain said.

The 6'4", 240-pound junior at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, joined a vast collection of competitors at the New York Jets' facilities Sunday. He believed the camp featured few contemporaries in terms of skill set, and that sentiment extends across the country.

"I think I have the best get-off out of everybody at my position," Vilain said. "I'm a technician, and that helps me a lot with pass-rushing. I can do great things against the run and cover the option, which is really important."

Now sorting through dozens of opportunities in different corners of a foreign nation, he's ready to simplify the process. Vilain plans to use upcoming campus visits and continued dialogue with coaching staffs as a method to trim his list to four or five universities by the end of May.

A final decision won't be much further down the road. He anticipates announcing a commitment before his senior season and possibly as early as June. 

Vilain is in the process of lining up trips, which he expects to occur later this month and potentially extending into the early stages of summer. Georgia, Virginia Tech and Michigan are main priorities when it comes to establishing his travel itinerary.

Vilain has been particularly impressed by the efforts of a new Georgia regime. He's consistently heard from Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and outside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer.

Prior to taking over in Athens, Smart built a highly regarded reputation as defensive coordinator at Alabama. The role he played during multiple national championship runs resonates strongly with Vilain. 

"It carries a lot of weight," he said. "I could have a chance to come in and play early for one of college football's greatest defensive coaches. He told me they don't have a lot of outside linebackers who were signed in the last class, and they had a few who were drafted."

Leonard Floyd was selected at No. 9 overall by the Chicago Bears, while Jordan Jenkins landed with the New York Jets as a third-round pick.

Opinions vary from collegiate coaching staffs when it comes to projecting Vilain's ideal landing spot within a defensive unit. Those implementing a 3-4 front typically slot him into an outside linebacker role that would allow him to attack off the edge, while many programs predominately utilizing a 4-3 scheme would prefer he put his hand in the dirt as an end.

Michigan and USC are a pair of programs that envision him at defensive end.

He relished the chance to spend time with the Trojans up close and personal earlier this year. Vilain traveled to California during spring break for a seven-on-seven event and took advantage of the trip by taking a look at USC.

"It was really cool. I really like the vibe of the coaches there, and I got a great feeling from it," he said.

While he has yet to visit Ann Arbor, Vilain maintains contact with Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive line coach Greg Mattison. He hopes to further build their rapport when he pays a visit to Michigan sometime soon.

This impending stretch of campus tours may ultimately be the final time he sees several of these schools until he potentially returns on the visitors' sidelines. Vilain expressed intentions to use just one official visit this fall—to whichever school he selects before the season.

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.