Justin Foster Tweets Top 7: Which Schools Hold Edge for 4-Star LB?

Lauded North Carolina linebacker Justin Foster is the latest standout college football recruit to cut down his list of options before summer break.

The 4-star prospect, rated No. 4 nationally among outside linebackers in 247Sports' composite rankings, released a list of seven favorites on Wednesday afternoon:

Foster, who holds more than 20 scholarship offers, decided it was time to focus on a select few universities.

"This recruiting process has been a long journey and I would like to thank all the schools that have given me the opportunity to further my football career," he wrote. "With this said, I would like to release my top schools."

The Crest High School junior announced these programs in alphabetical order, identifying Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Stanford and Tennessee as teams in contention.

Auburn, LSU, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina are among many schools that didn't make the cut.

While several powerhouse programs remain in the mix, all seven options aren't exactly on an even playing field. This pursuit features a pair of perceived front-runners in Clemson and Tennessee.

The Tigers and Volunteers split 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictions right down the line, with both schools claiming 50 percent of experts' commitment predictions for Foster. This matches sentiment throughout the spring that there is at least slight separation between these two teams and his alternative collegiate options.

Foster's sister enrolled at Clemson, which provides him with added insight about campus atmosphere and classroom environment. He plans to study mechanical engineering, according to Hale McGranahan of The Clemson Insider, and attended an engineering class alongside his sibling.

He was most recently on campus in April for the Tigers' spring game, where he spent time with current Clemson commits Hunter Johnson (Indiana quarterback) and Blake Vinson (Florida offensive tackle).

“They were talking trash about the other schools I’ve been offered by and visited recently, trying to get me to join the commitment list with them,” Foster told McGranahan.

Clemson has hosted him more frequently than other universities, and defensive coordinator Brent Venables is coming off a strong 2016 cycle. He helped head coach Dabo Swinney sign two of America's premier linebacker prospects in Tre Lamar and Shaq Smith. 

"I could play defensive end like [Atlanta Falcons 2015 first-round draft pick] Vic Beasley or maybe take a different route and play middle linebacker," Foster told Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.

Despite strong indications that Clemson is in great shape to eventually land this commitment, Tennessee presents a major threat. Foster actually told Bartow the Volunteers maintain a lead at this stage.

Like Clemson, Tennessee would be tempted to use him in a variety of roles. Given his size—Foster is listed 6'4", 258 pounds—there's certainly room for him to develop into a hand-in-the-dirt edge defender.

Inside linebacker is another potential landing spot in Knoxville, where he's enjoyed multiple visits. The Volunteers extended a scholarship offer in April 2015 and quickly ascended as a top-tier destination for Foster.

His latest visit to Tennessee took place last month and allowed him to further explore academic possibilities with the program.

"I went to the engineering building because the big [thing] with me committing to a school is majoring in engineering and balancing football," Foster told Cory Gunkel of Scout.com. "They set up an engineering tour for me."

The experience put Tennessee in position to line up at least one more return trip before Foster reaches his final decision.

"I'll be back to visit some more before I start narrowing it down more and more," he told Gunkel. "It's a family environment. All the coaches are laid back and cool."

Expect other contenders on his top-seven list to also welcome him to campus this summer, presenting them with a chance to sway momentum away from Clemson and Tennessee. With head coaches such as Nick Saban, Kirby Smart and Brian Kelly still in the mix, this process is far from settled.

Foster anticipates a commitment announcement during the early stages of his senior season, per Bartow. He will attempt to build off a 2015 campaign that featured 67 tackles—12 for loss—and three sacks, according to MaxPreps.

Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow Tyler via Twitter @TDsTake.