R.J. Potts to Cincinnati: Bearcats Land 4-Star Safety Prospect

Playmaking defensive back R.J. Potts completed his journey through the recruiting gauntlet Sunday by choosing to play football at Cincinnati.

The safety reported the decision himself on his personal Twitter account:

Potts is a 4-star prospect who registers as the No. 32 overall safety in the 2017 class, according to the Scout rankings. He's also listed as the top incoming safety from Indiana ahead of next season.

Although that's a fair assessment based solely on his safety ability, the Fishers High School star brings a lot more to the table. He's also capable of playing cornerback and may eventually grow into his 6'2" frame, giving the coaching staff the option to play him at outside linebacker as well.

That's not all. Ryan Green of Gridiron Now noted Potts spent some time as an offensive weapon in high school and believes he could make an impact on that side of the ball in college.

"I played offense this year, and a lot of colleges saw that I'm an athlete," Potts said in December. "It doesn't really matter to me where I play, but I'd like to play both sides if I can."

Jordan J. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star showcased a touchdown in which Fishers got Potts the ball in space and let him work some magic:

Ultimately, his combination of range, ball skills and vision makes him an ideal safety, and that's likely where he'll spend most of his time in college. But there's nothing wrong with keeping his options open since he's displayed terrific versatility. It gives him more routes to playing time.

He represents a nice addition late in the recruiting season for the Bearcats. Not only is he the first 4-star recruit in the incoming class, but he's also somebody capable of making a quick impact, and his ability to fill various roles should come in handy over the next four years.

Now the question is how soon Potts may find himself earning meaningful in-game reps at Cincinnati. The team returns a lot of contributors in the secondary from last season, so it probably won't happen immediately, but his talent might be difficult to keep off the field for too long.