4-star defensive lineman Joel Starlings names top 5 schools

Richmond (Va.) Benedictine Prep defensive lineman Joel Starlings is down to five schools, he announced on Wednesday evening.

Starlings is the No. 234 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 32 defensive lineman and the No. 4 prospect in Virginia this cycle.

Among his top five are: North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

TOP5️⃣… CHOSƎN☝🏽…

(who will it be?) pic.twitter.com/cNyddDSqA6

— GЯIM ЯΣΛPΣЯ (@JoelStarlings) April 27, 2022

The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder previously named his 12 top schools in March, and it included the Mountaineers, as well as South Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

Now, though, he will focus on those five. Joel Starlings already has an official visit to West Virginia locked in for June 3-5. And he has one other official visit scheduled — to North Carolina on May 20-22.

Starlings was previously committed to Michigan. He pledged to the Wolverines when defensive line coach Shaun Nua was employed there. But Nua left for USC after last season.