4-star defensive lineman Keith Sampson Jr. names top five schools

New Bern (N.C.) defensive lineman Keith Sampson Jr. is down to five schools, he announced on Saturday.

Sampson is the No. 198 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. 27 defensive lineman and the No. 5 prospect in North Carolina.

His top schools list has a Southeast flair to it, save for Ohio State. The other four are Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina State.

Top 5 is here. I appreciate all the schools. My recruitment is still open. @GamecockFB @OhioStateFB @Tigers_Clemson1 @PackFootball @UGAAthletics @coachski_ @CoachLindsey @R2X_Rushmen1 @TravionScott @rledits24 pic.twitter.com/DqIPDNzj8A

— Keith Sampson Jr. (KJ) (@ksampson94) January 15, 2022

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder has taken a pair of visits to N.C. State and one apiece to Ohio State and South Carolina. He visited the Buckeyes in June and worked out for defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

Ohio State has had success in the Tar Heel State, landing one player from the state in each of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cycles in Jaden McKenzie, Jacolbe Cowan and Evan Pryor, respectively. The talent-rich state is one the Buckeyes are hoping will continue to be a solid recruiting base for them moving forward, according to Lettermen Row.

He was only recently offered by Clemson a little more than 10 days ago, but the Tigers have made a living recruiting in the Carolinas. Keith Sampson Jr.’s most recent visit was to North Carolina State, where he watched the Wolfpack take on North Carolina. The Tar Heels were considered a contender but ultimately didn’t make his top schools list.