4-star QB Michael Van Buren announces top three schools

Bowie (Md.) St. Frances Academy four-star quarterback Michael Van Buren has narrowed his list of top schools down to three.

 The No. 181 prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking holds offers from several notable Power Five programs but opted to narrow his list down Maryland, Oregon and Penn State.

“This just means that my list is getting close to the end,” Van Buren told On3. “It’s getting close to that time to make that decision.”

Either staying close to home, heading a bit north or all the way across the country to the west coast, Van Buren noted that these three programs in particular have stood out to him on multiple fronts.

He also sees each as the best option for helping him develop into a player past college because of the relationships he has with each of the coaching staffs.

“I have great relationships with each of those coaches and their coaching staff,” Van Buren said. “These schools I feel like are the best fit for me and where I can maximize my opportunity and succeed.”

With the three locked in now, Van Buren said that he was originally going to announce his decision on July 8. He noted that the date could change though.

“At any time that date could change to another,” Van Buren said. “Whenever I feel is right for me to make that decision and make it public is when I’ll do it.”

Van Buren breaks down his top 3

Maryland: “Maryland’s the home team. There’s no better place to do it in your own city and that’s what Coach (Mike) Locksley likes to preach to me. With them getting the right guy, they can make a run and be a top team soon. I feel at home there because I don’t have to get on a plane to get there or drive far. It’s there in the backyard and that’s their main message. They preach to me to come and be their guy that changes the program.”

Oregon: What stands out about Oregon for me is my relationship with the coaching staff and the great people they have in the building. Everyone there always has high energy, shows a lot of love and really care about each other in the building. With Coach (Dan) Lanning, a big thing with him is family and that’s why he chose to go to Oregon. I also built a relationship with Coach (Will) Stein when he got there and my mother finally got the chance to go up there and meet him in person. She really enjoyed that. Oregon also preaches that they’re one step from winning a national championship. They’ve been there and they feel like they can back and win it with me leading them there.

Penn State: The success that DMV guys have had going there. A lot of Maryland guys are there succeeding and I feel like I can go up there and do the same thing. I have a good relationship with the coaching staff. They make sure they communicate with me often and they tell me that I’ll go there, be developed as much as I can and get me ready to play at the next level. Their biggest pitch to me is how great of a place Happy Valley, how much people support the school and how they’re going to put me into a position to succeed on and off of the field.