4-star CB Austin Alexander announces top five schools

Hazel Crest (Ill.) Marian Catholic four-star cornerback Austin Alexander has taken his fair share of visits and piled up plenty of his offers during his recruitment. Now he’s ready to begin narrowing things down.

Alexander has narrowed his list of top schools down to Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Indiana and Purdue. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound defensive back — who hopes to announce his commitment in July or August — has locked in official visits to Kansas (June 9), Purdue (June 16), Indiana (June 19) and Illinois (June 23).

“Each school I have, I’ve got a special relationship with the coaches,” Alexander told On3. “Some of the schools I’ve visited already and the atmosphere is great. They made me feel like I’m going to be a big asset for what they have planned.”

While the trips to Indiana and Kansas will be a first for Alexander, he’s visited the other three schools in his top five at least once. He’s visited Purdue twice so far while Illinois and Iowa State have hosted him once each.

Calling his recruitment ‘equal’ at this point and no school having a standout lead, Alexander said he’s looking at these officials as a major factor in helping him make his final decision.

“They’re very important because I get to see the people and where I’m going to be waking up and living for the next four years,” said Alexander, the No. 233 player in the 2024 On300. “There’s more than just football so they’re definitely going to be important”

Alexander discusses his top five schools

Illinois: “Illinois is just a great place to be. You get there and it’s hype. I haven’t gotten the chance to watch them practice but I’ve been told by the players that it’s a place where you want to get up and go. That’s a great thing to me.”

Indiana: “I love how Coach (Tom) Allen tells me, and I’ve seen it, that they let their young guys go out there and compete. No matter who it’s against, they let the young corners go out there and compete.”

Iowa State: “Coach (Hank) Poteat, I built a great relationship with him. Since he left Wisconsin, he still recruited me and I respect that the most. For him to still want me after all of that is great.”

Kansas: “I see the defense and I love the way that they’re recruiting me. That’s all I can really say about Kansas so far.”

Purdue: “The relationship there is great so that’s why I’ve visited twice. They’re one of the bigger schools that’s recruiting me the hardest. I might have talked to Coach (Grant) O’Brien every day at some point of time.”