Four-star Kaleb Artis breaks down his top seven & what comes next
Four-star Kaleb Artis is a coveted prospect by many programs around the country but he is ready to narrow his focus. The defensive lineman out of Queens (N.Y.) St. Francis Prep named a top seven that featured Auburn, Florida State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers, and Virginia. Artis had plenty to say about each school and what the next steps in his recruitment will look like.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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IN HIS OWN WORDS...
"I wanted to release me top schools and after sitting down with some of my coaches we decided that these seven schools are the ones that talk to me the most and show me the most love," Artis said. "We think they stick out the most right now and will be the best fit for us."
Auburn- "When I first got the offer from coach Eason he told me I was one of the first guys that he offered at the college level," he said. "He just transitioned from coaching and playing in the NFL. I was appreciative of that. That same night I got the offer I had multiple people on the auburn staff reach out to me and show me love. They've been doing that ever since. Coach Eason and I speak at least every other day. I talk to a few of the other coaches there almost every week."
Florida State- "Coach Fuller originally offered me but before he even offered me we were talking about life before and after football," said Artis. "I love that kind of conversation because it's about the bigger picture. Coach Haggins we talk almost every day and I talk to most of the rest of the staff a lot, from recruiting personnel to coaches."
Indiana- "We've been talking for some time," he said. "Coach Peoples is my dude and he has a great personality. He's a funny dude but he can be serious too. We talk about football here and there. They come at me a lot and show a lot of love. They had a pretty good season last year too."
Notre Dame- "Those show me love and I love that about them," Artis said. "When I got the offer from coach Elston in the beginning, he told me that they weren't going to be one of those schools that blows smoke up my rear end. He is 100-percent honest with me. That's what I love and that's what I need. He knows I'm not one to care about all the glitz and glamour. He just real with me. I hear from him and some other coaches weekly. When coach Freeman got the job, I know he did a pretty phenomenal job at Cincinnati. He contacted me a day after he got hired so that shows the sense of urgency with them. Their academics are amazing too."
Penn State- "I have a pretty good relationship with some of the coaches over there," he said. "Coach Barnes and I were talking months before they even offered me. He was checking up on me and was working hard to get me that offer. He shows me a lot of love. When the offer came in, the whole was showing me love and so was coach Franklin. He hits me up pretty frequently too and I think that's important."
Rutgers- "I want to congratulate them on the season they had," said Artis. "Rutgers is building something big and they're doing their thing up there. The relationship is key and so is academics. I've known coach Vallone since I was a freshman. I met him at the very first camp I went to and he made sure I did well. He's recruiting the heck out of me and so is coach Panagos. I love him too. They're great guys. Coach Panagos has a ton of energy. Coach Schiano and the rest of the staff are great too. They show me a lot of love. Coach Schiano is really known out there and he does a great job at what he does. I love talking to him and he hits me up pretty frequently as well. He's one of those guys I can really talk about life with."
Virginia- "Coach Sintim has been recruiting me pretty hard ever since he gave me the offer," he said. "We spoke about ball and about life and always tries to make sure my family is doing well. He calls me, my mom, my pops and just makes sure everybody is doing all right. I like the way that they play over at Virginia. I met the whole defensive staff they all wanted to get a feel for me. That shows that they really care. When I met them, they all said that they love what kind of person I am, how well spoken I am, and how mature I am. That shows me that they're not just looking at me as a football player, they're looking at me as a wholesome person and a human being. I love that about them."
On what's coming next- "I was going to try to take some self-guided trips and visit these campuses alone if we weren't going to have a season but now it looks like we might be having a season," Artis said. "I want to make sure the atmosphere is right for me and my family. I'll take some visits but none of them are planned right now because we're waiting to hear about our season. We'll make some moves after that."
RIVALS' REACTION...
Artis still has a lot of research to do on each of these schools and visits will play a big role ins decision. Taking self-guided tours could be a serious indicator for how the rest of his recruitment will play out but it’s more likely that he takes his recruitment into the summer. Notre Dame and Rutgers are two teams to keep a close eye on and Auburn and Virginia are up there as well but Artis isn’t playing favorites at this point.