SAN ANTONIO -- Marshon Lattimore and Erick Smith, two ESPN 300 athletes and high school teammates, decided to be college teammates with verbal commitments to Ohio State at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday.
The duo from Glenville High School in Cleveland became the 20th and 21st commitments for a Buckeyes class that includes 11 ESPN 300 pledges. Lattimore is the No. 50 player in the ESPN 300 and the nation's sixth-ranked athlete. Smith is the No. 228 player in the ESPN 300 and the nation's No. 15 safety.
"It just feels like family," said Lattimore, who, along with Smith, will join another Glenville player -- three-star offensive tackle Marcelys Jones -- at Ohio State. "We've got three or four players from Glenville there, plus Marcelys and Erick."
The biggest question entering the weekend didn't involve what school they would choose on Saturday. It depended on if Smith would make any announcement. Smith on Thursday said he was leaning toward not announcing in an effort to take more official visits.
Smith, however, chose to end the process, and now he, Lattimore and Jones will prepare for life in the Big Ten.
"We all knew where we wanted to go," said Smith, the No. 228 player in the ESPN 300 and the nation's No. 15 safety. "We've been saying we wanted to go together. We just weren't going to tell everyone."
Lattimore added: "I've been playing with [Smith] since the seventh grade, and I'll continue to be with him. He's like my brother. It'll be great to have him in the secondary with me."
Morgan adds to Irish's stellar LB class
Notre Dame's already-impressive linebacker class got another big addition, as ESPN 300 Nyles Morgan (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) gave the program his verbal pledge.
Morgan, No. 65 in the ESPN 300, chose Notre Dame over offers from Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. He said he committed to the Irish a few days back but kept the announcement a secret from the public.
"I've known where I wanted to go, I just wasn't telling anyone," Morgan said. "It had everything I needed and wanted."
A 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, Morgan is the nation's No. 4 inside linebacker and the No. 2 player in the state of Illinois, behind ESPN 300 linebacker and LSU commit Clifton Garrett (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South). Morgan became the Irish's 23rd commit of the 2014 class.
Sooners' West Coast recruiting gets RB Mixon
Joe Mixon (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) has always had a lot of respect for Adrian Peterson. Now, he'll get a chance to put up similar -- or better -- numbers than the Minnesota Vikings star running back starting next season.
Mixon verbally committed to Oklahoma and not only became the Sooners' 19th commit but also their top-ranked pledge. Mixon, No. 72 in the ESPN 300, is the nation's ninth-ranked running back and the sixth-ranked player in California.
Mixon chose Oklahoma over offers from Wisconsin and UCLA.
WR Iheanacho headed to Texas A&M
Frank Iheanacho took official visits to LSU, Arkansas and Oregon. He never took an official visit to Texas A&M -- and apparently didn't have to.
The Aggies have been considered favorites, and the ESPN 300 receiver confirmed his loyalty with a verbal commitment.
Iheanacho, a 6-7, 220-pound athlete, became Texas A&M's 22nd commit and second of the week. He joins Speedy Noil (New Orleans/Edna Karr), the nation's top-ranked athlete who committed at the Under Armour All-America Game on Thursday.
Iheanacho, the nation's No. 11 receiver, is the No. 89 player in the ESPN 300.
TE Dixon says 'Fight on'
Staying close to home and playing in the Pac-12 was a priority for ESPN 300 tight end Bryce Dixon (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure). Choosing which Pac-12 school -- USC or UCLA -- was the big question.
Dixon, a 6-4, 220-pound flex tight end, verbally committed to USC over UCLA. Texas and Miami also were in the running.
Dixon's verbal gives the Trojans' 2014 class 15 commits. Dixon is No. 126 in the ESPN 300 and the No. 4 flex tight end.
OL Wallace chooses Razorbacks
Arkansas scored a big win over Alabama in landing ESPN 300 offensive lineman Brian Wallace (St. Louis/Christian Brothers College High), the No. 2 player in Missouri.
A 6-6, 305-pounder, Wallace also had Iowa in the mix. He is ranked No. 145 in the ESPN 300 and ranked the nation's 13th-best offensive tackle.
Wallace is Arkansas' 20th commit. He's also the highest-ranked offensive player in the Razorbacks 2014 recruiting class.
LB Williams selects UCLA, law program
Dwight Williams (Gardena, Calif./Serra) said he wanted a school with a great law program. On Saturday, the ESPN 300 outside linebacker verbally committed to UCLA.
Williams chose UCLA over Oklahoma, Florida, Clemson and LSU. UCLA has a top-20 law program, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Williams, a 6-1, 205-pound linebacker, is ranked 175th in the ESPN 300. He is the No. 10 outside linebacker in the country in the 2014 class.
UCLA now has 15 commitments, with Williams their highest-ranked defensive pledge.
WR Kamara stays close, picks Cavs
ESPN 300 wide receiver Jamil Kamara (Virginia Beach, Va./Bishop Sullivan Catholic) was long thought to stay close to home. Those thoughts came to fruition, as he committed to Virginia.
A 6-2, 211-pound receiver, Kamara chose Virginia over offers from Wisconsin and Pittsburgh. Michigan State also was in the mix at one time.
Kamara is ranked No. 269 in the ESPN 300. He is the No. 9 player in Virginia and the No. 37 receiver.
Kamara is Virginia's 16th commit. He's also the Cavaliers' ninth in-state pledge.