Cincinnati stayed consistent from the beginning of JT Austin‘s recruitment, and that approach paid off.
The standout linebacker/EDGE from Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek has committed to the Bearcats following his official visit, choosing Cincinnati over a host of Power Four programs after building strong relationships with the coaching staff and buying into the program’s developmental track record.
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Austin, who holds 30-plus scholarship offers, first connected with Cincinnati in January when the staff visited his school. The Bearcats extended an offer on Feb. 19 and never let up.
“They’ve been very consistent,” Austin told Rivals. “I’m talking to somebody almost every other day, whether it’s personnel or one of the coaches. They built a relationship beyond football and just checked in to see how I was doing. That really stood out to me.”
An April visit for spring practice gave Austin an early glimpse of the program, but his official visit sealed the deal.
“The visit had a great impact on my decision. I was really torn between schools like USF and Notre Dame, but going on the visit and seeing everything definitely was a big factor and ended up being my decision.”
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Player development emerged as the biggest selling point.
“They’ve sent five or six guys to the league recently, and they know what it looks like,” Austin said. “The coaching pedigree is great, and they’ve been putting players in the NFL for years. It’s a great place to develop.”
Cincinnati also presented a clear vision for his future on the field.
The Bearcats plan to deploy Austin primarily as an edge defender, allowing him to attack quarterbacks while occasionally dropping into coverage.
“They see me as an edge,” Austin said. “They want me rushing off the edge and putting me in the best position to go get the quarterback. That’s what I’m good at.”
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Austin pointed to defensive coordinator Nate Woody, head coach Scott Satterfield and position coach Walter Stewart as key figures in his recruitment.
“I like the staff a lot,” he said. “They know the game, know what they’re doing and are going to put me in position to get to the next level. I feel like my development is in great hands with them.”
