Prized Fresno-area football recruit was choosing between Alabama, Michigan. He went this way
Central High football standout Xavier Worthy came close to flipping to Alabama.
But in the end, a “close relationship” with Michigan coaches kept Worthy from backing out of his verbal commitment to the Wolverines from this summer.
Worthy, rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, signed a National Letter of Intent with Michigan on Wednesday during a ceremony at Granite Park.
“I was building a relationship with them and I started getting more comfortable with them,” Worthy said. “It was just very close. Very close.”
Friends and family watched as Worthy played up the moment, revealing a Wolverines hat amid decorations of Alabama and Michigan balloons.
Worthy called the decision “pretty tough,” having stayed in close contact with the Alabama coaching staff, including head coach Nick Saban.
“I was just trying to make the best decision,” he said.
Worthy, a 6-foot-1 receiver, said he’ll be in Ann Arbor, Mich., in January.
Worthy did not play this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic that’s halted high school sports throughout California.
Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh described Worthy while speaking on a Michigan podcast Wednesday.
“He is explosive,” Harbaugh said. “A lot of yards per catch, nearly 1,000 yards as a junior, also wasn’t able to play this fall out in California, but he’s a very dynamic football player.”
Pac-12 signings
Clovis defensive lineman Keanu Williams committed to Oregon in July.
He made it official Wednesday.
So did Edison linebacker Velltray Jefferson with Utah.
San Jose State-bound, other signings
Among other players signing elsewhere is defensive end Marcel Sanders (Clovis West) with San Jose State.
Sanders said he’s excited to see the Spartans do some good things and crack the Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
“This day is one of the biggest days in my life,” Sanders said. “It’s truly a dream come true. As a kid, you dream of playing D-I football, and getting a chance to add on to a new culture at San Jose State is exciting.
“They’ve been showing the world that the Spartans are here and I’m ready to play a role in that success.”
Other Golden Eagles signing include Nick Herrera with Bethel College and Isaiah Howard with Eastern Washington.
Also, Bullard quarterback Bryce Weiner will continue his football career at Cal Poly.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 8:39 PM.
