Mordecai McDaniel is down to three schools and closing in on a decision, but the Washington (D.C.) St. John’s safety has not settled on a date. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound McDaniel is focused on a pair of SEC schools and one in the Big Ten. “My top three are Florida, Penn State and Tennessee,” McDaniel said. “I plan to decide in August. Probably after Aug. 20.”
And while football is at the forefront of McDaniel’s decision, the ability to compete in track and field is also high on his list. He won the DCSAA 55 meters in 6.54 seconds during the indoor season and he wants to run track in college. Each of the three schools are on board with that happening. “That is one thing that is going to be an (important) aspect for me – the track team,” he said. “I want to do that in college.”
The latest official visit for McDaniel was to Penn State the weekend of June 21-23. “What I’ve been asking them to do is keep it real with me and show me what the school is actually about, and that is what they did,” he said. “From the Penn State visit, I really liked the coaching staff. They showed me how they would use me in their defense. “They would use me like my main position in high school, which is free safety.” Former Upper Marlboro (Md.) Riverdale Baptist cornerback
Tariq Castro-Fields served as McDaniel’s host. “Just being with the players up there for a couple days was a good experience, and they are chill,” he said. “I loved the atmosphere of being there.”
Prior to the official visit to Penn State, McDaniel made official visits to Tennessee (early June) and Florida (mid April). The Gators are taking a low-pressure approach with McDaniel. “Florida talks to me the most about just making the best decision for myself,” he said. “They say if my heart is there, or if my heart is somewhere else, to make that decision.”
Meanwhile, Tennessee is active at St. John’s, which is also home to LSU commit and five-star receiver
Rakim Jarrett, who remains on the Vols’ radar as well. “They say that by the time I get there, it will be a good time to be playing (for Tennessee) and I could get (early) playing time as well,” McDaniel said. “The coaching staff there really wants me and they would use me early.”
