“Write your own legacy. It’s God’s plan.”
That was the mantra Chinedu Onyeagoro wrote down and used to make the decision in his recruitment and on Monday, the three-star defensive end was ready to decide.
Florida, SMU, UCLA and Washington were the top four schools for the Los Angeles (Calif.) Drew standout and Onyeagoro made a surprise pick by going with the Mustangs.
For Onyeagoro, everything led him to SMU and there was so much to like within that program he could not turn it down.
“It just felt like home,” Onyeagoro said.
“I felt a connection with the coaching staff, with the people there, with the city. They want me there. All the coaches are looking to develop instead of just bringing in portal talent.
“That’s the best place for me to grow and develop as a player, as a person and in my faith as well. That was definitely something important to me. It’s not too far from home so my family could always come watch me play. It’s good weather so it was great.”
A standout at the Rivals Camp in Los Angeles this offseason, Onyeagoro felt comfortable picking the Mustangs mainly because of his relationship with two assistant coaches among many other factors.
The Los Angeles Drew prospect hit it off with linebackers coach Maurice Crum Jr. and edges coach Sam Dunnam and that was a key factor in Onyeagoro’s choice.
“The main coaches I talked to were coach Dunnam and coach Crum,” Onyeagoro said. “They’re really, really cool people and I appreciate them for believing in me.”