DE Hazelwood flips for Toledo

Tinley Park (Ill.) senior two star ranked defensive end recruit Carlos Hazelwood (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) had been verbally committed to in state Northern Illinois University since late May, but Hazelwood has since decommitted from the NIU Huskies and has pledged to the Toledo Rockets. Hazelwood talks about his change of mind and why he's flipped his college decision here.

"I just really love all of the coaches at Toledo and it just feels like the best place for me," Hazelwood said. "It was tough telling the NIU coaches my decision but I just feel that Toledo is a better overall fit for me and a great opportunity."

Hazelwood also discussed a few of the key factors in his decision to pledge to Toledo.

"Toledo is a winning program in the MAC and it's just a great program as well as a great school. I just felt a connection with the coaches and especially the defensive line coach (Frank Okham) at Toledo. I also had a great visit to Toledo and it just all came together for me. I've been in contact with the coaches at Toledo for about three months now and just the way they have been recruiting me along with just getting to know them was a big factor in my decision. Everyone has nice facilities and nice campuses and schools, but I can see myself going to school and being happy at Toledo and playing for some great coaches and for a great school."

Hazelwood was also recruited by the Toledo Rockets as a defensive linemen who can play anywhere on the line if needed.

"The Toledo coaches like my versatility and they feel I can play anywhere on the line for them. They want to get me into the program and see how I progress physically in the first year then they will have a better idea of a place for me on the defensive line. Most of the schools recruiting me also said pretty much the same thing about me."

Hazelwood also was in contact with several different schools in the month of December.

"I was starting to hear from a lot of schools like Kansas State, Minnesota, Virginia Tech and Illinois along with Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. Central Michigan and Illinois talked about me as a preferred walk on."

Hazelwood is now the 19th known overall verbal commitment in the Toledo Rockets Class of 2024 and the first player for the Rockets hailing from the State of Illinois.

Carlos Hazelwood is verbally committed to the University of Toledo