DE Mattox commits to NIU
County Club Hills (Ill.) Hillcrest junior defensive end recruit Cam Mattox (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) was seeing his recruiting stock take a serious rise this spring. Yet Mattox from very early on in his process was drawn to in-state Northern Illinois University and tonight gave the Huskies and head coach Rod Carey his verbal commitment.
"I've just always connected with NIU," Mattox said. "From the coaches to the players and really everyone I've been in contact with at NIU, I just feel like NIU is home for me and I was ready to make my decision. I'm committed to NIU and I feel great about my decision."
Mattox, who was recruited by NIU as a defensive end by the Huskies looked at his spring offers and his multiple options before making his decision.
"I was looking at some schools like Ball State and I had some bigger schools reaching out and staying in touch with me this spring. I just sat down and really looked at everything. I started a list of pro's and con's and when I was done everything pointed towards NIU. I can play for a school where I feel like I can fit in and play for coaches and teammates that I can relate to and get along with and guys who I know."
So why did Mattox decide to give NIU an early verbal commitment?
"I still feel like I have a lot of work to do and a lot of accomplish this coming season. I didn't want to have recruiting get in the way of my season and take my focus away from my team. I feel very comfortable with NIU and this will allow me to stop playing the recruiting game and focus on bigger things this summer and then next season."
Mottox familiarity with several of the incoming NIU Huskies recruiting class was also a factor in his decision.
"I know a few of the 2019 kids who committed to NIU already and I'm sure I'll get to know the rest of them soon. I also know guys like Justin Hall, Jeff Griffin and Leon (Payne) and I get a long with those guys great. Just knowing guys already and having some friends at NIU will be a big help and was another factor in NIU's favor ."
Was staying closer to home also a factor in Mattox's final choice?
"Distance was never really a factor to be honest. NIU is just a great school and a place where I want to be. If it was closer to home or far away it really didn't matter to me. I know that my family and friends are excited because they can get a chance to see me play in college."
Mattox is now the sixth known verbal commitment in the NIU Class of 2019. Mattox is also the fifth known in state pledge joining Solorio wide receiver Messiah Travis, Raby defensive back Romel Goston, Kenwood junior cornerback Mark Aitken and Buffalo Grove linebacker Tom Trieb.
Cam Mattox is verbally committed to NIU.