'09 TX S Dexter Linton (Kansas Verbal)

[GoRU]

'09 TX S Dexter Linton



Safety
Arlington (TX) Bowie

Ht: 6-foot-0
Wt: 185 lbs
Forty: 4.42 secs
Bench max: 230 pounds
Squat max: 325 pounds
Vertical: 29 inches
Class: 2009 (High School)

Rivals (free)

6/20

Dexter Linton had already made a visit to Kansas. But he wanted to see it again before he made any decisions. After his second trip he knew he didn't take any more visits.

"I came up once for Junior Day," Linton said. "I had a great time on my first visit and this time I got to see the new football facilities when they are almost done. I thought their old one was pretty nice but this one is much better and it is for football players. They went all out. There were big screen TV's everywhere. I had a great time talking to the coaches and getting to know them more."

Linton marks a big commitment from the Jayhawks. He was heavily recruited by Big 12 South schools but decided to make the trip further north. A lot of that had to do with the coaching staff at Kansas.

"I really liked coach David Beaty and he never pressured to do anything," Linton said. "He's a real cool guy and was always just checking with me to see how things were going. I also talked with Clint Bowen (Kansas defensive coordinator) and he was telling me how I would fit in their system. I had a chance to call coach (Mark) Mangino and he was glad I committed. He told me how good of a player I can be in the future in their program."

Linton got a lot of attention from Big 12 South schools like Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. He had offers from Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State along with Louisville and Wisconsin. It was a big sign for the Kansas program to lure a player of his caliber outside of the state.

"My first visit was to Texas for Junior Day and then to Texas Tech," Linton said. "But one thing that stayed in my mind was Kansas was the first to offer me. I felt they wanted me early and they showed it when they offered. I just liked the city, the coaches, and all of the facilities they have. Kansas just felt right."

Linton made the trip to Lawrence with his mother, Matthews, and his family. The idea of knowing someone liked Matthews also helped in the decision-making process.

"It's comforting to know a teammate that I have played with for a long time will be there too," Linton said. "We are hoping to be roommates. We've played on the same team for a while so doing it for four or five more years is a good thing."

Now Linton can relax and step back from the recruiting. He made several visits and took a lot of phone calls during the early recruiting period. Now he says his whole family can rest assured that he's decided on Kansas.

"I was just taking as it comes but my mom always talking to me about deciding early," Linton said. "Now I can focus on keeping my grades up and don't have to worry about recruiting. I can go out and just play football."