Ryan Spiker, a two-lineman for Tri-Valley High School in Dresden, Ohio, has given a verbal commitment to play football at West Virginia, the Zanesville Times Recorder reported today.
Spiker becomes the 12th commitment (and fourth lineman) for the Mountaineers' 2009 signing class.
The 6-foot-3, 280-pound senior chose WVU over Michigan State, Indiana, Cincinnati, North Carolina State and Wake Forest, among others, the newspaper reported. He had 12 Division I offers.
Spiker is ranked 20th among Ohio's 2009 prospects by Ohio High Magazine and 26th according Scout.com, while Rivals.com ranked the player 31st among guards nationally.
"I went to their spring practice," Spiker told the Zanesville newspaper. "I really like the offensive line coach (David Johnson) and Coach (Bill) Stewart seems like a really good guy. Just going around campus and all of that, it just kind of stuck out to me. I fit in there."
Spiker said he planned to commit to Michigan State last week. But the Spartans' coaching staff hoped he would wait longer to commit after two others offered verbals earlier in the week, the newspaper said.
"They told me they had three spots and two commitments," Spiker said. "They already had two interior guys, so they wanted to wait and see if they could get a tackle. ... I didn't want to wait that long because (scholarship offers) fill up fast."
So, he called WVU.
"I think it's a really good fit," Tri-Valley head coach Justin Buttermore said. "He's a rural kid and West Virginia is going to feel a lot like home. They are a lot of elements about (Morgantown) in Muskingum County."
Best thing is that they'll be treated with respect and not belittled and cussed at like Rod and his staff are infamously known for.