Tyrone Sellers, top defensive end in Nebraska, chooses KU

Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tyrone Sellers

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas was one of the very first Division I programs to extend a scholarship offer to Tyrone Sellers. As it turns out, the early offer has paid off.

Sellers, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound weakside defensive end from McCook (NE) High School has given a verbal commitment to the Jayhawks. Jayhawk Slant just spoke to the three-star prospect about his decision to attend KU.

"I've definitely got some good news to share with a lot of people," said Sellers. "I'm a Jayhawk. I made the decision on Monday after talking to my family and my coach (Jeff Gross). I called Coach Mangino on Monday and let him know I was ready to be a Jayhawk. He was excited about my decision and had nothing but good things to say.

"I'm just relieved that my decision has been made. I'm going to a great team and will have the opportunity to work for a great coaching staff. Kansas is coming off an Orange Bowl victory and the program is headed in the right direction. In the end, Kansas was just the perfect situation for me."

When it came to making a decision about his future, Sellers, the No. 27 ranked weakside defensive end in the class, had plenty of options to consider.

After a junior season in which he was credited with 85 tackles, 18 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks, plenty of Division I programs came calling.

Schools like Nebraska, Stanford, Wake Forest, Wyoming (offer), Colorado State, Iowa (offer), Iowa State, Kansas (offer), Kansas State (offer) and Minnesota all expressed an interest in Sellers.

However, in the end, only one school fit the profile Sellers was looking for. In the end, Kansas was the one and only option.

"Kansas just believed in me from the beginning," said Sellers. "The coaching staff offered me a scholarship and always showed an interest in me. That's one of the great things about what is going on at Kansas. They just believed in me and believed I could come in and help.

"They weren't looking for 6-foot-7 guys coming right out of high school," he added. "The coaching staff just did a great job of recruiting me. Everything about Kansas and the coaching staff is great."

Throughout the course of his recruitment, Sellers was able to form a close bond with coach Brandon Blaney. The relationship between player and coach played a huge role in the decision making process.

"Coach Blaney did a phenomenal job recruiting me," he said. "He is a great guy and somebody I can trust.

"It's always important to have somebody you can trust during the recruiting process and for me, coach Blaney was that guy.

"It's just always nice to know there is somebody you can count on at a school your considering. Coach Blaney was definitely that guy at Kansas."

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