Logan Slaughter
His name alone ought to be worth at least one recruiting star, but it’s what Mendon junior offensive/defensive tackle Logan Slaughter is doing on the football field and in the classroom that’s attracting attention from Division I football programs.
The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder visited Indiana last Saturday for the Hoosiers’ game against Navy, a 41-35 defeat to the Midshipmen, but he enjoyed the fact-finding trip to Bloomington.
“It went very well,” said Slaughter, whose Hornets squad is 2-0 and currently ranked No. 3 in Division 8. “They have a very nice campus. I love their practice fields and especially their weight room. It’s one of the largest in the country. I really like that because I love going into the weight room and getting the best out of myself. I talked to Indiana’s defensive line coach [Jon Fabris].”
College coaches, per NCAA rules, are able to contact high school juniors as of Sept. 1. Slaughter has received letters from Princeton, Pittsburgh and several Mid-American Conference programs, including Buffalo, Akron, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. One from Nebraska really raised an eyebrow.
“That really blindsided me,” Slaughter admitted.
Princeton might be a long shot, but not for academic reasons. Slaughter holds a 3.98 grade point average and takes school very seriously, but he’d prefer to attend college within a reasonable distance of Mendon.
“I plan on staying maybe somewhere near Michigan so I can always stop by home if I want,” he said. “[The MAC schools] are really appealing. I like knowing I can always come back home and see my family and friends.”
Projected by most at the next level as a right guard, Slaughter, who has lined up at right tackle his entire varsity career, said the switch wouldn’t be that taxing.
“I’m not quite tall enough to play offensive tackle at the Division I level, but I also got some looks at defensive tackle and defensive end,” he said. “Right now I’m about 6-4. I know that I would be able to pull around the end [at right guard] and pull up the hole on traps. I’ve got the foot speed for it; I just have to learn it. I think it would be a pretty smooth transition. It’s the offensive line, so all you do is come out and hit somebody anyway, right?”
The next stop on the recruiting trail is likely Akron, with a visit to see the Zips play tentatively scheduled for one of the next two weekends.
“I can’t wait; I’m excited for it and want to see what it’s like down there,” he said.
The Hornets host Edgerton (Ohio) Friday night.