Football Recruiting: Cole Luke cuts list to four

2013 four-star Chandler, Arizona cornerback Cole Luke is one of the top 200 recruits in the nation and one of the top 20 cornerbacks as well. He is one of the three best prospects in the state of Arizona and has recently cut down his list to four teams in Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, and USC.

Jul 24, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; A Texas Longhorns cheerleader poses for a photo with mascot Hook Em during Big 12 Media Day at the Westin Galleria. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

Cole Luke is an elite four-star recruit from Hamilton High and has also received offers from California, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Boise State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Oregon State, Purdue, UCLA, Utah, Vanderbilt, and Washington in his recruitment. The top Arizona recruit is also easily one of the top 50 recruits out west and has been treated as such. However, the only team in the region in his top four is USC.

The 6’0″, 165 pound First-Team Arizona corner has good athleticism and speed, and he makes up for a lack of strength with his ball skills. Luke is best off in a zone coverage scheme, because he doesn’t have the strength to go with some of the bigger receivers head-to-head. His instincts are off the charts, and he has a great sense of where to be to make a play. With elite ball skills, Cole Luke makes that play more often than not. Looking at his stat sheet, he had three pick-sixes and 12 passes defended to prove it at Hamilton last year.

The only player stopping Cole Luke from being the top DB in Arizona is the incredibly skilled Priest Willis, but Luke is a great DB in his own right. All four teams in his final four would all receive a big boost at the position, and he is more than a simple consolation for Notre Dame after they lost out on the Vernon Hargreaves sweepstakes to Florida. Luke is a top four-star recruit in his own right and is a nephew of former Dallas Cowboys legendary safety Darren Woodson.