He was absolutely in his element, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound man-child beaming for the camera as a national television audience awaited his decision.
Ballou High senior defensive tackle Marvin Austin, one of the country’s most sought-after football recruits, donned a University of North Carolina hat to cheers from family and friends at ESPN Zone downtown on Wednesday, the opening of the national signing period.
That Austin, the Examiner’s Defensive Player of the Year, chose North Carolina was surprising given the Tar Heels’ recent struggles and his recruitment by more established programs like Southern California and Florida State. It follows another local recruiting shocker when Dunbar High All-Examiner wide receiver Arrelious Benn chose unheralded Illinois over Florida State, USC and Notre Dame last November.
“This is a new beginning for me,” said Austin, who led Ballou to the school’s first DCIAA championship in November.
“I’m all about trying to pick someone up when they’re down. That’s what we did at Ballou and that’s what we’ll do at North Carolina.”
New Tar Heels coach Butch Davis has a proven track record at the University of Miami and plenty of NFL coaching experience, most recently as head coach of the Cleveland Browns. North Carolina is just 36-58 with just two winning seasons and two bowl appearances since 1999.
The charismatic Austin, who said he hopes to become a broadcaster whenever his football career is finished, is a consensus five-star recruit ranked No. 1 at his position by the recruiting services rivals.com and scout.com. He wasn’t the only Ballou player celebrating, either. Senior running back Dwan Thornton signed with Kent State. Senior lineman Lamar Milstead, who originally made a verbal commitment to North Carolina, signed with Virginia.
“When I made this decision I just had to take football out of the equation,” Austin said. “Football is easy for me. I’m naturally gifted enough to be successful. Off the field is what mattered. This is going to be a beautiful thing.”
