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Northern Illinois made a resounding splash in the final hours leading up to National Signing Day, when Deion Hallmon announced he is choosing to sign with the Huskies.
I'm officially committed to NIU!! #GoHuskies #HuskieNation @Huskie_Nation @HuskieWire @NIUrecruiting @SFHSSports pic.twitter.com/2TScfPfBPG
— Deion Hallmon (@DeionHallmon) February 5, 2014
Carrying 41 FBS offers—including from schools such as Notre Dame, South Carolina, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Nebraska and National Champion Florida State—Hallmon had narrowed his choices down to NIU, Syracuse, UCF, Rutgers and Washington State, ultimately choosing to go with the pride of DeKalb, Ill.. The opportunity to jump in and play early on is said to have been a major factor in his decision.
Hallmon is expected to sign with NIU Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET. The Cypress Bay High School (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) cornerback is rated 3-Stars by 247Sports composite ranking system. His commitment pushed NIU's class up to second in the MAC according to 247Sports, behind only Western Michigan's historic class.
The 6-foot, 175-pound corner is considered a gem for NIU's 2014 class. Outside of WMU commit Lonnie Johnson, he's easily the most sought after recruit to chose a MAC school. With his size, and 4.4 40-yard-dash speed, he's an athletic corner, with great instincts, that can join a Huskies secondary that struggled throughout 2013, and ranked dead-last in the MAC in passing yards allowed.
Holmon wasn't the only player to commit to NIU on the final day before Signing Day. 2-Star WR Will Daniels also committed to the Huskies. The 6-foot, 205-pound Preble High School (Green Bay, Wis.) product chose NIU over South Dakota. He is the fifth WR to commit to NIU for 2014.
