High School Football: Springfield standout Aaron Scott Jr. breaks down his final 3 college options

Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson responded with a tweet of his own that had a picture of Scott in a Michigan uniform that was taken on a previous visit and the message, “(hashtag)GoBlue” with a fist emoji.

Woodson was once a highly recruited high school defensive back from Ohio who chose to take his talents to Ann Arbor, a decision he presumably hopes Scott makes himself.

But the Wildcats star is not ready to make a final call for any school just yet.

“It’s to the point it’s stressful right now,” Scott said Monday night. “You were asking about the pressure, and I would say it was there all the time, but since these OVs it’s been hectic.”

On3 and 247Sports both rank Scott the No. 1 prospect in Ohio, and he is a consensus top five player in the country at his position.

More than two dozen schools offered him a scholarship, but he is down to three: Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon.

He has found a lot to like about each one.

“I would say Oregon, that was my childhood dream school growing up,” Scott said. “I would stay up late and watch them play.”

He has a good relationship with UO cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin.

“He’s my dog,” Scott said. “He’s real straightforward. He just sent one to the league, and I feel like if I went there, he could do the same for me.

“And then O State, I grew up watching O State. I’m from Ohio. It’s hard to say no to the school, especially when they’ve been winning. If you’re from Ohio, it’s like how could you not want to go there? Like they got everything you’re looking for.

“And then Michigan, flat nobody liked them growing up. Especially I know my family didn’t and people would be getting mad kind of when I go to the visits up there, ‘up north.’ They don’t like when I call ‘em ‘Michigan.’ They say ‘team up north.’”

There, too, assistant coaches have made a big impression on Scott, namely defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

“I feel them two play a big piece and them two was the ones that have been on me, letting me know like whatever it takes and just making me feel more comfortable,” Scott said. “They’ve been telling me they know the hardest thing for me to do is to have to tell (Ohio State) no. So really, they’ve just been by my side this whole time.”

He made official visits to all three in June, the final one coming last weekend when he made the 50-or-so mile drive from Springfield to Columbus.

“I got the questions that I was looking for and got them answered, so that made me feel more comfortable for real,” he said. “And I got to hang with the players through the O.V. and to hang with the commitments that were already there, so I had a great time. Got to talk to them, and overall I feel like I had a great time. And like, I really went there to get the questions that I had and I got them all answered.”

He said he preferred to keep those to himself, but then he revealed one as the conversation continued: Jim Knowles’ 4-2-5 defense.

“I can say that’s one of the questions I had: about the scheme,” Scott said. “I feel like they’ve played a lot of zone, but the way they broke it down to me, I find them playing way more man than they did last year. They play like a lot of man, but they also play a lot of zone, and then Oregon, they play man, too, so all three schools were breaking down how they’ll put me in a position to where I could play like a lot of man and put me in the right spot.”

Scott said he plans to make his decision and announce it in July, but he is not sure when that might be.

His family feels the same way he does at this point.

“They just want what’s best for me,” he said. “They love all three of the schools as much as me, and they’ve been telling me like I can’t go really wrong with a school and they’re like confused with me, too. They don’t know where they want me to go either.”

He confirmed telling any of the three coaching staffs “no” will be difficult.

“They all tell me they’ll respect my decision and hopefully there will be no hard feelings,” he said. “They all see how I could go to the other school and told me they’ll always be there for me.”