ESPN Midwest recruiting Blog

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Two new offers were made in Big Ten country on Wednesday and they came from two of conference's top football powers.

Defensive end William Gholston (Detroit/Southeastern) received a scholarship offer from Ohio State. Gholsston already had scholarship offers from Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Alabama, Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon and Florida State among others.

The ESPNU 150 Watch List defensive end is hoping to visit Ohio State before the end of the month.

Gholston's cousin Vernon Gholston was a star defensive end for Ohio State before becoming a 1st round draft choice of the New York Jets.

William Gholston made 102 tackles including 15 sacks during his junior season. He made 108 tackles including 19 sacks during his sophomore season when he attended Detroit Mumford High.

Tennessee QB lands Big Ten offer

On Wednesday quarterback Barry Brunetti (Memphis, Tenn./University) received a scholarship offer from Penn State.

"Coach Jay Paterno came to my school," Brunetti said. "He was there all morning. He said they were trying to offer me, but they had to meet me first. After I met him he said they are verbally offering. He said the paper work will be sent down here once he gets back to the office."

The 6-foot-2 and 210-pound Brunetti had a huge junior season. He passed for 1,427 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for close to 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. Brunetti did all this despite playing only three full games. He led University to a 13-0 record and a state championship. But many of the 13 wins were by large margins so Brunetti rarely played the entire game.

Brunetti has scholarship offers from Penn State, Memphis, Mississippi State, Duke, Tulsa, Marshall and Tennessee-Chattanooga. .

"I'm keeping everyone even," Brunetti said. "But the offer puts Penn State up there. I'm going to their camp at the end of June."

Fulton in no hurry

Offensive lineman Zach Fulton (Homewood, Ill./Flossmoor) has had a scholarship offer on the table from Illinois for months. However, Fulton is in no hurry to select a college. In addition to Illinois, the 6-foot-5 and 315-pound guard wants to look at a number of schools.

"Notre Dame is showing a lot of interest," Fulton said. "Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Iowa are the other main ones I'm looking at, and Michigan."

Fulton said coaches from Michigan, Michigan State, Arizona, Colorado State, Ball State and Illinois State have recently stopped at Flossmoor.

During the summer Fulton plans to attend football camps at Notre Dame, Illinois and possibly Michigan.

Fulton's older brother Xavier Fulton graduated from Illinois in December. He started for the Fighting Illini at offensive left tackle the past two seasons.