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BOCA RATON – FAU will be hosting at least one player who quietly committed to the Owls already and could potentially add several more commitments in the coming days during its first big recruiting weekend of 2018.
Orlando-Jones defensive end Jaylen Joyner committed to FAU in December but hasn’t publicized that commitment, he said.
Joyner, who attended FAU’s Shula Bowl victory with teammate Devin Hayes, is making his official visit to FAU this weekend. He said FAU feels like home and likes the idea that he’ll have the opportunity to play early in his career.
Hayes is among five players who signed with FAU in December during the early signing period. At that time Joyner was already leaning toward FAU.
“FAU is still at the top, but I’m not going to be signing on Wednesday,” Joyner said at the time.
Joyner is the sixth commitment to FAU’s 2018 recruiting class.
Despite Joyner’s reluctance to sign early, Hayes believed he and Joyner would continue their football careers together.
“I think most likely he might be down there with me,” Hayes said in December.
The Owls also appear close to gaining a commitment from another JUCO defensive back. Former Garden City CC safety Meiko Dotson will also visit FAU this weekend and appears to be leaning toward selecting the Owls, writing in a text that there is a “very high chance” he’ll pledge his services to the Owls.
The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has already received his Associate’s Degree.
Dotson, a product of Daytona Beach-Mainland, is looking forward to seeing campus and meeting the people surrounding the program. Current Owl defensive tackle Kevin McCrary was a teammate of Dotson at Mainland.
Former FAU defensive backs coach Corey Batoon had been handling junior college recruiting for the Owls, but with Batoon accepting Hawaii’s defensive coordinator position, FAU cornerback coach Keynodo Hudson served as Dotson’s primary recruiter.
Dotson said he’s willing to play either safety or cornerback for FAU. He recorded two tackles for Georgia Tech before transferring to Garden City. Dotson’s four interceptions in 2017 tied him for No. 18 nationally at the JUCO level.
The Owls appear to have found a replacement for Batoon. Multiple reports out of Alabama have Crimson Tide defensive analyst Wes Neighbors accepting the role. Neighbors spent five years with Alabama, three of those coming when current FAU coach Lane Kiffin served as the Tide’s offensive coordinator.
Neighbor’s brother, Connor, is a member of FAU’s strength and conditioning staff. A former LSU fullback, Connor donned the pads in December to help FAU practice for the Boca Raton Bowl.
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