After taking an official visit to WVU on Saturday, one of the nation’s top-rated athletes learned a few things he did not know about the Mountaineers.
“It was great,” Elam said. “I enjoyed myself. I learned some stuff I didn’t know about West Virginia.”
Monday night, EerSports learned a few things that were previously unknown about Elam’s recruitment -- he is now seriously considering WVU, along with the Florida Gators, who were the original team that Elam gave a verbal commitment.
“Well, you know what,” Elam said, “I’m really feeling West Virginia. I just want to take some time and think about it.”
Elam, a 6-foot, 205-pound athlete from Dwyer High School (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), is not necessarily revoking his verbal commitment to the Gators, but has narrowed his decision down to both Florida and WVU. Aside from those two schools, Elam -- rated the No. 4 athlete and No. 25 player in the nation by ESPN.comScouts Inc. -- received a long list of offers from powerhouse programs such as LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida State, Miami (Fla.) and Boston College.
“I just want to see how things shake out in Florida,” he said. “I’m interested in W.V. -- I’m going to sit some and wait.”
A final decision for Elam will most likely come in December.
“I’m graduating early [from Dwyer],” he said and added that he plans on enrolling in college in time to participate in spring drills.
Elam’s athletic ability makes him an instant impact player at safety, wide receiver or running back. ESPN.com rated Elam, whose brother, Abram, plays safety for the New York Jets, the No. 4 overall athlete in the country.
It was WVU’s odd stack defense, a 3-3-5 scheme, that intrigued the high school star.
“The way they use their safeties -- it fits me. They blitz a lot. They play a lot of man [coverage],” said Elam. “They give people the opportunity to show how great they are.”
Personnel changes the Mountaineers made against ECU worked out in WVU’s favor by getting Elam’s attention, as he and a handful of other prized recruits looked on from the sideline.
“What stood out to me the most was when I saw the rotation of the safeties,” said Elam. “Five of their safeties played more than 30 plays. I was like, wow, that’s a lot. That’s great.”
Playing time is typically a huge concern of every recruit. WVU may be an attractive fit for Elam based on that notion. 
“That’s my priority,” he said. “I feel like I need to get it.”
It is no secret that the University of Florida, the defending national champs who are arguably the most elite program in college football, is starving for talent at any position.
Elam admitted that fact is a concern that may factor into his ultimate decision.
“It was a concern.”
But it is not yet time to point to that problem as something that will land him at WVU.
“I’m the type of person that loves to compete,” he said. “I don’t want to run from Florida because of that.”
Elam sees more opportunity to play right off the bat for the Mountaineers.
“At WVU, it’s not a lot to compete against.”
WVU associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Doc Holliday has been an integral part of luring Elam to Morgantown.
“He basically told me how they will take care of us,” Elam said, “how they will love us. He told me to make a decision that fits me and don’t make a decision on what people tell me.”
Jarrett Brown, who like Elam is a Florida native that came out of Palm Beach Lakes High, served as Elam’s host during the weekend visit.
Elam said, “We’ve been knowing each other.”
“He told me they have great coaches and they will take care of you -- they’ll love you and things like that.”
Playing in the SEC, the most revered conference in college football, one that has seen Florida win two of the last three BCS national championships, along with LSU winning another title sandwiched in between, is hard to pass on for any recruit.
But Elam believes the Big East, which has become the butt end of jokes by some experts and analysts because it currently has just one team ranked in the top 25, is not getting the respect it deserves.
“I feel like the Big East is underrated,” he said. “People don’t look at them.
“I won’t say they are as fast as the SEC. I like the Big East over anybody else, besides the SEC.”
Fitting with that analysis, WVU will get a chance at one of the SEC’s elite programs -- Auburn -- Saturday night, on an ESPN prime time TV broadcast.
“Oh yeah,” Elam said, “I’ll be watching it.”
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