Folsom Wide Receiver Rico Flores Says Finalists 'Neck-and-neck' Ahead of Sumer Decision
OAKLAND- Folsom (Calif.) wide receiver Rico Flores continues to separate himself as one of the better offensive playmakers in the country, taking home wide receiver MVP honors alongside Jurrion Dickey (Oregon) and Cooper Flanagan (Notre Dame) at Sunday's ESPN Elite Underclassmen camp.
The Adidas All-American has reeled in scholarship offers from coast to coast and recently trimmed his list of suitors to three. The Nor Cal product will make his college commitment this summer and choose from Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
He opened up on what he's liking about each of his contenders.
Georgia
"I just like how they get gritty down there and they show that umph. You need to work, they all about grind down there. I'm not saying the other two aren't, but it's in the South. That's just how they roll and that's how their persona is."
Notre Dame
"Just great people there," said Flores. "It's not a four-year plan it's a 40-year plan. You got great connections when you get done with football. They got big connections in California too, a lot of alums and stuff are in California. They got big businesses and things like that."
Notre Dame is the only school the 6-foot-1 wideout has yet to visit, so the trip is a golden opportunity for the Irish to put their best foot forward. He knows what he'll have his eye on when he makes it out to South Bend.
"Just really what the atmosphere is outside of football," he said. "Because you only got football for a couple months and then just got life after football, outside of football. So I just want to see what that's like, how I feel on campus. If I could see myself walking through the hallways."
The Irish have been consistent in this recruitment, as Folsom hosted wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey and Director of Recruiting Chad Bowden on campus for practice last week.
Ohio State
"I love everything about Ohio State. From Coach (Brian) Hartline to Coach (Ryan) Day, Coach (Kevin) Wilson. Everybody is just there. They feel welcoming. When I went there they just let me in with open arms."
Flores has set decision date set for July 3, and each school will have one more chance to make their best pitch, with the Buckeyes set to get the last trip.
"The only place I haven't been to is Notre Dame. I go there June 10 for an official," said Flores. "And then the week after that I go to Georgia, I think that's the 17th for an official. My last week I go to Ohio."
The wide receiver is prioritizing a set of criteria in his decision.
"Somewhere that feels like home. Really like a home away from home. Feel welcome and where I have the best opportunity."
Flores is set to come off the board on July 3, a date he's had in mind for his entire recruitment.
"(It's) My uncle's birthday that passed away. I've had that date since forever. Once I got my first offer from ASU I was like 'I'm committing on July 3 before going into my senior year.' That's just been the plan. He was one of my biggest supporters and he's no longer with us."
Excited to wrap up the process, Flores calls it a tight race for his commitment.
"I like all three of them. They're really all neck-in-neck."