2021 OLB Darryl Peterson Breaks Down Top 3 Programs, Including Wisconsin

The Ohio native discusses why he narrowed his focus to three schools.

Before the weekend kicked off, Akron, Ohio (Archbishop Hoban) standout Darryl Peterson released his top three programs via social media on Friday. 

Alabama, West Virginia and Wisconsin all made the cut for Peterson, who recently took a visit UW last weekend for one of its junior days.

On Friday evening, Peterson spoke with AllBadgers.com to discuss why he chose these programs as his top three:

On Alabama: "Alabama for me -- at my position especially, the outside linebacker position -- they get guys to the NFL. That's my main goal, to make it to the NFL. Not only that, the school aspect of things. When I go to college, I want to major in business finance. That's what I hope to major in, and they have a great business school as well so I look into things like that. 

"One thing that stood out to me when I was up there was how they take so much pride in sports medicine and making sure their guys are healthy 100% of the time and that they try to prevent things in the weight room from happening to kind of prevent guys from having to go to the training rooms and different stuff like that. That's one thing that stuck out to me the most, and the coaching staff was great. Top-notch, hard-nosed guys who will take pride in player development. That's one thing I loved about it the most."

On West Virginia: "West Virginia, it's a great place, a great tradition as well. This new coaching staff, I believe in those guys, and they're destined for greatness definitely. Coach Brown is a great coach. He's a great man as well. Just sitting there talking with him, I can just tell that he's a man of great values and who's a great leader. For guys, for teams to win and turn programs around (they) need to have a great leader, and I feel like they do. They have great facilities as well, a great coaching staff, great things going for them, and I'm excited to see what they do in the future. So that's why West Virginia, for sure."

On Wisconsin: "Wisconsin feels like home. It feels such a lot like home, especially with like the cold weather and stuff. Feels a lot like home. The coaching staff, and I feel wanted. Obviously that's a big part in this process, feeling wanted. You don't want to go somewhere just because for the offer and stuff like that, but I feel wanted there. 

"Once again, like I told you about Alabama, their business school is, if not the best, one of the best in the country. I want to go into that field. They have a winning tradition. They've had 10 wins in the last five, 10 years, what's it been? Something like that. They finished in the top 10 this year, top 15 in the last few years so the winning tradition is a big thing. The coaches are great. Coach (Bobby) April, who kind of be hands on with me, that's my guy. We've been talking for a long time, and he's a great guy. Coach Chryst, I love Coach Chryst. My mom got a chance to meet him this week. We were in his office for about 45 minutes and got a chance to talk with him and my mom. She fell in love too, you know what I'm saying. That's why Wisconsin for the most part."

Rated a high three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, Peterson plays for the same high school that current UW fullback Quan Easterling played for. Listed at 6'3 and 225 pounds on his Hudl profile, he feels pretty certain about his top three.

"My recruitment is still open, but these three are where I feel like it'll be down to," Peterson said.

Peterson discussed Alabama and the outside linebacker position in his aforementioned answer, and Wisconsin is looking at him at that position as well. 

With West Virginia, he said that the coaching staff sees him at the Mountaineers' "Bandit" position.

"That's kind of like the same thing -- rushing the edge, pass rushing, stopping the run and stuff as well. So pretty much almost the same stuff," Peterson said.

As of Friday evening, Peterson has locked down one of his five allotted official visits. That will be to Wisconsin on the weekend of June 12th through the 14th. 

In regards to timelines to take the other officials and a potential decision for his future collegiate home, he hopes to have the process finished before he suits up for his final prep year.

"Hopefully I can be done with officially visits, like the beginning of July," Peterson said. "The beginning of July I hope to be done, and I hope make a decision before my senior season starts."