UPDATE: I can confirm that Donovan Kaufman's courtship with Baylor is over. He is taking an OV to Ole Miss this weekend. He will not re-schedule with Baylor. Looks like new DC Ron Roberts may not have been as enthralled when he got on board. Remember this offer came on before Roberts got on board.
By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
There are a lot of firsts Donovan Kaufman is experiencing in his young life this week.
For starters, he and about 30 classmates took a bus late Tuesday night to drive to Washington D.C. to participate in the March for Life event on Friday and the youth rally on Thursday. This is his first time to be in the nation’s capital.
From there, he’ll board a plane late Friday and fly to Waco for his official visit to Baylor. This will be his first trip to Waco.
Baylor offered the Rivals No. 185 for 2020 and current Vanderbilt commit this past Sunday. The Bears view him in the secondary as a nickel.
“I look at everything that I’m going through right now as a blessing,’’ Kaufman said. “It’s pretty crazy. We left [Tuesday night] for the March for life. I’m heavily involved in my campus ministry. There are about 600 kids from New Orleans that will be there. It’s a great experience because we take part in the activities.’’
A three-year starter for Archbishop Rummel in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, Kaufman values his academic profile as much as his football profile. Why else would he be committed to Vanderbilt? He’s been a member of his school’s National Honor Society for all four years.
Baylor enters the picture because it needs an infusion in the secondary with the losses of Jameson Houston and Chris Miller to graduation and Grayland Arnold declaring for the NFL draft.
“I’ve played everything in our secondary from free safety to strong to nickel,’’ Kaufman said. “I had talked with LSU and had talked with [new Baylor head coach Dave] Aranda. They didn’t offer because they said they wanted to see more of me during the season.
“It doesn’t matter now because I have all these opportunities.”
Kaufman led Rummel to a 13-0 record and the Louisiana Division I state championship in a 14-10 victory over Catholic. He was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player with a rushing touchdown, kickoff return for a touchdown, fumble recovery and the game-sealing interception. He finished the season with 112 tackles, six total touchdowns, six forced fumbles, eight sacks and four interceptions.
And a possible commitment would mean an easy transition. Aranda bases his defenses out of the 3-4 look. Rummel played in the 3-4.
Baylor’s job is demanding as Kaufman is scheduled to take an official visit to Ole Miss next weekend. That’s another school that went through a coaching change with Lane Kiffin.
“Right now, my feeling is that whichever school gives me that feeling that this is where I want to be is where I’m going to commit,’’ Kaufman said. “I don’t think I could go wrong with either one.’’
By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
There are a lot of firsts Donovan Kaufman is experiencing in his young life this week.
For starters, he and about 30 classmates took a bus late Tuesday night to drive to Washington D.C. to participate in the March for Life event on Friday and the youth rally on Thursday. This is his first time to be in the nation’s capital.
From there, he’ll board a plane late Friday and fly to Waco for his official visit to Baylor. This will be his first trip to Waco.
Baylor offered the Rivals No. 185 for 2020 and current Vanderbilt commit this past Sunday. The Bears view him in the secondary as a nickel.
“I look at everything that I’m going through right now as a blessing,’’ Kaufman said. “It’s pretty crazy. We left [Tuesday night] for the March for life. I’m heavily involved in my campus ministry. There are about 600 kids from New Orleans that will be there. It’s a great experience because we take part in the activities.’’
A three-year starter for Archbishop Rummel in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, Kaufman values his academic profile as much as his football profile. Why else would he be committed to Vanderbilt? He’s been a member of his school’s National Honor Society for all four years.
Baylor enters the picture because it needs an infusion in the secondary with the losses of Jameson Houston and Chris Miller to graduation and Grayland Arnold declaring for the NFL draft.
“I’ve played everything in our secondary from free safety to strong to nickel,’’ Kaufman said. “I had talked with LSU and had talked with [new Baylor head coach Dave] Aranda. They didn’t offer because they said they wanted to see more of me during the season.
“It doesn’t matter now because I have all these opportunities.”
Kaufman led Rummel to a 13-0 record and the Louisiana Division I state championship in a 14-10 victory over Catholic. He was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player with a rushing touchdown, kickoff return for a touchdown, fumble recovery and the game-sealing interception. He finished the season with 112 tackles, six total touchdowns, six forced fumbles, eight sacks and four interceptions.
And a possible commitment would mean an easy transition. Aranda bases his defenses out of the 3-4 look. Rummel played in the 3-4.
Baylor’s job is demanding as Kaufman is scheduled to take an official visit to Ole Miss next weekend. That’s another school that went through a coaching change with Lane Kiffin.
“Right now, my feeling is that whichever school gives me that feeling that this is where I want to be is where I’m going to commit,’’ Kaufman said. “I don’t think I could go wrong with either one.’’
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