Indiana recruiting notebook: Merrillville’s Howard and Elkhart Central’s Decker both choose MAC schools, Notre Dame hosts blue chippers
In the midst of a senior season where he’s setting the stat sheet on fire, Merrillville wide receiver Jeremiah Howard committed to Northern Illinois over the weekend. NIU was Howard’s second offer (Western Illinois his first). Howard’s Merrillville Pirates squad is 7-1 and he’s made 36 grabs for 740 yards and eight touchdowns.
He has game-changing speed and the ability to go up and the make circus-like catch in traffic. Last spring, he won sectional and regional track championship in the 400-meter relay with his running buddy in the Merrillville receiving unit, Armani Glass. In the winter, he’ll be in the backcourt for the Pirates hoop squad.
Elkhart Central senior defensive lineman Jonathan Decker will be joining Howard in the Mid-American Conference next year, as the versatile terror in the trenches committed to Central Michigan Sunday. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound Decker hit the weight room hard in the offseason and packed on 30 pounds of muscle. CMU offered him on a visit Saturday.
The Visiting Center
Indianapolis Brebeuf Jesuit sophomore defensive end Joe Strickland, the state’s top prospect on the line in the Class of 2022 and Gibson Southern sophomore quarterback Brady Allen, maybe the No. 1 field general prospect in the state regardless of grade, visited Notre Dame Saturday.
• Allen (6-5, 210) has thrown for 2,055 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2019.
Lawrence North junior quarterback Donaven McCulley traveled to West Lafayette to see Purdue rout Maryland, 40-10.
• Purdue and Missouri both offered McCulley (6-5, 195) in the past month.
Offers From IU
Center Grove sophomore defensive lineman Caden Curry and Brownsburg junior offensive lineman Josh Sales both bagged Indiana offers last week.
— SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN
