- Four-star recruit Israel Briggs, ranked as the sixth-best tight end in the nation, verbally committed to Arizona State.
- Briggs chose Arizona State due to the coaching staff’s genuine approach and the supportive environment.
- The Redwood High School junior had offers from top programs including Alabama, Oregon, and Michigan.
One of the most sought-after football recruits in Visalia history has found his college destination.
Redwood High School junior Israel Briggs verbally committed on Feb. 5 to play college football at Arizona State after visiting the Big 12 Conference program over the weekend.
Rated as a four-star prospect on a five-star scale by the recruiting website 247sports.com, Briggs is ranked as the sixth-best tight end recruit in the nation and the 67th overall player for the Class of 2026.
Briggs, who transferred to Redwood near the end of the fall semester last year, played his first three years of football at Mt. Whitney.
While on his visit, the 6-foot-5 Briggs visited the Arizona State campus and met with the coaching staff, including head coach Kenny Dillingham, who led the Sun Devils this past season to an 11-3 record, a Big 12 championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
“It was a really good visit,” Briggs said. “Tempe, Arizona, I never thought it was going to be like that. Obviously, when you think of Arizona, you’re going to think of cactus and dirt, you know, but when I went there, it blew me away.”
What made Arizona State his school of choice?
“The environment and the coaches,” Briggs said. “Coach Dillingham had a real good conversation with me just one-on-one. It was just, you know, he just kept it straight with me and told me how he was going to support me. The environment was great. I was cool with the coaching staff. It was a perfect fit.”
Briggs had 25 reported offers from several of the top programs in the nation, including Alabama, Oregon and Michigan.
In January, Briggs had in-person visits from Dillingham, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.
In all, Briggs estimates he had more than 15 coaches, most of them assistants, visit him during his recruiting journey but it was Arizona State’s genuine care for his development as a student-athlete and person that made the Sun Devils stick out.
“With coach Dillingham, he didn’t have that business spill,” Briggs said.
While at Mt. Whitney this past season, Briggs lined up all over the field, including receiver, running back, quarterback and in the defensive backfield.
Briggs will play for new Redwood head coach Curtis Allen this fall. During his football and track and field coaching career at COS, Allen helped produce more than 150 student-athletes to the NCAA Division I level, including 2013 NFL first-round draft pick Sheldon Richardson.
“I’m really excited to play, especially with coach Allen coming into the role as a head coach and a new staff,” Briggs said. “It’s just an honor but the biggest thing I would say about Redwood is the support system outside of football. Academically.”
More:‘It feels good’: Curtis Allen returns to lead Redwood football as new head coach
More:New Porterville High School boys basketball coach Zack Grasmick fulfills late mom’s wish
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
