After visiting IU last week, Crete Monee (Illinois) High School senior-to-be Omari Stringer announced on Twitter that he committed to the Hoosiers Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-4, 205 pound Stringer is a 3-star defensive standout ranked No. 15 overall in the state of Illinois by Rivals.com.
He becomes the ninth commit for the Hoosiers' class of 2015, all of whom have been 3-star prospects. He chose IU over offers from other nearby schools including Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.
The hard-hitting stringer played mostly strong safety throughout high school. But with the Hoosiers switching to a 3-4 defense this upcoming season, Stringer may find himself spending more time lining up as a linebacker during his time in Bloomington.
Stringer could potentially serve as a hybrid player in the new-look defense, at times dropping back into coverage while also being a threat to rush the passer. Stringer’s experience at safety combined with his size and a listed 4.59 40-yard dash time make him a flexible defensive option who could be moved around a bit on the field.
Stringer is just the third defensive player to commit to IU, and the first who could line up at either safety or linebacker.
The Hoosiers will likely graduate at least three seniors linebackers see significant playing time this season in David Cooper, Steven Funderburk and Forisse Hardin. IU also saw significant playing time out of sophomores TJ Simmons and Clyde Newton who both appeared in all 12 games as freshmen last season.
By the time Stringer arrives at school, the Hoosiers could potentially have 16 linebackers on roster. But thanks to his position flexibility and a new-look Hoosier defensive scheme, Stringer could find himself becoming a viable option to see playing time relatively early in his collegiate career.
