GoldandBlack.com: Ohio DT on board

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (GoldandBlack.com) - Ohio defensive tackle Josh Davis didn't want to be thinking about college when he was still attending high school.

With that in mind, the Plain City Jonathan Alder senior-to-be made his choice Monday afternoon, picking Purdue over Illinois, a finalist along with Vanderbilt, which was expected to offer soon, and a host of others.

"Great coaches, great academics and great football all in one place," said Davis, who returned a phone call late Monday night, of Purdue. "It just had a good combination of it all."

Davis, who also had an offer from Indiana and Cincinnati, among others, and was garnering interest from Ohio State and West Virginia, says he saw no reason to continue waiting to make his top pick official. Monday, he put in a call to Danny Hope.

"I wanted to make it before the season to get my mind cleared off of college football and get it on high school football, because I still have one year to finish," said the 6-foot-5, 270-pounder, who could also project as an offensive lineman. "I wanted to get it off my mind, so a couple weeks ago I made a timeline that I wanted to commit either this week or next week.

"And I just felt so strong about Purdue. It just felt right."

Davis' interest in the Boilermakers was galvanized on a trip to the Purdue campus a couple weeks ago. He said the visit went very well and is impressed with where the Boilers are headed under a new head coach.

"Coach Hope seems like he knows exactly what he wants and what he's doing," Davis said. "I loved the closeness of campus, everything was in walking distance and easy to get to. It seemed perfect."

It likely won't be Davis' last visit to Purdue. He says he'll get there at least one more time before school starts next month, then again for an official and perhaps for a few more games as well.

"I'll probably come several times," he said. "… I'd like to get myself settled into that environment a little quicker."

Davis' becomes Hopes sixth commitment in the 2010 class.