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A week ago, Adewale Adeoye couldn't have imagined the whirlwind of surprises in store for him.

In one week, a football team could enter his recruiting out of the blue, bring him on a visit, offer him a scholarship and he'd quickly accept? The Missouri native couldn't have guessed it himself.

Still, Utah State sold him. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound outside linebacker prospect committed Sunday night to the Aggies, less than a week after he started having any contact with him. And he was surprised to discover just how much it felt like a natural fit.

"I've been talking to those guys for a week, and I fell in love with them," he said. "I feel like the team, they want to win a championship, and they're really hungry for it. I love the weight room, but I also like the town there. They're all about football, they're into their school, and I like that."

Adeoye has had a longer recruiting process than a lot of players. Since his junior year, the defensive lineman got a lot of attention as he racked up 18 sacks. As a senior, he had 12. Pass rushing is his specialty, he said.

"I do a lot of studying," he said. "Rushing the quarterback is just something I know how to do."

But Adeoye didn't rush to make a commitment, and it may have been to his detriment. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that he lost several of his early FBS and FCS offers as other prospects took up scholarships in those programs.

That led his Ritenour coach to start sending film out. The Aggies were among the programs who took notice at the all-Metro athlete, who has size that stood out in his prep career.

Adeoye had an offer from New Mexico at the time of his commitment, and Kansas and Illinois had asked him to call if things didn't work out with the Aggies. But Adeoye felt a good fit from Utah State in part because the coaching staff told him he wouldn't have to change positions or switch to the other side of the ball.

"There were a lot of places that wanted me to play a whole new position, and I couldn't see myself playing there," he said. "At Utah State, they'll want me covering more than I did in high school. Kind of like Aldon Smith with the 49ers."

With a tall frame, there's a possibility that the Aggies eventually convert him to a down lineman if his weight goes up to 260 pounds or more.

Among the biggest factors in Adeoye's commitment: He raved about the weight room that the school spent millions building last year. His host was fellow linebacker Michael Okonkwo, who made him feel a little more at ease about the climate and altitude changes he'll see in Logan.

He was also impressed by defensive players going to the NFL. He noted Bobby Wagner's role in helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, and also mentioned hearing about Maurice Alexander, from St. Louis himself, heading to the NFL Combine.

"That's one of the reasons I committed as well," he said. "That showed me they can get guys to the next level."

You can watch Adeoye's Hudl highlights here.

— Kyle Goonkgoon@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon