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Bingham tight end Dalton Schultz committed to Stanford, ending a lengthy recruiting process for one of the most sought-after recruits in the state.
Stanford has been one of the best football programs in the country in recent seasons, but Schultz said it was academics and a chance to broaden his horizons that ultimately swayed him to the Cardinal.
"First of all, it was the academics," he said. "Honestly that was one of the big things. In December, I was thinking I wanted to go out of state. And the last couple of weeks that's been confirmed. I want to meet new people, expand my network of friends."
Schultz, who helped lead Bingham to an undefeated season and the Class 5A state title, was regarded widely as the top tight end recruit in the country. ESPN ranked him as the nation's 104th overall player in the Class of 2014.
The support of his family made the decision to go to Stanford easier, Schultz said. His parents plan on traveling to see every game, meaning playing close to home wasn't high on his list of priorities.
"My whole family is super happy with the decision," Schultz said. "They kind of were feeling it all along, too. I know my mom was super stressed about the application and stuff, but getting it all done, she's really happy."
Bingham coach Dave Peck said he envisions Schultz having a great career at Stanford, whose offense is known for relying heavily on tight ends.
"I think it's about a good a fit as you're going to get," Peck said. "I know there's not another program in the nation that uses tight ends like Stanford does. Stanford wanted him bad. They feel like he can come right in and play. They love his ball skills, but they love even more that he's a physical kid with his blocking who wants to come after it."
Schultz said a rare energy at Stanford also played a role in his decision. He said Cardinal coach David Shaw told him it's something that comes with the territory of being a Stanford player.
"You walk in and you know right away. There's just that energy," Schultz said. "It's kind of hard to explain. I walk into a room with a Stanford commit, and we click. There's just that feeling. They recruit certain types of people, and I'm so happy to be one of them."
Schultz went on an official visit to Notre Dame in December and was scheduled to visit Utah this weekend. The tight end, who has gotten recognition by posting YouTube videos of his visits, said it's a weight off his shoulders to finally have picked a school. However, it's an experience he expects to look back on with fondness.
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