Recruiting round up: DV guard commits, Kennard has visitors

Desert Vista guard David Kraus has committed to the University of Northern Colorado, Thunder head coach Dan Hinds said Tuesday.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound offensive lineman missed the entire season with a knee injury suffered during the offseason. He was expected to be the team's best lineman, opening holes for ASU-commit Marcus Washington.

Kraus had also been hearing from Southern Illinois and Weber State.

"They were like, 'We'll give you an offer right now. If you commit to us, we'll commit to you,'" Kraus said.

Northern Colorado head coach Scott Downing came to Kraus' house a few weeks ago.

"When he came to my house, it was a real strong thing, like I want to go to Northern Colorado because the head coach came to my house," Kraus said. "I want to play for him."

He's scheduled to take his official visit to Greeley, Colo. -- about an hour north of Denver -- on Jan. 16.

"I like that it's a little cooler up there, because I'm getting sick of the heat down here," Kraus said.

Kraus is rated a two-star prospect by the recruiting service Rivals.com, but earned an ESPNU Scouts' Grade of 78. That service also has him as the No. 24 offensive guard in the country, and the seventh-best prospect in all of Arizona.

He will join former Desert Vista basketball star Michael Proctor, who is averaging 3.1 points and 3.0 rebounds a game for Northern Colorado as a freshman this season.

Prior to the injury, the guard said he had been hearing from a number of Pac-10 schools, including ASU, Arizona, the Oregon schools and the Washington schools.

"Once I got hurt, there was no more for any of them," Kraus said. "I'm on that road to prove everybody wrong."

Verbal commitments are non-binding. Recruits can sign with colleges beginning with National Signing Day in February.

Kennard 'not ready to commit'

Hinds said Devon Kennard, the No. 6 prospect in the nation according to Rivals.com, had a few visitors earlier this week. Arizona State stopped by Monday morning, and were followed by Southern California coach Pete Carroll.

Arizona State then stopped by again later Monday, and then Texas, fresh off its Fiesta Bowl win, visited Tuesday.

"He's not ready to commit, though," Hinds said. "I talked to him (Tuesday) and he goes, 'Coach, I still don't know what I'm going to do.' He said at least a couple of more weeks, so that's going to take us at least up until signing day."

Elsewhere, two-star Thunder defensive end Danny Mullarkey will soon be taking a visit to Weber State in Utah, which recently offered the 6-foot-2, 216-pound senior a full ride.

Mullarkey also holds an offer from Washington, though that was offered by former coach Tyrone Willingham, who has since resigned, and he hasn't heard from the incoming staff.

"We're still kind of just waiting on those guys," Hinds said. "(New coach Steve Sarkisian) is still trying to get all of his ducks in a line and all that stuff. We'll see with that, but we're not waiting around for it. Danny's going to go ahead and take some trips."

Mullarkey is graded a 72 by ESPNU and is rated as the No. 150 defensive end in the nation.

Hinds said senior wideout Casey Bolena will soon be taking a trip to visit the Naval Academy. Navy offered Bolena last month.

Senior safety Cole Pembroke has still been hearing from Brown and Princeton, Hinds said.