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An Early Morning Phone Call Changed 2023 CB Antonio Cotman Jr’s Life

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Antonio Cotman Jr. was just waking up Monday morning when he was told by West Virginia defensive line coach A.J. Jackson to give him a call.

It was the first time Cotman, a 2023 four-star cornerback from Life Christan High School in Chester, Virginia, had spoken to Jackson, but the call was “life-changing” for the high school junior.

“It went well,” Cotman told WV Sports Now. “He ended up giving me an offer, said he watched my tape. He liked what he’d seen on film, and hopefully, I can come up for a game.”

Photo courtesy of Antonio Cotman Jr.

The WVU offer, Cotman’s fifth collegiate offer now, was “amazing,” he said. Waking up Monday morning, calling Jackson and getting an offer, it can’t be beaten. Along with WVU, he’s now been offered by Boston College, Liberty, Maryland and Virginia Tech. He’s also been shown interest from Penn State, Georgia and Florida State, with none of the three offering him yet.

While Cotman isn’t too familiar with WVU head coach Neal Brown, his staff or WVU as a whole, he’s eager to learn more. He expressed his desire to potentially visit Morgantown in the time ahead — when his football season permits, of course.

“I don’t really know much about it, but I’d love to take a visit and get to see the campus and get a tour of the campus and facilities,” Cotman said.

Over the summer, Cotman spent a lot of time visiting schools in the south. He spent time with Georgia, Miami (Fl.), Florida State, Virginia Tech and competed at camps for Rivals.

The recruiting process really picked up for Cotman this summer, getting to travel for prospective teams and pick up offers from potential schools where he’ll spend the next four years of his life after his time at Life Christian. It’s been a blessing for Cotman.

“It’s been good,” Cotman said. “I love the experience because, at first, I didn’t have any of this. So just to have been talking to schools has been big for me.”

With offers from six schools now, and interest from others, and two seasons of high school football yet to play, Cotman has a long way to go to figure out where he’ll commit eventually. For now, everyone is a contender.

“Not yet,” Cotman said when asked about his top contenders. “I’m keeping everyone on the same level, all my options are open. The college that’s recruiting me, that’s the college I’m going for.”

The 6-foot-2, 180 pound defensive back has played wide receiver and defensive back for Life Christian, and with a physical edge and ball-hawking ability to his game, he’s flashed the potential that’s made him a rising recruit in the class of 2023. In Life Christian’s first game of the season, a 30-13 win over Miami International on Aug. 13, he flashed his skill in the secondary.

According to Cotman, whichever school winds up landing his signature will gain a boundary corner who can shut down opposing wide receivers. He said he’d contribute well in both the running and passing game, a “straight-up dawg” on the defense.

While 247Sports doesn’t currently rank Cotman yet, Rivals rates him as a Top 300 player in the class. He’s rated as the 230th-ranked player in the class — the 33rd-ranked cornerback and the fourth-ranked recruit from Virginia.

Just entering his junior season, Cotman is still playing his recruiting process by ear, but it’s clear he’s someone WVU will continue to court as his high school career winds on.

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