“It just felt right,” explanted the 6-6, 265-pound Chad Wheeler. “They were the first to offer me and they were staying in touch with me the most out of any school. I was recruited by coach Broussard and I really am close with him and coach Smith.
“Committing to ASU just felt like the right decision. I didn’t know I was going to make a decision this early.”
Wheeler attended the ASU camp in mid-June and that was the first time he had visited the Tempe campus.
“I really liked the indoor facility we were in,” Wheeler recalled. “It was a great experience visiting there and it was one of the best camps I have been too. That really helped my decision and the campus just felt like home. Coach Smith taught me some techniques and I just liked everything about him. He’s a great coach.
“He told me that he likes my athleticism and I can really help the team.”
Wheeler is a three-star prospect and ranked 73rd by Scout.com among all 2012 offensive tackles. The lineman reported weight room marks of 315 lbs. benching, 285 on the power clean and 460 squatting.
Wheeler said that he essentially chose ASU over Cal, and that he had received offers from Arizona, Harvard, Iowa State, Penn and Washington State. He admitted that the high expectations that have been placed on the Sun Devils this season were another aspect he considered in his decision.
“I really see a bright future at A-State,” Wheeler commented. “I see them picking up the ball and doing some great things with the program.”