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This much we know: Johnny Peyton is not going to Miami. At least he says he's not.
And that's about all the Pasco High receiver is saying.
Peyton, the bay area's fourth-best prospect according to the Times, says he knows which college he will attend but won't announce his decision until an 8 a.m. news conference today, which is national signing day.
Peyton, a Class 3A first-team all-state selection, said Monday he has narrowed his choices to South Florida, Pittsburgh, Penn State and West Virginia.
"I know where I'm going to go," he said, "but I'm not going to tell you."
In that respect, he's in a class of his own.
For the first time in recent memory, most of the area's top prospects, including Land O'Lakes quarterback and Florida State recruit Drew Weatherford, are locked up. But one of the biggest, Peyton, remains on the board.
Even he seemed a done deal after orally committing to Pittsburgh in September.
Peyton made a quick connection with offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach J.D. Brookhart and committed despite Pasco coach Dale Caparaso's advice to visit three or four schools before making a decision.
Peyton also liked the idea of playing opposite Heisman Trophy runnerup Larry Fitzgerald, which Peyton figured would result in plenty of exposure for himself.
"All eyes are on him," Peyton said. "If I'm playing beside him, they've got to see me."
But Peyton began to waver when Brookhart became head coach at Akron (a development Caparaso called "devastating" for Peyton) in mid December and Fitzgerald considered petitioning to leave early to enter the NFL draft. There even were rumors Panthers coach Walt Harris would leave for Nebraska.
"They told me that nobody on the coaching staff was going to leave," Peyton said. "When Coach Brookhart left to go to Akron, what did that leave me to think about Pitt? What if I do commit and (Harris) takes the job at Nebraska? Then, I'm out."
As Harris worked to firm up the 6-foot-5 Peyton's commitment, other schools entered the picture: first USF, Louisville and Miami; then Penn State and West Virginia.
Peyton saw the Orange Bowl and South Beach during a visit to Miami on Jan. 16. He met Hurricanes alums Clinton Portis and Andre Johnson. But the thing he wanted to see most, a scholarship offer, didn't materialize. Not until four days later, after a basketball game.
By then, it was too late.
"I felt like they were playing with me," Peyton said. "Like, at some point, they just knew they were going to get me."
Coaches Joe Paterno of Penn State and Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia scheduled visits to Dade City last week, but snow prevented Paterno from making the trip. After visiting both schools, Peyton said he preferred WVU's small-town atmosphere.
Caparaso met with Peyton and his mother for four hours Monday to discuss the pros and cons of his choices. Peyton would have the chance to play right away and pursue an engineering degree at all four schools, but three are far from home.
Though Brookhart left, Pitt promises to throw the ball as long as Harris is around. Penn State is a good "character school," according to Caparaso, but there is no telling how long Paterno will stay.
West Virginia has a top engineering program, but the Mountaineers only threw the ball 252 times last season while rushing 600 times. USF is on the rise, but will it be a second cousin to Florida, Florida State and Miami throughout Peyton's stay?
Peyton's mother could be another factor in his decision, Caparaso said. Her biggest concern is proximity to home.
"I think she'd like to see him play," Caparaso said. "If he goes to West Virginia, Pitt or Penn State, she's going to have to squeeze some pennies together to make the five home trips."
Weatherford, the Times' top bay area prospect, had no such concerns when he chose Florida State.
He announced his decision in July, donning a Seminoles cap at a sports apparel store in California while attending the EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp. He stuck to his commitment even after Daytona Beach Seabreeze signalcaller Xavier Lee, Florida's Mr. Football, committed to FSU on Jan. 25.
With oral commitments from Lee, a five-star recruit, and 13 four-star recruits, including Weatherford, FSU is in the process of putting together the nation's third-best recruiting class in the opinion of rivals100.com. The Seminoles trail only NCAA co-champions Southern Cal and LSU, which landed Melbourne Palm Bay receiver Xavier Carter, the Times' Blue Chip Prospect of the Year.
Other top area players expected to sign today are Tampa Bay Tech linebacker Maurice Crum (Notre Dame), Chamberlain wide receiver Brandon Williams (Akron), Riverview defensive back Tyrone McKenzie (Michigan State), Jefferson defensive back Robert Baham (Cincinnati), and Armwood defensive end Jariette Buie, lineman Jake Griffin and defensive back Mike Williams and Hillsborough running back Ricky Ponton, all with USF.