Wesolak enamored with Arizona State, Pro Model
The recruitment of DJ Wesolak began to blow up around last December, starting a run of immense hype for the four-star defensive end.
From then until about March, it seemed Wesolak posted a new offer announcement on his Twitter every day. It was a stream of big-name college football programs who wanted the 6-foot-6, 235-pound junior from Missouri.
It was on February 3rd when Arizona State jumped in the mix, sending defensive backs coach Chris Hawkins and defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez hard after the 14th best defensive end in the 2022 class.
“They came full speed about me about a month ago, and ever since then, they’ve been coming hard, and I’ve been vibing with them,” Wesolak said of the ASU coaches. “They make it feel like home, for real. They make you be yourself. They don’t try and act fake; they’re serious with you.
“Coach Hawk, he’s been at every stage, been through everything I’ve been through so it’s easy to connect with him … (Coach Rod), he’s like a dad or an uncle in a way. He’s funny; he’s going to show me everything. He’s real. He’s serious about it. He’s one of the best coaches who knows what he’s talking about -- he coached like (Minnesota Vikings’ D-end) Danielle Hunter and made him into a superstar.”
Wesolak released his Top-15 list last month and included a jam-packed list with most of the sport’s heavy hitters. Yet, when asked what were the three schools recruiting him the hardest, he replied, “Clemson, ASU, Alabama.”
Two of those schools have combined to win five of the six previous national championships. Then there’s the Sun Devils, the outlier that intrigues Wesolak.
“The staff they brought in, they’re winners. Having coaches from the NFL, having a head coach from the NFL, they know what to expect on the football field,” Wesolak said. “And they’re just ready to win. I’m excited to see what they do over there, honestly. They’re starting to get some top recruits over there and commit.
“I’m interested to see how they play this season – a lot of people are going to jump aboard on them, but I just want to see what happens.”
Wesolak has a packed June full of visits. He said he plans on taking officials to Miami and USC while checking out Missouri, Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina on unofficial. As for ASU, Wesolak said the Sun Devils are talking to him about visiting Tempe on an official visit during the season.
That may be perfect timing considering Wesolak said he wants to around the fall. And what would the school who nabs Wesolak be getting?
“Most schools are recruiting me as like an outside linebacker. Some schools are recruiting me as a D-end. But they know I’ll be that rusher on the edge,” Wesolak said. “(ASU) sees me as like both. They see me as a Von Miller-type player – 255 pounds coming off the edge.
“I’m long. I have a great get off – that’s probably my best thing is my get off. You see on tape that I’m really athletic and physical up ‘till the ball.”
The best resource ASU may have in its effort to land Wesolak is Alfonzo Allen, a four-star safety from Florida who committed to the Sun Devils back in March.
“One day, I was just sitting, and I got a FaceTime call from him,” Wesolak said. “Alfonzo is like another recruiter, like another coach. He gets on everybody. He’s been close with me, trying to get me to come there. Just the love they have there as a program. Alfonzo loves that and is trying to bring other great players with him.”
Allen’s pitch to Wesolak and other recruits is simple: If you want to go to the NFL, if you want to learn from the best, go to ASU. It’s a “great pitch,” Wesolak said, one that has him seriously considering the Sun Devils.
“I’m just looking for that love, for a winning program that is going to be there for me,” Wesolak said. “I don’t really care about all that flash. I just want to be in a place that will be the best for me, where I’ll have the opportunity to be guided and play the right way.
“Wherever I go, I know I’m going to bring that energy and have that momentum to try and make that run for a championship.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and get all the latest Sun Devil news!
