Columbia running back standout commits to play for Big Ten traditional power
CJ Stokes is headed to the Big Ten to play college football.
The Hammond running back committed to Michigan on Saturday. Stokes picked Michigan over Missouri, Vanderbilt and South Carolina among others. Stokes took his official visit to Michigan this weekend and took official visits to Missouri and Vanderbilt this summer.
“Michigan was a hard opportunity to pass up for me. Academics are amazing and it’s the winningest program in the history of college football. So I don’t feel like I’m making any compromises with my education or football,” Stokes told The State. “What stood out about the official visit was the people and how genuine they are. To go to a school and know for sure that if I don’t make it to the NFL, I’m still set up for the real world Is big time for me and my family.”
Former Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp was first to offer but Stokes said the new Gamecocks coaching staff had other backs on their list ahead of him. Stokes posted on Twitter that he had nothing but love for USC and its program.
“On South Carolina’s running back board I was third and they were taking two running backs,” Stokes said. “What most people don’t understand is that if I wanted to go to USC I could have waited a few weeks and waited for one of those two guys to go somewhere else and went to USC.”
Stokes is the ninth commitment for Michigan in the Class of 2022 and the lone running back so far. He was offered by Michigan in March and was a priority target by new Wolverines running back coach Mike Hart.
Stokes is rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports Composite and No. 9 for SC for the Class of 2022. He is the top-ranked running back in the state by both 247Sports Composite and Rivals.
Stokes was Hammond’s leading rusher last season and went over 1,000 yard mark for the second straight year. The Skyhawks won their fourth straight SCISA Class 3A championship, and Stokes ran for 86 yards and a touchdown in the win over Laurence Manning.
This story was originally published June 19, 2021 at 4:06 PM.
