Cornerback Daylen Austin has become one of the most sought after recruits on the West Coast during the 2023 cycle. As one of the standout players at Long Beach Poly, Austin has garnered attention from around the country. He has taken visits to schools such as Alabama, Oregon and Michigan State while also keeping tabs on the programs closer to home.

The four-star prospect, who is currently rated No. 136 overall by Rivals, is one of the top prospects in California. Staying close to home has remained on his mind as he makes his way through the process, and soon he will begin narrowing his focus even more.

Austin has over two dozen offers on the table entering the spring recruiting season, but he is reaching the point when he must cut some schools out of the mix. His hope is to reach that point some time this month, but in the meantime he has continued to build relationships with the schools in pursuit.

“It’s a fun experience knowing that I’m getting a lot of offers,” he said. “At the same time, I feel like it’s a blessing and a curse because the more offers you get the more schools you really have to get to know and break down.

“... So, I’ve just been enjoying the process. Talking with my family and they’re helping me sort it out. I’m starting to break it down, and I have a top 10 coming soon.”

Austin’s older brother, Alex, is heading into his fourth season as a defensive back at Oregon State. Having a sibling who has already gone through the recruiting process has allowed Austin to have someone to lean on while figuring out where he will end up down the road.

“That’s a big advantage having an older brother that has been through this whole process,” the 20th-ranked cornerback in the class said. “Mine is a little bit different because I’m a higher recruit than he was, but he’s already committed and playing college football. I just ask him how the coaches are, what they really look for and what they’re paying attention to. What he did to improve his game and play college ball.”

Austin’s first offer came in well over a year ago, and since that time he has continued to learn more about the process, what he wants out of a college and what will fit him best in the future. He has also learned more about how schools approach the recruiting process, and that has proved to be valuable in his evaluations of the programs involved.