• Dwayne Stanford II crosses Miami off

  • By Jared Shanker | August 23, 2011 6:36:45 AM PDT
The allegations of a nearly decade-long scandal at Miami (Fla.) hasn't led to any de-commitments, yet, but it has forced four-star receiver Dwayne Stanford II of Cincinnati, Taft to cross the program off his list."Miami has definitely dropped out," Stanford, who admits he grew up a Hurricane fan, said. "With the punishment they're going to get and what people have been telling me, I'm not going to listen to them anymore."Stanford says Ohio State, who has shared the NCAA spotlight with Miami this year, is still among his leaders, though."I'm waiting to see what happens and waiting on (the NCAA) to hand out the punishment," he said. "(Ohio State) has been telling me they're clean and they cooperated with the NCAA. (They said) that Ohio State didn't do anything wrong and everything was on (Terrelle) Pryor and (former coach Jim) Tressel."Stanford says he didn't pay much attention to in-state Ohio State until a few years ago when current Buckeyes receiver DeVier Posey committed. Posey is a cousin of one of Stanford's best friends.One of Stanford's other favorite teams growing up was Michigan. His reason: the famous winged helmets."Me being from Ohio, everyone says to hate Michigan, but me and my cousin always liked them. So (Michigan) recruiting me is great."Stanford's built a good relationship with lead recruiter Mark Smith and has taken notice of what the Wolverines have done so far with their 2012 class.No official visits have been set, but Stanford says he will use all five. Two schools he will definitely check out are SEC programs Alabama and LSU."A lot," Stanford said when asked how much playing in the SEC, winners of the last five BCS title games, will weigh on his decision. "I'll be going up against the best secondaries week in and week out, getting some of the best coaching and be able to play for a national championship."Hometown Cincinnati is the last school Stanford favors, but he said his top five isn't set in stone. Stanford is starting to take a hard look at Arizona State, which is quickly moving up his leader board."I definitely can see Arizona State (as a possibility) after talking with (receivers) coach (Steve) Broussard," Stanford says. "They are moving up and might be getting an official and most likely will."Stanford's Taft teammate Adolphus Washington, an ESPNU 150 member, is looking at a lot of the same schools as Stanford, and the two talk about playing together every day."We talk about it all the time. We want to go to college together," Stanford says. "We will try to take official visits together and see what school we like the best."

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