Nat Central’s 3-star lineman, Joseph Cryer, shares his recruiting experience

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) - Earlier last month, on June 2, Natchitoches Central’s 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive lineman announced he was continuing talent at the next level at Ole Miss.

Joseph Cryer is one of the highest-rated recruits in Louisiana, according to On3, ranked at 32.

The former Many Tiger, now a rising senior at Natchitoches Central, Cryer visited many colleges, but he visited Ole Miss three different times.

“I never thought I would commit there, honestly,” said Cryer. “I did not think or have a plan to go to LSU or Alabama. I never really had a plan to go anywhere, this all just came to me, and I started working from there. Ole Miss is home, and it is amazing.”

The third time is a charm for the offensive lineman, as he committed on campus with his family and coaches.

“I almost started crying just seeing my mom happy and seeing my family happy for me,” said Cryer after he committed on campus. “It just meant more than anything because I am trying to do it for them. I am trying to make them happy, and there were just a lot of emotions going through my head.”

Cryer received over 20 offers from Division I and Power Five schools such as TCU, Houston, Michigan State and Oklahoma State, to name a few.

“When you talk about Joe, you are going to talk about a couple of things,” said Natchitoches Central Head Coach Jess Curtis. “He is probably one of the nicest, sweetest kids in this school. He never has a bad day, but then he flips that switch between the lines like most great athletes do. Between the lines, he is a nasty, physical kid that you need to win football games. Ole Miss was just a good fit, he really narrowed it down to three he wanted to focus on. It is what our guys try to do, and he wanted to have the decision by the end of the summer, so he could focus on his senior year.”

As football season kicks off in just a few months, Cryer will be suiting up for the Chiefs for the first time before he graduates in December and heads to Ole Miss.

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