Mike Garrett Jr. discusses his commitment to Tulsa
Tulsa got a boost to its 2019 football recruiting class over the weekend when Blinn (TX) College defensive back Mike Garrett Jr. committed to the Hurricane. The 6-foot-1 and 175 pound cornerback discussed his choice with Inside Tulsa Sports.
“The reason I decided to commit to Tulsa was because of the high level of football they play against, and I believe that Tulsa will develop me to be the best player I can be in hope of going to the NFL,” he said. “I also liked how the whole team and program is like a family, and I’m happy to be part of it.”
In 10 games as a sophomore this season, Garrett Jr. totaled 24 tackles, 7 pass breakups, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, one interception and one forced fumble. In 2017, he collected 15 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery in his freshman year with the Buccaneers.
“I’d say my strength is my coverage ability and the way I play the ball in the air,” he explained. “Overall I’m just a playmaker. The way I match and cover routes and when the ball is coming my way, I know it’s either going to be an interception or it’s going to be incomplete.”
Despite an outstanding senior season at Magnolia (TX) High School back in 2016, in which he was an All-Montgomery County First Team selection, Garrett Jr. didn’t receive any Division I offers. Feeling overlooked, he decided to head to junior college in order to hone his skills and garner more interest.
His hard work paid off this summer when he began to receive scholarship offers. First was Eastern Illinois at the end of May, followed by Incarnate Word in July. Tulsa, SMU, Louisiana Tech and several other programs began to show interest, and the Golden Hurricane finally offered on November 23.
“Not many D-1 schools were recruiting me while I was in high school,” said Garrett Jr. “Tulsa started recruiting me before my season started this year. Coach (Carlton) Buckels was the main coach that recruited me.”
Right after TU offered, Garrett Jr. headed to Tulsa to watch the Hurricane defeat SMU this past Saturday during an unofficial visit. Soon after, he gave his verbal pledge to TU coaches.
“I enjoyed how beautiful the campus was,” he described. “Also, I was really impressed with Tulsa’s facilities. The locker room was great -- it was really one of the best I’ve seen.”
A major influence in his recruiting process was his father, Mike Garrett Sr., who played running back and wide receiver at LSU from 1988 to 1992. The younger Garrett leaned on his father for guidance.
“My dad was extremely helpful through my recruiting process through high school and junior college,” said Garrett Jr. “With me having no offers out of high school, he is the reason why I ended up at Blinn, and he continued to help me until I found the right spot for myself.”
Garrett Jr. is the 12th addition to Tulsa’s 2019 recruiting class and the first since early August.He is also the first junior college commitment, helping ease the loss of TU senior cornerback Keanu Hill.