Pokes Receive Verbal Commitment from Chicagoland Tight End

LARAMIE -- Christian Taylor didn't leave the suburbs of Chicago empty handed when he paid a visit in late April.

Wyoming's new offensive coordinator potentially found his quarterback-of-the-future in Michael Vander Luitgaren, who announced on May 17 that he will sign with the Cowboys.

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Now, one of his top targets has also verbally commitment to the program.

Thomas Prescott on Saturday shared on social media he is also Laramie-bound after snagging 19 passes for 373 yards and five touchdowns, including a 96-yard strike from Vander Luitgaren, while helping lead Batavia High School to a 10-3 record during his junior season.

"After a great visit and conversations with my family, I am blessed to announce my commitment to Wyoming football," Prescott penned on Twitter after his official visit to the high plains.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end received 14 offers this offseason. Mountain West foes Air Force, New Mexico and Northern Illinois were in the mix. So were Ivy League schools like Yale, Cornell and Penn, according to 247sports.

CBS Sports' high school recruiting guru Tom Lemming also took to social media earlier this month to share his thoughts on Prescott.

"(He) is one of the premier TE prospects in the state for 2027. Shows good vertical speed, strong hands, is an outstanding blocker and has the frame to weigh 250. Creates good separation after the catch and averaged 20 (yards per catch)."

Prep Redzone Illinois penned: "Jumbo tight end at 6'5" that can split the middle of the defense and is tough to bring down with his combination of speed along with strength. Bounces off tacklers. Can release after blocks, catching short passes or screens."

Prescott is the seventh known prep prospect to give his verbal commitment to Jay Sawvel, joining Vander Luitgaren, fellow signal caller Tucker Ingersoll (Arvada, Colo.), Englewood, Colo., playmakers Alijah Landrum-Hamilton (WR) and Karson McKenzie (S/N), linebacker Drew Benassi (Lee's Summit, Mo.) and 290-pound defensive tackle Kingston Beyer from Fort Worth, Texas.

The school has four more "solid" commits who have yet to make their announcement public, according to a source familiar with the situation, with potentially an additional four more to follow in the coming weeks. That list includes three safeties, a defensive end and tackle, along with an offensive lineman.

Two, that same source added, are "local products."

When the dust settles this summer, the total number of potential Cowboys could reach 15, "by far" the most this early in the recruiting cycle during the Sawvel era. The third-year head coach has often said most high school recruits sign on the dotted line after visiting campus and attending a game inside War Memorial Stadium.

Wyoming's known commits have bumped the 2027 class, so far, up to 96th nationally out of 138 FBS programs. UNLV (59), North Dakota State (89) and New Mexico (90) are rated higher. The rest of the Mountain West ranks like this: Hawaii (97), San Jose State (100), Nevada (103), Northern Illinois (118) and Air Force (N/A).