Marietta (Ga.) Walton junior Cason Henry has seen a good flow in his recruitment the last few months. Akron pulled the trigger first late in August. Then in October, Coastal Carolina, Louisville and Purdue offered. In November, Cincinnati and Kansas added their names to the list.

Then Henry closed out 2020 with offers from Michigan State and Mississippi State, and the first two offers in 2021 have come from Georgia Tech and Virginia to push his offers to 12.

He has continued to pull in offers from the likes of East Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

The 6-foot-6, 280 pound offensive tackle is taking it all in stride.

"It has been going nice and steady," said Henry. "Some schools, like Mississippi State, Louisville and Georgia Tech were showing interest before, but most of the offers have come as big surprises.

"I am just talking to the coaches, building relationships and getting to know the guys that are recruiting me now. I am looking forward to taking visits once the dead period is over."

In a normal year, Henry said his recruitment could have already been over with. He now is taking things day to day.

"If COVID-19 would not have hit, I honestly think I would be committed already. I am almost done with my junior year, and it is still too early to even have top schools because of COVID-19, and us not being able to visit.

"As late as it seems, it still feels too early to have top schools. The offers are coming in, we can't visits schools, and I am still taking it slow."

Although visits have been banned since mid March, and the dead period is extended until at least June 1, the three-star has been on campuses in Atlanta and Chapel Hill.

His mother attended Georgia Tech and his father went spent time on the Flats for graduate school, so he is familiar with the local school.

"I have those family connections to Georgia Tech, and it is close, so those things are nice. They are known for their academic prowess nationwide too, and that is important to me, so I like that a lot.

"I also have gotten to know coach Brent Key, and he is very down to earth, and his energy level is like the head coach, coach Collins'."

Stacy Searels, the offensive line coach for the Tar Heels has done a nice job connecting with Henry too. Those two have been in regular contact the last few months.

"I have grown up around men a lot like coach Searels. He is easy to relate to, he is easy to talk to, and I am a big fan of his and North Carolina. I have been there before, and the campus is beautiful, I know they could set me up after football, and I just love the program."

A few other schools have caught his attention as well.

"Mississippi State, Virginia and Michigan State are definitely on my radar too," said Henry. "Coach Mason Miller at Mississippi State is from Walton, so we have that connection, and he is just another great guy. It is not always about football with him, we have some common ground and he does stand out.

"Michigan State is a school I grew up watching in Big Ten, and I know they have a really good medical program. I want to go into pre-medicine, so that is something I am looking into with each school. They play great competition, they have good rivalries and it is a great school.

"Virginia is a hell of a school. It is a great mix of academics and football, so that really stands out. It is a lot like North Carolina for me with what they have to offer as a school."

If you couldn't already tell, Henry is not all about football first. He knows the game will come to an end at some point, and he wants to be ready when that time comes.

That will way heavy into his decisions moving forward.

"It is about the perfect mix for me. It is not all about the NFL. Even if I did make it there, it would not last forever. I want to go to a school that offers a great balance of academics and football. That is what I am looking for.

"I am just waiting now to get out to see different schools to find that perfect opportunity for me. I haven't seen too many places yet, but once visits are allowed, I want to get out, explore different schools and find that perfect mix that is what I am looking for."