Tavon Austin, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back with blazing speed, made a verbal commitment Tuesday to play football at West Virginia.

Austin, who led Baltimore's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School to three consecutive state championships, owns Maryland's career records for points (790), touchdowns (123), rushing yards (7,460) and total yards (9,258).

Rated the No. 7 running back recruit in the nation by Scout.com, Austin led Dunbar to an 11-1 record and its third straight state Class 1A championship while gaining 3,637 all-purpose yards and scoring 228 points.

He picked West Virginia over North Carolina, Michigan and Maryland and said he had 16 scholarship offers.

"It felt like home. I fell in love with the place," Austin said of his visit to Morgantown, adding the decision was based on "academics, playing time and a feeling in my gut."

With his stature and speed - he has a 40-yard clocking of 4.47 seconds - Austin fits the Mountaineers' recent mold of small backs with blazing speed. He expects to step right in this fall and get playing time alongside returning starter Noel Devine.

"I expect lots of plays when we're both in the backfield, or one of us is in the slot," said Austin, the Baltimore Sun's three-time Offensive Player of the Year.

Signing day is Feb. 4.

Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.

Tavon Austin, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back with blazing speed, made a verbal commitment Tuesday to play football at West Virginia.

Austin, who led Baltimore's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School to three consecutive state championships, owns Maryland's career records for points (790), touchdowns (123), rushing yards (7,460) and total yards (9,258).

Rated the No. 7 running back recruit in the nation by Scout.com, Austin led Dunbar to an 11-1 record and its third straight state Class 1A championship while gaining 3,637 all-purpose yards and scoring 228 points.

He picked West Virginia over North Carolina, Michigan and Maryland and said he had 16 scholarship offers.

"It felt like home. I fell in love with the place," Austin said of his visit to Morgantown, adding the decision was based on "academics, playing time and a feeling in my gut."

With his stature and speed - he has a 40-yard clocking of 4.47 seconds - Austin fits the Mountaineers' recent mold of small backs with blazing speed. He expects to step right in this fall and get playing time alongside returning starter Noel Devine.

"I expect lots of plays when we're both in the backfield, or one of us is in the slot," said Austin, the Baltimore Sun's three-time Offensive Player of the Year.

Signing day is Feb. 4.

Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.