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SMU joined five Power 5 programs in the top list for a three-star edge rusher in Flower Mound's Stone Eby.
Flower Mound, Texas, three-star defensive end Stone Eby has 15 reported offers, and SMU was one of his first offers.
On Monday, Eby trimmed his list in half and announced his eight schools. SMU made the cut, along with Power 5 programs Baylor, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Purdue and Washington State. In-state schools Rice and Stephen F. Austin also made the list.
Eby has been on the SMU campus multiple times and was offered by the Mustangs on Jan. 24. He has been in touch with defensive line coach Randall Joyner for several months, and he's a fan of everything the program has to offer.
"They are close to home and have something I would like to be a part of," Eby told The HillTopics.
At 6-4 and 245 pounds, Eby is an athletic pass rusher who earned all-district accolades after registering 78 tackles (22.5 for loss), six sacks and six pass deflections.
His athleticism is shown here in this recent video.
In an interview late last month with The HillTopics, Eby said SMU checks all of the boxes, athletically, academically and from a postgraduate perspective.
"I love the culture and the family vibe," he said. "[I like] how the coaches are for the players."
The idea of announcing a top eight on Monday also has been in the plans for Eby for a few days. He said he wanted to do it on Memorial Day in an effort to pay homage to those who have served the country.
"I just wanted to show respect to all the men and women who have served and passed away," he said.
A commitment date, Eby said, still hasn't been set, and all eight schools are in the running for landing him.
