Aaron Butler, nation’s No. 6 athlete, sets commitment date; Georgia, Colorado, Oregon among contenders

California is always a priority state for college football programs around the country, particularly on the West Coast.

But the 2024 recruiting cycle may wind up being special, as 13 of the nation's top 101 prospects reside in "The Golden State" - five more than in 2023. 

One of the biggest names to watch is Calabasas (California) star Aaron Butler, the nation's No. 6 athlete and No. 42 overall prospect.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound two-way standout projects at either wide receiver or cornerback at the collegiate level and his versatility jumps off the page.

As a junior, Butler turned 40 offensive touches (38 receptions, 2 carries) into 890 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 22.3 yards per attempt and a score every 2.7 times he touched the football.

The Deebo Samuel-like playmaker may have an even higher projection on the defensive side of the ball as a modern outside corner given his blend of length and speed. 

Unsurprisingly, Butler is being coveted by many of the nation's top programs, as he's racked up 30 offers, highlighted by Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and Washington.

This week, the Calabasas star (and one-time USC pledge) told SBLive Sports that he has set his commitment date.

“My commitment will be coming July 22," Butler said. "It’s my birthday. I turn 18 — 18 years of learning, 18 years of putting in hard work and dedication to get to that point. I think it will be great to commit on my birthday in front of a lot of family and coaches.”

“The summer was the timeline I wanted to commit, because I wanted to play my senior year not thinking about any recruitment, just grinding and training.”

>>> Prediction: Where will Aaron Butler choose during his summer commitment? 

Butler is still weighing his options, but believes he’s got a few finalists sorted out so far.

He said he thinks Alabama, Colorado, Georgia and Oregon will make his cut, but is still strongly considering many schools - and that includes adding visits to his schedule.

Currently, Butler intends to visit Alabama on March 3 with a tentative March 17-18 trip to Colorado in the works and others still being discussed. 

Beyond that, a lot remains up in the air - his future position, his travel plans this spring, his finalists. 

But his commitment date is set.

July 22 will be the day.

Scouting report (via 247Sports' Greg Biggins) 

"Butler is a dangerous two-way player who could end up at corner or receiver in college. When he initially committed to USC, the thought was he was going in to play corner. He definitely has a corner skill set and plays with a defensive mentality. He’s physical player and has a lot of nastiness in his game. Whether he’s blocking or jamming a receiver, he’s looking to physically dominate his opponent and will often stay on his block until he puts him in the ground or off the field. He has both short area quickness and long speed and it will be interesting to see what kind of times Butler can put up on the track this spring. As a receiver, he has really impressed and is a threat to score every time he touches the football. He plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and has an edge in his game that reminds us a little of former LB Poly and current NE Patriot DB Jack Jones. He needs to keep his emotions in check but his upside is extremely high."