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Inside linebacker Joel Dublanko has committed to the Cincinnati Bearcats as a part of their 2016 class. The Florida product announced his decision Friday through Twitter.
— Joel Dublanko (@JDublanko29) April 15, 2016
Dublanko comes from the football factory that is IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The 6-foot-3, 227-pound linebacker is a three-star recruit with a composite score of 86.9, according to 247Sports, giving him the highest composite score amongst Cincinnati's 2016 class. He is considered the No. 18 inside linebacker and the No. 71 recruit from the state of Florida in the 2016 class. 247Sports has Dublanko rated with an 87 in their ratings. Rivals has the linebacker rated as a three-star with a 5.5 rating.
Dublanko is a late add to the 2016 class and big-time add at that. The linebacker drew pretty significant interest through the recruiting process. At the time of his commitment to Cincinnati, he had offers from Tennessee, Washington State, Mississippi State, Akron, Montana and Montana State. He was linked to a litany of other big-name schools though, including Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Stanford, TCU, UCLA and USC.
When you watch the tape, you can see why Dublanko is ranked as he is. He's a linebacker that displays good patience in sifting through contact and looks very capable in diagnosing plays. He has good size and a frame that should benefit from a college training program. Dublanko does a great job of breaking down, wrapping up and driving when making tackles and is a physical player. He has the looks of a solid, reliable linebacker and is a great addition to Cincinnati's 2016 class.