Port Huron Northern football's Luke Fletcher commits to Eastern Michigan

One of the Blue Water Area's top high school football players has taken the next step in his career. 

Port Huron Northern's Luke Fletcher verbally committed to Eastern Michigan University on Tuesday. The junior defensive end made the announcement on Twitter.

"It really feels like home," Fletcher said. "It's close to home and I feel like the staff there, in particular, really cares about me as a player and as a person. There's a general sense of family there amongst the team that I really haven't seen at many other places. So I felt that it was the best option for me."

Fletcher had no shortage of options. He received offers from 10 different Division 1 schools from Feb. 22-May 3. That list included programs such as Louisville, Air Force and Central Michigan. Many of the pitches were similar, however, with the Eagles being the lone exception.

"That's where Eastern Michigan stood out," Fletcher said. "And the fact that they were my first offer. They really took an interest in me before any of these other schools really jumped on the bandwagon. That was another key factor in my decision."

While the program's early belief in him helped, it was also the culture instilled by coach Chris Creighton that played a role.

"What he's built there is really impressive," Fletcher said. "When he came in, they were one of the worst teams in college football. And they've turned that around to where now they're a serious contender for the (Mid-American Conference) title."

Fletcher visited Eastern Michigan three times before Tuesday's decision. Those trips were sandwiched in between others across the country. While he enjoyed the overall recruiting experience, it was a constant rollercoaster.

"There are a lot of obligations that come with that process," Fletcher said. "You have to go out of your way to really put yourself out there, always be responding to coaches and worried about, 'Where am I visiting next?' It's good to see it all, but there's a lot that goes with that. It's definitely a weight being lifted off my shoulders in that regard."

With a verbal commitment solidified, the 6-foot-3, 228-pound pass rusher will shift focus to his senior season at Northern. The Huskies finished with an 8-3 record last year, the fourth time in the last five seasons they'd won at least eight games.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how a lot of these younger guys are going to develop," Fletcher said. "Because we have a lot of young talent this year. I believe this team's potential is really high — maybe even higher than last year. We'll see."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.