Tragedy in Dallas puts commitment on hold
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Friday was supposed to be a time to celebrate for Iowa running back recruit Eno Benjamin.
The Hawkeyes were expected to add another member to their 2017 recruiting class on Friday and Benjamin was looking forward to congratulating his future college teammate.
The Wylie, Texas native even promoted the expected commitment on Thursday by telling Hawkeye Nation on Twitter to be on the lookout tomorrow in reference to Friday.
By Thursday evening, though, the circumstances had changed in the wake of the ambush in Dallas in which five police officers were shot and killed by a lone gunman.
“It’s different,” said Benjamin, whose hometown is approximately 25 miles northeast of Dallas. “This always happens around the world, but for this to happen in a spot that’s down the street from everyone is devastating.”
Dallas native Chevin Calloway, who plays defensive back and has over 30 scholarship offers, was expected to be the player to commit to Iowa on Friday. Benjamin has been actively recruiting his fellow four-star recruit from nearby in Texas on social media.
“The player who was supposed to be coming today has a heavy heart,” Benjamin said without identifying the player. “Doesn’t feel comfortable doing it while this situation is going on in Dallas. So he will move it back.”
Iowa currently has 14 players committed to its 2017 recruiting class, including four from Texas, all of whom live near Dallas.
A gunman shot police ambush-style as protesters marched in downtown Dallas late Thursday against the fatal police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota.
The gunman reportedly told police before he was killed that he was upset with the incidents in Louisiana and Minnesota and that he wanted to kill white people, or more specifically, white police officers.
Tyler Devine contributed to this article