By Hale McGranahan.

SHELBY, N.C. – Justin Foster wanted his future to be in basketball. But after an impressive sophomore season, football has taken the lead.

“At first, I was in love with basketball,” Foster told TheClemsonInsider, during an on location interview at Crest High School.

“Then there was football,” he said. “I got playing and I started falling more in love with football when I started getting offers and everything.”

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound outside linebacker is closing in on 10 offers: Clemson,

UNC, Tennessee, Duke, N.C. State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

“It’s exciting to be a sophomore with this many offers,” Foster said. “We just won state. A sophomore starting in the game, making big plays, it’s really exciting. Just got to keep it up and keep working hard.”

Clemson had him on campus twice last month. First, to watch practice, and again a few days later for the spring game.

“I wanted to get up there and see aroud, see what the players actually do and visit with the coaches and everything,” Foster said. “When I went up there (for practice), I got a personal tour of where the football players are and the academic center.

“Everyone explained everything real in-depth, unlike what you would get at a junior day with a big group of people. And I got to watch their practice that Monday, too.”

The spring game was a bit of a family affair.

“My older sister goes to Clemson and we just went down there with the family, just chilled and watched the game,” he said. “My mom and grandmother like Clemson a lot.”

UNC, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest also had Foster in for visits this spring. He hopes to visit Vanderbilt and Georgia this summer.