Few schools have sent as much talent to USF in the Big East era as Cape Coral High has, and that tradition will continue in 2011, as Edsel Caprice, a standout defensive end likely to be a strongside linebacker in college, committed to the Bulls on Thursday.

"I felt like that was where I fit in best, and it's close enough to home that my family can come to all the home games," said Caprice, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds.

He chose the Bulls over North Carolina, having made a campus visit to Tampa this week. As recently as last week, he had said he was favoring the Tar Heels, but the visit won him over. He's actually the second Cape Coral player to choose the Bulls in the past week, following receiver Spencer Boyd, who is transferring to USF after spending the spring at Notre Dame.

Caprice will follow in the footsteps of other Cape Coral grads like receiver Taurus Johnson and safety Nate Allen, both now in NFL camps. He's the seventh commitment toward USF's 2011 recruiting class, continuing a trend of choosing speed over size on the defensive side of the ball.

He's played defensive end in high school, but said he expects to ease his transition to linebacker by playing that position in some packages this fall. His top five before he narrowed his choices to UNC and USF also included West Virginia, Wake Forest and Kentucky.

Caprice announced his decision without saying a word, posting the cover of USF's football media guide to his page at Facebook.com. His announcement came hours after reports broke that the NCAA was investigating UNC's football program, though he said that had "nothing to do with" his choice.

He's rated as a three-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, and Rivals ranks him as the No. 41 outside linebacker prospect in his class, as well as the No. 82 recruit overall in the state of Florida for 2011.

Of USF's four defensive commitments for 2011, none weigh more than 205 pounds -- Caprice joins Sebring's Zack Bullock (6-3, 205), Tallahassee safety Chris Garye Jr. (6-3, 205) and Pahokee safety Rontavious Atkins (6-1, 190).