Searching for a defensive tackle to bring into his program, Urban Meyer, coach of the national champion Florida Gators, placed a call to Mission Hills High senior Eddie Nuckols last week.

But the call came too late, as the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Nuckols has given an oral commitment to play football next season at Colorado, he confirmed Tuesday.

"I thought the school was great," Nuckols said after visiting Colorado. "The campus and the surroundings were the most amazing thing I'd ever seen."

Nuckols had narrowed his choices to Colorado and Arizona before choosing the Buffaloes. The call from Florida came too late to consider.

"Eddie will be a gem in college," said Mission Hills football coach Chris Hauser. "When he was 100 percent healthy at the end of the season, he was a run-stopping force.

"Colorado likes athletes, and Eddie is athletic enough to play either defensive tackle or the nose. And he can play either tackle -- left or right.

"Because he has the ability to play on different fronts, he should be in the mix for playing time early there."

Colorado has a number of former North County players on the roster, including starting center Daniel Sanders (El Camino), starting tailback Demetrius Sumler (Cathedral Catholic), starting defensive end Marquez Herrod (San Pasqual), receiver Cody Crawford (Torrey Pines), tight end Ryan Deehan (Poway) and defensive back Vince Ewing (Carlsbad).

Nuckols ran into academic problems at the end of his junior year and was ineligible for part of the season.

"But that's behind him," Hauser said. "I so proud of him and happy for him because he posted a great score on the SAT exam and had a great semester in the classroom.

"Honestly, I think the guy will have a great career."

Hauser said Mission Hills quarterback DJ Zapata has visited Montana and Nevada, running back Eddy Sihavong is leaning toward Columbia and running back/defensive back Zach McMaster is considering Southern Utah and Villanova.

Elsewhere on the recruiting trail:

< La Costa Canyon's Jackie Candelaria, one of the top girls lacrosse players in the country, has signed to play at Stanford. She was the MVP of the 2007 and 2008 CIF San Diego Section championship games and carries a 4.2 grade-point average. She chose Stanford over California, Duke and Johns Hopkins.

< Mission Hills goalie Abby Monroe has committed to play women's soccer at NCAA Division II Dixie State in St. George, Utah. She also considered New Mexico Highlands.

< Brittany Hulett of Poway has signed to play softball at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

< Ashley Lane has signed to play softball at Michigan. The Escondido senior plans to major in kinesiology.

< Taylor Rae Fiehler of Valley Center has signed to play women's lacrosse for a new program at Fresno State.

< Hayden Schuette, Victoria Adelhelm and Natalie Sun of Santa Fe Christian have all signed to play in college next season. Schutte has signed with the University of Denver to play men's lacrosse. He was a second-team All-San Diego Section selection last season. Adelhelm, a first-team all-section pick, has signed to play women's volleyball at Pepperdine. Sun, a first-team all-section women's soccer player, has signed with NAIA power Azusa Pacific.

< Speedy outfielder Ashton Corley of San Pasqual has signed to play softball at Bloomfield College in New Jersey. Bloomfield is an NCAA Division II school.

< Pitchers Bennett Parry of Poway and Alex Muren of Ramona have signed to play baseball next season at Cal State Northridge.

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com.