MAYS LANDING – Oakcrest High School junior Brandon Bell continues to attract attention from the country’s top tier collegiate football programs. The Falcons standout linebacker is expected to receive a full scholarship offer from the University of Connecticut today, according to Michael O’Brien, Oakcrest’s Director of Football Information.

Bell, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound playmaker, already holds a scholarship offer from Northwestern University.

Both Connecticut and Northwestern field NCAA Division-1 football programs. Connecticut competes in the Big East Conference with the likes of Louisville, South Florida and Rutgers University. Northwestern is a member of the Big Ten Conference, which includes University of Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State.

Bell has blossomed into one of the more highly-touted members of New Jersey’s football recruiting class of 2013. Rivals.com, one of nation’s premier recruiting websites, ranks him at No. 17 on the list of the state’s top junior players.

While he is widely being recruited as an inside linebacker, Bell made a big impact as an offensive weapon for Oakcrest in 2011. He accounted for 429 rushing yards and scored a team-high nine touchdowns, according the team’s website.

Bell churned out 171 yards in a Nov. 11 playoff loss to Moorestown. He rushed for 130 yards on Oct. 28 to lead the Falcons to a 55-0 victory over Pleasantville.

Defensively, Bell was an absolute lynchpin in the middle of Oakcrest’s attack. He led the Falcons with 117 tackles (averaging nearly 12 per contest), racked up a team-high six sacks and scored two defensive touchdowns during his breakout junior campaign.

Coach Chuck Smith’s Oakcrest program finished the season 5-5 in 2011.

Expect Bell’s recruitment to speed up during the summer, when most D-1 programs begin to really key in on prospects entering their senior season. He will have plenty of time to consider options before making a decision on National Signing Day, which takes place in early February of 2013.

Aside from Connecticut and Northwestern, Bell is also being considered by Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers and Temple, according to Rivals.com.

To see the Oakcrest star in action, click play on the embedded Youtube highlight video.