C.J. Odom said he doesn’t like to settle for anything less than the best.

So after surveying scholarship offers from several Division II schools, Odom said he decided to “take his chances” with WKU.

Odom, a former Miami (Fla.) commit, told the Herald Thursday that he has chosen to walk on at WKU. He’s already enrolled at the school and taking classes.

“Coach (Willie) Taggart makes it clear that everybody’s competing for a job,” Odom said. “I have no doubt that I can come in and make an impact.”

Odom was rated a two-star safety prospect by Rivals.com when he signed with Miami as a senior at Fort Myers (Fla.) High School in 2008. He instead headed to East Mississippi Community College, where he spent two seasons.

Odom is the cousin of WKU freshman wide receiver Joel German, which created the connection to the Toppers.

He said he was immediately impressed by WKU’s coaching staff, as well as its philosophy that starting jobs are meant to be competitive.

“That’s the one thing I like about this program,” Odom said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior — the best guy is going to win the spot. That’s one thing that got my attention. I feel like I can come in and make a big difference.”

Odom said two of his biggest strengths are driving off big hits and covering lots of ground quickly on the field. He said he’ll making the switch from safety to linebacker at WKU, which will provide a welcomed challenge.

“I think that that leaves a lot of room for learning as well,” he said.