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Tulane nabbed perhaps its biggest score of the 2012 recruiting class in the 12th hour. East St. John quarterback/cornerback Darion Monroe switched his verbal commitment from Texas A&M to the Green Wave after a weekend visit to the Uptown campus, several sources said. Monroe will make it official today at 9 a.m. at East St. John with a signature on National Signing Day.

Monroe, a first-team Class 5A All-State selection at quarterback and The New Orleans Times-Picayune’s All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year, is rated the nation’s No. 23 senior cornerback by Rivals.com. He played both positions this past season.

Going into the weekend, Monroe was committed to the Aggies, but the Green Wave — with new coach Curtis Johnson and his staff — changed everything.

Monroe didn’t return a text message Tuesday afternoon. He also was recruited by Georgia Tech as a quarterback. He has visited Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Utah and Arizona State.

But Monroe drew perhaps the greatest praise from an opposing coach this season when East St. John played John Curtis on Sept. 16. Though Patriots Coach J.T. Curtis earned his 495th career win, 27-18 against Monroe and the Wildcats, Curtis didn’t leave the field without marveling about Monroe, who completed 17 of 27 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns that night.

“That No. 6 (Monroe) has got some magic in him,” Curtis said after the game. “He can throw the ball long as well as anybody I’ve played against.’’

Monroe will be part of a hugely New Orleans-derived recruiting class. Of the 16 commitments, 11 are from the area. According to Tulane’s assistant athletic director for football operations/recruiting Doug Lichtenberger, who served as the recruiting coordinator under former coach Bob Toledo, the Green Wave was zeroing in on local talent before Johnson’s hire. But when Johnson, who lives on the West Bank, was hired in December, he immediately reaped on his local ties.

Of the seven recruits who committed to Tulane after Johnson took the job, five are from New Orleans.