Recruiting Rumor Mill: Latest intel on dozens of top prospects

Yahoo

05-06-2025

The first weekend of official visits was so massive that a second Recruiting Rumor Mill was definitely needed and this is the biggest one yet from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney.
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What stood out most to Bach during his Kansas visit over the weekend was all the development being done to the program, that every facility is brand-new and the message from the coaches being that the tight end room is older so he can step in and have a big, early opportunity.
Kansas State might have the slightest edge but Kansas and TCU round out his top three.
Michigan, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M and Penn State are the four finalists for Barney, who commits on July 5, and the word has been that the Aggies are the front-runner. But the Erie, Pa., native, who's now playing in Carrollton, Ga., had a great visit to Penn State recently and his weekend trip to Georgia Tech couldn't have been better.
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The comfort level he has 'every single time' he's there and the message that he's needed in that program resonated.
Georgia Tech has emerged as the front-runner for the high three-star QB from Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More, especially after a great weekend visit. But Colorado just offered after he threw for that coaching staff and he's going to FAU this weekend. Oklahoma State and UCLA are getting involved.
The Yellow Jackets lead but now there's more competition.
Bywater 'can't say enough good things' about his weekend visit to Utah as the Utes are going to be very tough to beat in his recruitment, especially after this visit. The three-star defensive end from Salt Lake City (Utah) Olympus loved the attention to detail on everything and how the coaching staff has treated him throughout the recruiting process.
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Boise State and BYU are the other contenders but the Utes are in front.
A battle between Florida and Georgia is raging for the high three-star offensive tackle from St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood.
'Really everything' stood out to Campbell during his trip to Athens as the Bulldogs are now 'extremely high' in his recruitment, especially since the coaching staff made it clear that he's a top priority along the offensive line.
A classic SEC East battle is brewing here.
After early overtures from Georgia have tailed off, Carbin is focused on others and Mississippi State could be the team to watch. The high three-star edge rusher from Powder Springs (Ga.) Hillgrove was in Starkville over the weekend and loves coach Jeff Lebby and the attention he's getting from him. He believes the Bulldogs are 'really going to flip this thing around.'
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Georgia Tech, Baylor, Virginia Tech and Louisville are the others to watch but Mississippi State is out front.
The four-star receiver from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County remains committed to Auburn but Georgia is pushing hard and he had a great visit to Athens over the weekend. The 'detailed way' the coaching staff broke down the development of their receivers and who they produced was a big bonus.
The message from position coach James Coley was clear: 'He wants me in that WR room no matter how or when we make it happen.'
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A battle between North Carolina and Florida State is raging for the big four-star receiver from Jackson, Ala.
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The Seminoles have been there for a long time but Chapman felt 'like I was at home' during his weekend visit to Chapel Hill and the coaching staff told him he'd see the field as a freshman. A two-team race has emerged.
Getting Cotton out of the SEC might be tough with Mississippi State, LSU and Kentucky leading the way for the big four-star receiver from Grenada, Miss., but NC State has legitimately entered the picture here.
How the coaching staff made him feel at home in Raleigh was a big deal and they 'turned the tables in a good way' as NC State has now definitely moved into the conversation for him.
Indiana, Michigan and Ole Miss have been the mainstays for the 2027 four-star quarterback and the Cheshire (Conn.) Cheshire Academy standout could be looking at an early commitment. However, Oregon now will be under serious consideration.
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The Wolverines could have a tough lead to overcome but after spending time with Oregon OC Will Stein over the weekend, landing an offer and seeing everything the Ducks have in Eugene, they could be under much more serious consideration now.
A long list remains for the high four-star cornerback from Fort Mill (S.C.) Catawba Ridge with Duke, South Carolina, Texas, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami, Florida and Alabama.
Tennessee will be one to watch as he loves the relationships in Knoxville since they offered during his freshman year.
A new offer from Clemson is also one to watch as he wants to visit soon after getting the new offer.
Just a few weeks ago, it looked like Ole Miss was by far the team to beat for Duckworth and the Rebels could still win out here but his recruitment has gotten murkier.
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South Carolina is making another major play for the Jackson, Ala., standout who had been committed to the Gamecocks.
Auburn has seriously entered the picture, as coach Hugh Freeze had him on campus over the weekend and Duckworth loved it. He also feels having Jackson Arnold and Deuce Knight in the same QB room is a bonus, not a hindrance, to his development.
Alabama remains the top program on Edwards' list and second is Oregon. If the Ducks get even more involved in his recruitment things could get interesting with the five-star safety from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances.
Auburn made a significant move for Edwards during his visit over the weekend and he has a connection with a bunch of people in the building, but it would be a surprise if the Tigers overtook Alabama right now.
Big visits remain to Notre Dame, Georgia and Penn State before Fogle makes his decision but a weekend trip to LSU has the high three-star tight end from Lexington, Ohio, thinking a whole lot.
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He loves how the coaches and staff are locked in. He feels like a major priority in Baton Rouge and the attention to detail in everything LSU does impressed his family.
The 2027 four-star cornerback from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy loved his time at Texas and landed an offer from the Longhorns but he needs to keep building his relationship with the staff if the Longhorns are going to join his lengthy list of favorites.
Georgia, Washington, Tennessee, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas A&M are among the leaders.
Ohio State might be too tough to overcome as the Buckeyes have had the lead in his recruitment but LSU definitely has Geralds thinking a lot after his weekend visit to Baton Rouge.
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The four-star defensive tackle, who's playing at Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill, lived there for a good portion of his life. He's familiar with the program and its history so the temptation to return to Baton Rouge and help deliver another national championship is more than tempting.
South Carolina and Alabama have emerged as the two early favorites but Georgia, Tennessee and a host of others will be involved.
USC is now in the mix for the Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson standout as he had the best private workout with those coaches than anywhere else. The Trojans are a 'top of the top contender' for him and only time will determine if USC can keep up that momentum over many SEC standouts.
Alabama is the front-runner for the former USC four-star linebacker commit and the Crimson Tide could be really tough to beat since he's a legacy there. Ohio State really made a major impression over the weekend though.
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Being coached by 'one of the best linebackers to ever wear the scarlet and gray' in James Laurinitis and being under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and his NFL experience has given him 'a lot to think about.'
Others will be involved on the fringe but the 2027 four-star defensive lineman from Inglewood, Calif., has USC and Oregon as his two front-runners. Harmon lives so close to the USC campus that he can walk there.
His weekend trip to Eugene could not have gone better as he loves the intensity there. The Trojans and Ducks look as if they will battle it out until decision day.
Cal is involved and Harris spent a few days at Texas A&M this week but the word is that Arizona is the No. 1 team on his list following his weekend visit.
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The Wildcats have made a major impression on the new Chandler (Ariz.) Compass Prep four-star defensive tackle and now that he's playing in Arizona, the Wildcats could only solidify their lead.
Georgia continues to surge ahead in Helton's recruitment and after another great visit there this weekend where he loved the 'championship mindset' in everything they do, the Bulldogs are clearly a main contender in his recruitment.
Alabama is also up there (he was once committed to the Crimson Tide) and now Georgia Tech is also making a serious play for the four-star interior OL from Carrollton, Ga.
The 2027 four-star linebacker from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit admits that it's still early in his recruitment but a visit to Tennessee this weekend definitely made an impression. The pitch was that if he wants to excel in the SEC then Knoxville is the place to be.
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Miami is another one of his top contenders. LSU, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, Alabama and USC are also high.
A lot is happening in Jackson's recruitment following his decommitment from Florida as the Gators are working to get him back. Miami is trying to keep him in-state, Oregon wowed him on his visit and Nebraska is considered a dark horse.
Enter LSU as the Orlando (Fla.) First Academy four-star corner loved the energy around the program and the history at defensive back. The word is LSU is 'one of the top contenders' for him.
The four-star defensive back from Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin remains committed to Michigan and the thinking has been if a flip comes it would be to Florida since the Gators have made him a priority and he could reunite with former five-star teammate Hylton Stubbs among others.
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But Miami made a big impression over the weekend as he spent a ton of time with coach Mario Cristobal and loves the track record of position coaches Zac Etheridge and Will Harris. The Hurricanes aren't going anywhere in this recruitment.
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Florida and Miami, among others, are battling it out for the four-star from Brunswick, Ga., but it would be a surprise if the Gators didn't lead in this recruitment right now.
Kent loved 'everything' about his recent trip to Gainesville even though he's been there multiple times and he remains a top priority for that coaching staff.
A couple days after visiting TCU and having a great trip with the Horned Frogs, King announced he would commit on July 4. The four-star cornerback from Port Arthur (Texas) Memorial loves how invested everyone is at TCU and coach Sonny Dykes was pouring it on King this weekend, which really left an impression.
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Arkansas and Houston are the others to watch ahead of his decision.
It could be a 'tight-knit race' for the four-star linebacker out of Marietta (Ga.) Kell but Tennessee has been the front-runner for some time in his recruitment.
Rouse was at Alabama over the weekend and he loved seeing the process that the incoming freshmen have to go through, but the Vols still seem like they have a considerable lead.
Did Ohio State just make a significant move in Sutter's recruitment? Alabama has been considered the front-runner and could still be tough to beat but the four-star tight end from Dunlap, Ill., absolutely loved spending time with position coach Keenan Bailey and seeing how he develops tight ends and puts them in the NFL.
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After his visit to Columbus, the word is Ohio State is definitely one of his top teams.
Michigan, Miami and Vanderbilt are among the other favorites for Stewart but it seems like things have drastically changed after his Clemson visit.
'From the second' he stepped on campus, the College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star could feel how the place was different and the messages he got from coach Dabo Swinney and others throughout the weekend made a serious impact on him. The Tigers could be moving up really fast.
As soon as White got to Auburn over the weekend, he had a one-on-one visit with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and that left a big impression on the four-star linebacker from Jackson (Miss.) Jackson Academy.
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After this trip, Auburn is clearly one of the top programs, if not the team to beat. Other trips will happen and Florida State, Tennessee, Mississippi State, North Carolina and others are involved.
Auburn, Ole Miss, Miami and Florida are battling among the top programs for Wilson but Alabama has been the team to beat and remains so after another great visit to Tuscaloosa.
What stood out most to the four-star defensive end from Picayune, Miss., was how the coaching staff treated his whole family and didn't try to sell him on 'NIL or flashy things.'
All those other favorites will get trips but the Crimson Tide are in front.