10 hours ago
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Latest chatter from huge June visits
There is so much happening through June that a second Recruiting Rumor Mill was needed this week, if not a third, fourth and fifth. Here's the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney.
RIVALS FIVE-STAR EVENT: Roster | Big Ten teams in spotlight | Key QB storylines | Key RB storylines | Key WR storylines | Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy
MORE GORNEY: Elite 11 opening night | Breaking down the 10 biggest commits from the weekend
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
Alabama linebackers coach Chuck Morrell had a detailed plan from the second Abrams stepped in the door over the weekend in Tuscaloosa and it was the best visit he's been on through his recruitment. The four-star linebacker from Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh isn't giving away any hints and still says each of his finalists – Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Oregon – have a 25 percent chance of landing him.
Advertisement
But the Crimson Tide, from the staff to the players to the development, made a big impression on him and that could help as decision gets draws near.
The three-star tight end has been taking important visits and landing offers as the Agyemang has more than two dozen offers now but three programs are in the running ahead of his July 1 commitment.
NC State, Duke and Georgia Tech are the standouts for the Marietta (Ga.) Kelly standout with days before he commits.
The 2028 offensive tackle from West Des Moines (Iowa) Dowling has a ways to go in his recruitment but Iowa is already shaping up to be tough to beat. Barrett has 'very high' interest in the Hawkeyes after another great visit there where he talked to position coach George Barnett about what Iowa looks for in its offensive lineman and he spent time with the players, too.
Advertisement
Iowa State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Alabama are others involved but Iowa is setting the pace.
Alabama, Michigan and Oklahoma are the three standouts for the 2027 three-star receiver from Belleville, Mich., and maybe it will be nearly impossible to beat the Wolverines for him, but the Crimson Tide are trying.
Britton loves how position coach JaMarcus Shephard coached him during summer camp and an offer from the Crimson Tide is big as he's already planning a return trip to Tuscaloosa.
But Michigan kids often end up in Ann Arbor and the Wolverines are another one of his three favorites.
His dad by the same name played at Nebraska so if the Huskers offer it would be something to monitor but right now the four schools standing out to the 2027 four-star running back from Colleyville (Texas) Covenant Christian Academy are Iowa, Ole Miss, SMU and Arkansas.
Advertisement
A recent visit and offer from the Hawkeyes was huge as he sees the entire program as a 'brotherhood' and that made a big impact early on.
The 2027 athlete from Buford, Ga., just landed an offer from Georgia after summer camp and the Bulldogs could already be tough to beat although there will be other serious competition.
Florida is definitely a team to watch with Cantrell along with Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Indiana. But Georgia is the 'hometown team' and if the Dawgs keep up the momentum in recruiting him then they will be tough to beat.
The No. 1 running back from Jackson, Ala., had an excellent visit to Auburn over the weekend where he learned new things about the offensive scheme and how they use running backs in the passing game but it still might not be enough.
Advertisement
Alabama has led for a long time and it still feels like the Crimson Tide are edging out others in his recruitment.
Florida State and Georgia have been the mainstays in Fielder's early recruitment and now Alabama will be watched closely by the 2028 offensive tackle from Carrollton, Ga. Fielder loved his interactions with coach Kalen DeBoer and especially position coach Chris Kapilovic as Alabama becomes a major contender in his recruitment.
The Seminoles and the Bulldogs lead but now Alabama, Nebraska, Miami and Ohio State are under watch.
Fleming lined up visits to Oklahoma, Auburn and Alabama and landed offers from all of them as the 2028 offensive tackle from Huntsville, Ala., sees his recruitment take off early on. There are other programs that Fleming is interested in seeing but first he's going to focus on his season as the Crimson Tide could have an early edge. He loved working out at camp and the 'entire coaching staff' was hands-on in Tuscaloosa.
Maybe Ohio State is too far ahead or the pull from Ole Miss or LSU keeps Geralds in the South but Oregon blew away the high four-star defensive tackle. It was a 'crazy experience' for Geralds in Eugene as he loved talking with coach Dan Lanning at his place as the consideration has to come 'from a football side and a business side' when it comes to the Ducks.
Advertisement
Being coached by Lanning, Tosh Lupoi and Tony Tuioti is very tempting and has given him something serious to consider.
Georgia 'definitely moved up' and 'it's really close' in his recruitment with the Bulldogs making a move on Florida, which has been considered the leader for a long time. The Gators probably close here and it would be a surprise if they don't.
But the four-star cornerback from Cocoa, Fla., has now taken great back-to-back visits to Syracuse and Georgia.
It should be a battle to the end for the four-star edge rusher as Oklahoma has led for some time but he had a great visit to Ohio State, Florida could be surging for the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout and now Kreul is coming off a great visit to Texas.
Advertisement
The Longhorns are 'high on my list' because Kreul loves the energy and the super high expectations throughout the program. He believes it's a place that fits him well.
After his weekend visit to Texas A&M, the Aggies will be 'battling for the No. 1 spot' in his recruitment. It was that good in College Station as everyone 'from the janitors to the head coach' brought him in with open arms.
The four-star receiver from Leakesville (Miss.) Greene County also has Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss battling right at the top.
The four-star cornerback from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough is highly complimentary of each visit but Texas has surged in his recruitment and is right there with South Carolina and Florida State atop his list.
Advertisement
There could be a significant NIL play here, too, but what Matthews likes most about Texas is this: He wants to be pushed to be the greatest he can be on and off the field and that's what coach Steve Sarkisian has promised he'd do.
The high three-star receiver ended up not taking his Arkansas official visit last weekend and now Okwufulueze is preparing for his trip to TCU this weekend before decision time.
The Horned Frogs are 'standing out the most for sure' so it wouldn't be a surprise if the Owasso (Okla.) Rejoice Christian School standout leaves Fort Worth committed.
The four-star tight end from Great Bend, Kan., could 'definitely see himself playing' at Iowa State and that has been the rumor – that the Cyclones lead in his recruitment. But Notre Dame could be surging and Kansas is right there as well.
Advertisement
Premer feels really welcome in Ames. It reminds him of home a little bit and he spent a ton of time with the coaches and players, which was a big selling point as well.
His brother, Gene, is committed to Iowa and now the 2027 prospect from Hinsdale (Ill.) Hinsdale Central just got offered by the Hawkeyes so that's a considerable deal as well. Riordan spent a lot of time with position coach Kelvin Bell and he loves the consistency of message from the Hawkeyes' staff about development, teamwork and community.
There is a significant Big Ten feel to his recruitment with Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana leading the way with Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota visits coming up this fall.
LSU is going to be a major player for the 2027 high four-star receiver from New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin especially as position coach Cortez Hankton hit Royal up right at midnight when coaches could reach out to 2027 prospects.
Advertisement
The Tigers are right there but the message from Texas was that they're the new WRU and that was clearly a message being sent to the Louisiana prospect as well.
Louisville and Ole Miss are two others to watch early on.
USC seems to have taken the lead for Stokes and his visit to campus earlier this week only solidified the Trojans at the top of the list. The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout loved working with coach Lincoln Riley, doing film work with position coach Anthony Jones Jr. and having all those resources right in his backyard.
Oregon would be the biggest threat to USC right now in his recruitment.
The former Missouri commit visited Colorado over the weekend and he loved it as the Buffaloes have emerged as the top team in his recruitment. The coaches laid out that Tims could be an early contributor there and he loved how 'it's not just talk over there, it's action' as the three-star safety from Seffner (Fla.) Armwood looks at his recruitment.
Advertisement
Louisville, Georgia and Miami are the others to watch.
Maybe South Carolina is too far ahead to be beaten as Georgia tries to land the four-star defensive back from Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern. That part of the state has been a serving ground for the Gamecocks so that will be something to watch but Texas A&M blew him away over the weekend.
The Aggies made a 'big jump' for Watkins over the weekend but it's not clear if it's enough to take over South Carolina yet.
Nebraska and possibly others are working very hard to flip the four-star edge rusher from Miami (Fla.) Southridge and it has looked like there is significant interest in making a change.
Advertisement
But Wilson was back at Syracuse over the weekend and that was crucial. The Cuse coaching staff made it clear he's a top priority and pushed for him to stay locked in and right now there have been no changes.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH SYRACUSE FANS AT
Miami was the first program to reach out to the 2027 five-star cornerback when coaches could text and call those players earlier this week. Penn State, Louisville, Auburn, Notre Dame, UCLA, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio State, Texas and so many others got involved shortly after.
But USC remains the team to beat and could be very difficult to overcome as Williams, his father and others are very close with Trojans position coach Trovon Reed.
