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NBC Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Sting Factor: Georgia, Oregon, Ohio State regroup after Cantwell decision
Five-star offensive tackle and No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Cantwell committed to Miami over Georgia, Oregon and Ohio State on Tuesday. Here is a look at the sting factor on a scale of 1-10 for the three programs that didn't land Cantwell. MORE CANTWELL: Miami pulls off a stunner | How often do No. 1 prospects flip from their original commitment? | coverage MORE GORNEY: Recruiting Rumor Mill | Commitment predictions for five-stars CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker Cantwell took his sixth visit to Georgia over the weekend and the feeling was very much that he was crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on his commitment to the Bulldogs, not searching for answers to questions. Coming out of the weekend, the feeling was very strong in Athens that the Bulldogs were way ahead in his recruitment. But so often in recruiting, those final hours before a decision are the most important as Miami won out for his services. Cantwell loved coach Mario Cristobal and position coach Alex Mirabal and felt very close to those guys, a crucial part to the Hurricanes winning out here. A fat NIL is reportedly in place, too, and that can't hurt. Georgia has not ponied up the big bucks like some other programs have in NIL as coach Kirby Smart has leaned on his massive success, national championships and NFL development to curry favor in recruiting. One wonders if this situation makes him rethink that strategy or just get more fed up with the current model. Sting Factor: 9 SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT There is always going to be some serious intrigue between the top players in the country and Ohio State, especially coming off a national championship, and while Cantwell was interested in the Buckeyes it never seemed to get to that serious of a level. The Nixa, Mo., standout had a good relationship with former position coach Justin Frye and only met new OL coach Tyler Bowen once. It went well but there were better relationships established across the country. Ohio State has commitments from four-star in-state standouts Sam Greer and Maxwell Riley and went to Arizona for high three-star Tucker Smith. The Buckeyes will be just fine. Sting Factor: 4 SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT Only a few weeks ago there was some speculation that Oregon could land five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho and Cantwell, and have bookend stars in the coming years. Iheanacho is still very much in the picture for the Ducks and that can soothe a lot of issues as the North Bethesda (Md.) Georgetown Prep standout could make an argument for the No. 1 offensive tackle spot in this class when all is said and done. But it's been a surprisingly rough few weeks for the Ducks, who are not used to losing any recruiting battles. Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis picked Georgia. Four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt picked Ohio State. Four-star Kodi Greene flipped to Washington. Even five-star defensive end Richard Wesley, who committed over the weekend, didn't tell his family it was happening and other visits are still being planned. Oregon needed to land Cantwell since the Ducks can sell the football aspect but also the track considerations in the area and the Nike connections. But it didn't fall into place in the end. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OREGON FANS AT
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Midwest Rumor Mill: Latest buzz from the Buckeye State
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Under Armour All-America camp tour made its Ohio stop over the weekend and Rivals has plenty of updated recruiting rumor mill information to sift through as a result. MORE RUMOR MILLS: Intel coming out of the weekend CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker Abrams had another good performance at camp on Sunday. He tells Rivals that he will visit Alabama, Iowa State, Ohio State and Minnesota for camps this summer. He was offered a couple weeks ago by Northwestern and has continued to steadily collect offers. Advertisement It could be a huge summer ahead for Abrams as new programs enter the mix weekly. Brown caused quite a stir recently when he turned up at Notre Dame for a visit. Despite taking that visit Brown is telling people that he's 100 percent locked in with Ohio State at this point. The history of developing wide receivers and his relationship with coach Brian Hartline will make it very difficult for any program to upset the Buckeyes. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT The Michigan State commit did stop by Ohio State while in Columbus before the camp and the Buckeyes watched him throw last week. However, the Kentwood (Mich.) East signal-caller remains fully locked in with the Spartans. Advertisement The combination of his relationship with the staff, coach Jonathan Smith's offense and the Spartans being in on him from the start makes it tough to see the Buckeyes (or any school) flipping him. But he will continue to get recruited by others after winning camp MVP. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN STATE FANS AT Ervin took home defensive line MVP honors after a terrific day at camp. He's got officials set with Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State and Miami (Ohio). But the one that seemed to excite him most was the visit to Iowa State on June 13. Coach Matt Campbell has done a great job of making the program feel like a family to Ervin and that's carrying a lot of weight. The Cyclones are certainly a program to watch in his recruitment. Guilford backed off his Penn State pledge back in February. Now that he's back on the market, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee will get official visits this summer. He's no longer taking a visit to Purdue and will make a decision after those official visits. Advertisement He's kept things close to the vest but wide receiver usage and the plan to develop the position are two things he'll be looking at closely during the visits. Injaychock was just offered by NC State and Northwestern recently so those are the programs standing out most to him. He's visited Northwestern twice this spring and has built a great relationship with the staff. He's going to camp at Michigan and Ohio State this summer and we'll see where his recruitment goes from there. Johnson picked up an invite to the UA All-America Game after his performance in camp. It's easy to see why so many programs are after him. Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State and USC have officials set. He also has a great relationship with Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles so they remain in the mix. Advertisement Most have this recruitment ending with a commitment to the Buckeyes but there are things Johnson likes about each of his finalists. He's looking for strong development and a brotherhood in college. Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State are early standouts for the 2028 quarterback. He was at Michigan recently for the spring game and the Wolverines continue to impress. It's tough to ignore the similarities between his game and that of current Wolverine Bryce Underwood. Tabron was rocking a Miami towel though and the Hurricanes are among the programs that he's looking forward to learning more about. Michigan State is also in the mix as a local program on the rise.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Big Ten Spotlight: Notable pipelines to high school talent factories
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images A major part of recruiting is coaching staffs getting their foot in the door at high school programs that annually produce multiple high-level, Power Four players. And once a coaching staff can create a pipeline at these high school football factories, it can be one of the biggest built-in recruiting advantages every year. Advertisement This week, we are taking a look at which Power Four programs have an established pipeline at certain high school football factories. Next up is the Big Ten. THIS SERIES: Notable SEC pipelines to high school powerhouses | ACC | Big 12 CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker ORCHARD LAKE (MICH.) ST. MARY'S - MICHIGAN STATE This one is a very unique situation that coach Jonathan Smith would love to see continue as he gets the Michigan State program turned around. There isn't a huge historical component to this pipeline. But the Spartans brought in five prospects from Orchard Lake in the 2025 recruiting class. Advertisement Three-star tight end Jayden Savoury was one of the top prospects in the Spartans' class for 2025 on offense. Three-star linebacker Charles White was one of the best gets for the team on defense. Bryson Williams, a three-star athlete, and offensive lineman Antonio Johnson also signed with the team. Michigan State even landed a preferred walk-on running back from the school with Darrin Jones Jr. Smith hopes to keep this pipeline flowing into the future. The team has already made several offers to underclassmen at the school including early 2027 four-star wide receiver prospect Chad Willis. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN STATE FANS AT CLEVELAND (OHIO) GLENVILLE - OHIO STATE Glenville High School, located in Cleveland, has a large reputation as a major pipeline for Ohio State football. Since 2002, Glenville has produced over 21 Buckeyes, with the highest number of players sent to Ohio State in the last decade among all high schools. Advertisement Notable Tarblooders who went on to wear the scarlet and gray includes Ted Ginn Jr., Donte Whitner, Cardale Jones and Marshon Lattimore. Those are some of the most decorated players in recent Buckeyes history. In more recent years, class of 2023 linebacker Arvell Reese and 2024 cornerback Bryce West signed to play their college football in Columbus. Four-star linebacker Cincere Johnson is a major Buckeyes target for the 2026 recruiting class and hails from Glenville. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT PHILADELPHIA (PENN.) IMHOTEP INSTITUTE CHARTER - PENN STATE © Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Advertisement Imhotep Institute Charter High School has always been good historically to Penn State. However, in recent years the Nittany Lions have had a foothold on talent from the school. There are currently four players on the Penn State roster that are alums of the school. Wide receiver Tyseer Denmark, cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr., defensive end Enai White and linebacker Keon Wylie all made their way to the Nittany Lions. A fifth recent alum of Imhotep, running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman was a class of 2025 four-star signee and will join the team this summer. Imhotep is one of the top football programs in Pennsylvania. James Franklin has made sure that the pipeline to his program has remained open. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT MATER DEI (CALIF.) SANTA ANA - USC © Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images Advertisement There are not going to be many pipelines that are better in the entire country than Mater Dei to USC. Historically, dozens of Mater Dei alumni have played for the Trojans, including several high-profile quarterbacks and NFL Draft picks. Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley and JT Daniels are just three of the quarterbacks that have gone to USC from Mater Dei. Current Detroit Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown came to USC from Mater Dei. Last season, there were five Mater Dei alumni on the USC football roster: Kyron Ware-Hudson, Raesjon Davis, Josiah Zamora, Corey Nerhus and Solomon Tuliaupupu. In the last few cycles, Oregon and Alabama have increased their presence at Mater Dei and slowed down USC's pipeline. But I expect that to turn back to USC's favor with new leadership in the recruiting department. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three Predictions: Tyler Warren, Ohio State, Illinois
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith has three predictions on Tyler Warren's draft stock, Ohio State landing a standout running back and Illinois' efforts with in-state four-star prospects. MORE PREDICTIONS: Portal priorities, pass rushers, Big Ten QBs WHICH METRO AREA PRODUCES THE BEST HS FOOTBALL TALENT? YOU DECIDE CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker PENN STATE TE TYLER WARREN IS A TOP-10 PICK Former Penn State superstar Tyler Warren is one of the best overall football players in this year's NFL Draft. As a tight end he caught 104 passes for 1,233 and eight touchdowns last season. He essentially was the entire passing attack for the Nittany Lions. He is also a devastating run blocker and is so athletic that the team lined him up at Wildcat to rush the ball. Advertisement Warren could be a mismatch nightmare in the NFL for a creative offensive coaching staff. That type of potential should help him shoot up draft boards and be one of the first 10 names called on April 24. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT FAVOUR AKIH WILL COMMIT TO OHIO STATE Favour Akih/X Favour Akih has been the hottest running back recruit in the Midwest this offseason. His recruitment is really coming down to Miami and Ohio State. The Hurricanes held a solid lead but the Buckeyes have chipped away quickly after getting him on campus a couple times. "Ohio State and Miami are doing a great job of recruiting me," Akih said. "It's very hard to turn down what Miami is offering. But it would be even better to stay home and be a Buckeye. So it's a very hard decision. Ohio State might just be a little ahead just because it's home and I grew up here so all I know is Ohio State." Advertisement Akih told me that he wants to commit in May. I've fired in a FutureCast for the Buckeyes to land his verbal commitment. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT ILLINOIS MISSES OUT ON 2026 IN-STATE FOUR-STARS Illinois has been one of the talks of the offseason with how well the program has recruited. The Illini have had a nice bump on the trail after a double-digit win season last year that included a bowl win over an SEC opponent. But that momentum doesn't look like it'll translate to keeping the top prospects in the state home this cycle. There are seven four-star prospects in Illinois this cycle. QB Jonas Williams and defensive end Braeden Jones are committed to USC. Tight end Mack Sutter is trending to Alabama. Michigan and Notre Dame are out front for defensive end McHale Blade. Versatile tight end JC Anderson is being recruited hard by Ole Miss and North Carolina but Illinois is in the mix. Slot receiver Nasir Rankin was heading toward committing to Illinois early but so many other programs have gotten involved. Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee, Oregon and others are making a strong push. I see the Illini getting shut out with the top talent in-state but still landing a solid 2026 recruiting class. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ILLINOIS FANS AT
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Camp Series: Latest rumors on offensive prospects at L.A. regional
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. - The Rivals Camp Series stopped in Southern California over the weekend and there was a ton of recruiting buzz from the event. Here is the latest on the top offensive prospects at the event: MORE RIVALS CAMP SERIES LOS ANGELES: Rankings questions from the camp | Position MVPs | Top performers from the Rivals Combine Series in Los Angeles | Best players to come through the Los Angeles regional CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker Arkansas, Nebraska and Utah are the three front-runners for the massive three-star offensive tackle from Lehi (Utah) Skyridge as Benjamin definitely likes a whole lot about those three programs. Oklahoma State is making a major run at him as well but upcoming visits will be important and then a decision could come in the summer. USC is leading the race for Dyakonov, who is set to return to campus this spring and summer for an official visit. The Trojans have been after Dyakonov the hardest since the end of his junior season -- but Ole Miss and Ohio State have both come on strong. First-year Buckeyes OL coach Tyler Bowen will get Dyakonov to campus later this month for the first time -- and an offer is expected. Ole Miss, too, has been pushing hard for the four-star OT behind the scenes with a visit in the works. The elite 2027 QB committed to Ohio State was very high on Ryan Day's decision to promote Brian Hartline -- and Day's continued involvement in the Buckeyes' offense. Edmunds was on hand for one of the Buckeyes' playoff games and is locked in with his commitment to Ohio State. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT Four programs are standing out most in Lyons' recruitment with USC, Oregon, BYU and Michigan leading the way. The Trojans remain involved even after they flipped four-star QB Jonas Williams (since Lyons will be taking a one-year Mormon mission) but the Wolverines could be the team to watch. He loved a visit to Ann Arbor when his brother, Walker, was going through the recruiting process and they're surging as a real consideration. The elite interior OL in the 2027 class is a top target for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks in next year's class. No team has been pressing harder since the end of his sophomore season than Oregon, which is working feverishly to get the talented OL to Eugene. We like where the Ducks currently sit. USC hosted Mailangi in January and continues to press the right buttons with the touted OL. Alabama has also been pushing hard -- with a first trip to Tuscaloosa in the works. Washington and Auburn are the programs recruiting Mielke the hardest. The three-star QB in the 2027 class has yet to visit either school, but intends to change that this spring and summer -- and is expected to camp at both programs and more. Both schools visited him at Ontario (Calif.) Christian as his recruitment begins to take form. His brother, Jett, flipped from Oklahoma State to Oklahoma last recruiting cycle and now the three-star tight end from Lehi, Utah is planning to visit Norman next weekend. The Sooners haven't offered yet but there is some serious interest building there as Oklahoma State, Colorado State and others are involved in Niu's recruitment. The four-star receiver from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco has been committed to Oklahoma since January and he's locked in plus could take another visit to Norman soon but others are trying to flip him. Washington is making a major run at Odom and a visit to Seattle is expected with Tennessee and Texas also working hard on getting the four-star to make a trip. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OKLAHOMA FANS AT O'Neal got his first sitdown with new Oklahoma OC Ben Arbuckle, which further affirmed the top-100 passer's pledge to the Sooners. O'Neal has locked in an official visit back to Norman on June 20-22 for the ChampU BBQ -- and will be back for spring ball. His commitment remains very strong despite other programs continuing to push behind the scenes. The 2027 four-star quarterback from Park Ridge (Ill.) Maine South made his way all the way to California for the Rivals Camp Series and traveling won't be an issue as a bunch of visits are coming up. Trips to Indiana, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Texas, Georgia and Ole Miss are coming up but the Hoosiers, Badgers and Miami will be three to watch as his recruitment continues. The four-star receiver has been committed to UCLA since March and he has a lot of loyalty to that coaching staff especially as they continued to recruit him hard through a broken tibia injury but USC is making a push and it's something to monitor. The Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic standout is locked in with the Bruins but the crosstown rival doesn't seem to be giving up. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH UCLA FANS AT After decommitting from Washington, Tafa is now focused on two programs and will probably make a summer decision. Utah and USC are the front-runners for the Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon standout but the Utes might be tougher to beat following the passing of his father plus the success of Spencer Fano right down the road. Still, USC is a major draw and will be seriously considered. Oregon is the team setting the pace in Tofi's recruitment -- with visits set for this spring and again for an official visit in June. California has emerged as the second-biggest threat in this recruitment. Tofi's brother plays for the Bears -- and continuing to play with his family on Saturdays is very intriguing to the blue-chip OT. There is still so much time for the 2028 quarterback from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy to figure out his recruitment and there are inevitably going to be a lot of changes coming up but Oregon and Texas are the early front-runners in his recruitment. The offenses, the systems and the coaches all stand out to Wade, who will end up with every offer he wants.
