Latest news with #JeffMcCulloch
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ACC Spotlight: Five programs that need a big June
Jeff McCulloch/ June has become arguably the most important month in the recruiting calendar, with prospects crisscrossing the country on official visits and lining up announcement dates. Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. looks at five ACC programs that need to capitalize in the coming weeks. Advertisement MORE JUNE PREVIEWS: SEC programs that need a big June | Big Ten programs that need a big June | Biggest storylines this weekend 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 RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info CLEMSON More than 30 recruits will trek to Clemson to kick off the official visit season this weekend, and as per usual under Dabo Swinney, it is the combination of top targets and more than a dozen already on board as CU verbal commitments. The Tigers march to the beat of their own drum on the recruiting trail and they have front-loaded visit slates in the past with the hopes of grabbing new commitments and having them shut down the process all in one motion. We wouldn't rule it out this weekend with so much attention in Death Valley. Advertisement Among the elites expected to kick off the month of June include five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson and fellow blue-chippers such as defensive linemen Bryce Perry-Wright, defensive backs Joey O'Brien and Blake Stewart along with offensive linemen Carter Scruggs and Cannon Pickett. Running back Jae Lamar has the Tigers on top heading into his trip while the program looks to make up ground with other elites such as the nation's top interior offensive line projection Darius Gray and NFL legacy Devin Fitgerald, son of legend Larry Fitzgerald. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT FLORIDA STATE As things currently stand in the ACC, the Seminoles are looking at a ceiling of No. 3 in the conference for the class of 2026 behind Clemson and Miami – two programs ahead of the Seminoles on the field but not always on the recruiting trail. On top of that, Mike Norvell's program is working on serious commitment list maintenance in the month ahead, as most of its top commitments will take multiple official visits to other programs in addition to returning to Tallahassee themselves. Advertisement On the flip side, Florida State is also courting plenty of talent with another logo attached to their name at this time. Several are notable in the month to come relative to proximity to Tallahassee, initial FSU fandom or in some cases both. Cal pass rusher commitment Camron Brooks plays just over the Georgia border and has long been a top target. Oregon defensive back pledge Xavier Lherisse came up with the Seminoles as his team. Mississippi State offensive line pledge Jakobe Green is a Panhandle native just now earning the push from the program he has long felt he deserves. Can the 'Noles win in the flip game? Outside of that element, landing a quarterback has to be a priority and blue-chippers Landon Duckworth and Jaden O'Neal are each scheduled to make the trip. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FSU FANS AT GEORGIA TECH There won't be a shortage of talent traveling to downtown Atlanta in the coming weeks, many from the metro area itself, and it's great news for a Georgia Tech program sitting with just four verbal commitments entering June. The program has just four pledges on board, a number that has to change in short order to match the momentum many feel around the program's on-field chances heading into the fall. Only Virginia Tech (two) and Wake Forest (one) have a smaller commitment list as May comes to a close. Advertisement GT is set to bring back each verbal pledge during this stretch, but also many Peach State natives currently committed to other programs such as Bubba Frazier (Notre Dame) and Jordan Smith (Georgia). Those on the ascent among the uncommitted, including cornerback Dorian Barney, safety Lasiah Jackson, wide receiver Craig Dandridge, offensive linemen Ben Mubenga as well as Zykie Helton along with tight end Heze Kent, each hold four-stars and in-state addresses to their name as well. Several other blue-chippers will make the trek to Atlanta before the end of next month, too, as will a potential quarterback fit in Louisiana native Cole Bergeron. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA TECH FANS AT MIAMI Nick Lucero/ Advertisement Recruiting success is all relative, right? If so, Miami's push this summer is in hopes of closing the gap Clemson has created thus far in 2026 – one we can see widening sooner rather than later with what CU has on tap this weekend alone. The U has claimed each ACC recruiting crown since Mario Crisrtobal took the head gig at his alma mater and it is in striking distance once more following the commitment of No. 1 overall recruit Jackson Cantwell to headline the month of May. June will be about hitting a certain ceiling for Miami, landing the can't-miss talent close to home combined with national wins against bluebloods can help to close the gap with Clemson and others near the top of the national rankings. More than a dozen blue-chippers will help The U kick off the June slate this weekend, from top two-way lineman Lamar Brown to can't-miss five-star and the No. 1 recruit in South Florida in Derrek Cooper. Among the flip targets Miami will soon host, SEC wide receiver pledges Tristen Keys (LSU) and Vance Spafford (Georgia) are the most fascinating, but prospects currently committed to Texas, Alabama, Auburn and Michigan will also soon see Coral Gables in person. RELATED: Miami's 2026 commitment list SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT NORTH CAROLINA Advertisement Bill Belichick and company have seen the 2026 commitment list boom beyond a dozen with a lot of spring verbal commitments, but the depth of the staff has shown itself in how much talent is still yet to see Chapel Hill for an official visit in the month of June. As we've come to expect under this new staff, geography won't be an issue when looking at potential Tar Heel targets. Just this coming weekend the group will be comprised of natives of seven states, from former Alabama secondary commitment Jamarrion Gordon to two-sport star Adam Balogoun-Ali out of the Sunshine State, Midwest offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm and Colorado native Tripp Skewes. As with the best in the league, North Carolina will look to change the minds of intriguing prospects on board with other programs. Auburn linebacker pledge and top-100 recruit Shadarius Toodle may be the most fascinating, though early official visitor and current blue-chip Ole Miss pledge Izayia Williams may be planning a return trip to Chapel Hill before summer's end as well. Vanderbilt defensive line commitment Daryl Campbell is on the official visit schedule in June as is Georgia junior college pledge Seven Cloud. Prized quarterback Travis Burgess, who just popped for the program, will be back in mid-June along with top pass-catcher target and four-star Jayden Petit out of Southwest Florida. The No. 3 class in the ACC won't be an easy spot to secure, but achieving that status is possible with the talent expected to soon experience Chapel Hill. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH UNC FANS AT
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Combine Series: Top performers from Dallas event
Jeff McCulloch/ COPPELL, Texas – The Dallas stop of the Rivals Camp Series kicked off Saturday at Coppell High School with the Rivals Combine, at which a handful of players punched their tickets to Sunday's showcase camp. Advertisement national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman breaks down those players. 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 Louisiana speedster Jaden Keelen punched his ticket to the Rivals Camp on Sunday after testing extremely well at Saturday's Rivals Combine. The New Orleans (La.) John Curtis defensive back clocked a 4.5-second 40 with a 4.33-second short shuttle. Advertisement He's a 2028 prospect we're expecting to draw looks from college programs around the country. Jeff McCulloch/ Edward Kelly Jr. crushed the Rivals Combine on Saturday. The rising senior (5-foot-10, 181 pounds) clocked a 4.54-second 40 with a blazing 4.32-second short shuttle – on top of a 7.5-second 3-cone. The talented back already holds offers from Colorado State, Pitt, UTSA and Washington State. Tim Garner out of Colorado came and made noise at the Rivals Combine. The rising eighth grader already checks in with a 6-foot-3, 275-pound frame and has seen interest from Wake Forest early on. The cousin of Rivals four-star DE Ezekiel Ayangbile, this 2029 running back tested great at the combine. Ayangbile ran a 4.6-second 40, a 4.4-second shuttle and posted a 10.3-foot broad jump. Advertisement The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder has NFL bloodlines and was among the top underclassmen to shine on Saturday. Jeff McCulloch/ Kaleb Campbell came from The Boot and was an instant eye-catcher. North of 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, Campbell has fantastic size and measureables to compete at a premium position like offensive tackle. Jeff McCulloch/ Jirehn Mitchell is a multi-sport athlete that plays basketball for Duncanville (Texas) High School and will be a major asset in the passing game as a senior, playing wide receiver for the Panthers. The 6-foot-4, 194-pounder clocked a 4.5-second 40 time and brings a ton of juice to the pass-catching position. AJ Randle brings a ton of length and athleticism to multiple positions on defense. At Garner (NC) High, Randle plays safety and linebacker, and can get after the quarterback on third downs. Advertisement Randle holds an early offer from Duke, while Clemson is coming on strong with the 2027 defender. ALSO INVITED ... Jeff McCulloch/ – 2026 WR Marcus Jones – 2026 DB Mahamadou Siby – 2026 ATH Daylon Brooks – 2029 ATH Sukora Cooper – 2028 TE Chase Jolley – 2027 OT Joseph Gamez
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Feedback rolls in from critical spring visits
Jeff McCulloch/ So much is going on in the recruiting world that a second Recruiting Rumor Mill was needed this week. Here's the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney. MORE: Decisions from high-profile college QBs create a cautionary tale Advertisement 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 Indiana has been involved the most with the 2027 three-star receiver from Chandler (Ariz.) Basha but Ohio State is poking around a little more and then Penn State will be one to watch as well. Baldwin has a cousin who's an early enrollee with the Nittany Lions so getting to Happy Valley before the season is a major priority. Getting to Ohio State's June camp is also big. Ole Miss is very much in the picture for the four-star receiver from Birmingham (Ala.) Spain Park especially after visiting and meeting with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Advertisement Miami impressed him recently with Georgia and Tennessee also high, but Alabama is among his favorites and the Crimson Tide still might have the edge. Four programs are standing out the most for the four-star linebacker from Carthage, Texas, as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Baylor have emerged. Beck felt 'comfortable' during a recent visit to College Station and the Aggies are the team to beat but others are battling as well. Things still feel very new in the recruiting process for Brown especially after great visits to USC and Oregon and the 2027 four-star offensive tackle also had a great trip to Alabama as well. Those three along with Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Texas, Florida and Nebraska are standing out. Advertisement The Longhorns might have a slight edge for the Houston (Texas) Kingwood standout but many others have a chance. If Baylor wins out for Herrera, his relationship with position coach Mason Miller is going to play a major role. During a recent visit, the 2027 offensive tackle from Crowley, Texas, loved how Miller coached and his interactions with the players. The Bears are definitely an early major contender with TCU, Texas Tech and Oregon so far. Maybe Texas is too far ahead of others. However, during a meeting on Tuesday, Georgia associate head coach Donte Williams told Calicut he knows they're late but wants to be involved in his recruitment. The Bulldogs' offer is so big that they'll be there until the end. Advertisement The word is that the Houston (Texas) North Shore standout will definitely have Georgia in his top three as Texas, Ole Miss and many others stay in the mix. The speedy 2027 four-star receiver recently transferred from Mission Hills (Calif.) Alemany to Pacific Palisades (Calif.) Palisades Charter and it sounds like he might not be headed far for college, either. Despite having more than a dozen offers, USC and UCLA are standing out most to Dezeurn, especially since he's so familiar with both staffs and is treated so well when he's on those campuses. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Miami and many others will be involved with the four-star defensive tackle from Fort Myers, Fla., but after his visit to Texas, the Longhorns now have the edge in his recruitment. Advertisement Guervil had an 'amazing' experience in Austin, loved his interactions with assistant coach Kenny Baker and others, and now has Texas as 'definitely the front-runner' in his recruitment. The five-star cornerback made another trip to USC over the weekend as the Trojans continue to set the pace in his recruitment and could be the team to beat. Oregon is definitely up there and Ohio State will be involved until the end but Hill could be inching closer to a decision. USC, Oklahoma and Washington are making a big move for Jandreau and his twin brother, Beau, and a recent visit with the Trojans definitely made a big impression. The amount of experience on that coaching staff, how they're letting their players play fast and aggressive, and so much more is pushing USC high on the list for the three-star safety from Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton. Many other top programs are going to be on the list for Jones including Virginia, which just offered, but Penn State's recent offer and visit will definitely be a major one to watch. The 2027 three-star offensive tackle from Poquoson, Va., loved his experience in Happy Valley and the fan support there. Kimble's visit to Texas was 'amazing' as he loved the big campus and the message to the 2027 four-star running back from Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius was that the Longhorns like him a lot and how well he fits into their program. Advertisement Syracuse and Michigan also stand out, which has been a change since Ohio State and Oregon were the top teams earlier on. The high four-star edge rusher from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy loved his visit to Texas over the weekend and if Kreul ends up in Austin, one of the big reasons was because he likes assistant coaches LaAllan Clark and Pete Kwiatkowski. Kreul left Texas feeling like he was a 'top priority' and a great fit for its scheme. Oklahoma, Miami and many others remain heavily in the mix. He's setting official visits on Thursday. Notre Dame will remain one of Loumoli's top picks, especially since the Irish have such a great history of developing linebackers and have such a strong connection to the Polynesian community. The Irish will be a key player for the 2027 four-star linebacker from Bellevue (Wash.) Eastside Catholic along with Oregon, USC, Ohio State and others. The feeling is that Washington is still the team to beat. Florida and Florida State have been standouts for the 2027 running back from Gainesville, Ga., and now USC joins that top three. His recent visit to Los Angeles definitely stood out. He loves the 'amazing job' coach Lincoln Riley is doing and the idea of playing for the Trojans. New offers from Florida State and UCLA could change things but Thomas just had a great visit to Washington as the Huskies remain one of the front-runners in his recruitment. Some early enrollees were taking reps with the first team and that definitely stood out to the four-star offensive lineman from Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe. Advertisement Texas A&M, Ohio State, FSU and Minnesota are the others to watch. Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State and others remain involved with the five-star defensive end but after another visit to Oregon over the weekend the Ducks continue to look stronger and stronger. Wesley has loved Oregon since his first visit and the coaches have 'shown me the same love since.' The five-star will have the Ducks among his top teams later this year when he commits. He's taken some major visits and Whitehead wants to take some more before making a decision but after being at Penn State, the Nittany Lions are 'definitely on the top.' The 2027 four-star edge rusher from Chesterfield (Va.) Bird had a phenomenal talk with defensive line coach Deion Barnes.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three Predictions: Florida, Purdue, NFL Draft
Jeff McCulloch/ Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. has predictions on Florida landing an in-state target, Purdue flipping a Big 12 commit and running backs in the NFL Draft. MORE PREDICTIONS: Intel behind 20 FutureCasts for top recruits 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 1. FLORIDA KEEPS FOUR-STAR G'NIVRE CARR AT HOME As we reported earlier this year, Florida has been the betting favorite for G'nivre Carr for some time, and that stance has only felt strengthened of late despite the IMG Academy blocker checking out Tennessee and Miami in recent weeks. Advertisement Gainesville has a different feel for the Ocala native, who of course grew up cheering for the program located just up I-75. But the confidence level rising in our projection of the four-star to join Billy Napier's program also comes from the work of assistant coaches and staffers in Gainesville. Not only does Carr feel like a long-term priority prospect, but he says UF has been the program showing the most consistent communication with him – something that still resonates with the modern recruit just like it always has. Carr also just penciled in his official visit to Gainesville beginning May 30, so there's a chance trips set for later in the summer either don't get taken or come with more gravity if Carr makes the visits as a Gator commitment. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FLORIDA FANS AT 1ST AND TEN FLORIDA 2. PURDUE WILL FLIP JEFFAR JEAN-NOEL FROM WEST VIRGINIA An early commitment to West Virginia looked rock solid through the end of March, when Jeffar Jean-Noel went back up to Morgantown to dig deeper on his would-be college campus. Soon after that time, as the new offers and communication picked up with other schools, trips began to materialize elsewhere. First up is an official visit to Purdue set for this weekend and we are hearing the trip could become a pivotal moment in his recruitment. Advertisement It really wouldn't surprise to see Purdue win out following the first known recruiting trip to West Lafayette for Jean-Noel, or perhaps during the trip on the program's dime. At the time of the decommitment from WVU on Thursday morning, the rising-senior recruit admitted there were too many newer options to consider since the initial move toward the Mountaineers, but he has since also confirmed the Purdue trip is the only one on the books at this time. Sounds like a flip move to me. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PURDUE FANS AT SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH WEST VIRGINIA FANS AT 3. THREE RUNNING BACKS WILL BE DRAFTED IN THE FIRST ROUND © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Advertisement The 2024 NFL season and, heck, the College Football Playoff too, reminded the pass-first levels of football that the running game still matters aplenty. Perhaps coincidentally, the 2025 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded at the position considering prospects like national title game hero Quinshon Judkins, Devin Neal, DJ Giddens, Kaleb Johnson or a Damien Martinez aren't even threatening Day 1 projections. It's just that much better at the top. The combination of great talent at the very top, the returned value of young bellcow running backs and the economical benefits of rookie contracts could add up to an unprecedented run at the position come Thursday evening. There wasn't a Round 1 back in 2024 or 2022 and there hasn't been three selected in the first round since 2018 when Saquon Barkley, Rashaas Penny and Sony Michel made it happen. Let's go out on a limb and call for history repeating itself here behind the ceiling of Ashton Jeanty, a top-10 lock, Omarion Hampton as almost a consensus No. 2 back and how about TreVeyon Henderson's dual-threat ability pushing him to the top 32 picks as well?
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Big Ten winners in the 2025 recruiting cycle
Jeff McCulloch/ With the Late Signing Period underway, the overwhelming majority of high school recruiting classes are complete. Beginning today we'll take a look at the winners in each Power Four conference. Up first is the Big Ten. Final 2025 Big Ten recruiting rankings MORE NSD INTERVIEWS: Cal coach Justin Wilcox | UNLV coach Dan Mullen | TC Lewis, father of Colorado QB commit Julian Lewis | Florida State coach Mike Norvell | South Carolina coach Shane Beamer | SMU coach Rhett Lashlee | Maryland coach Mike Locksley | Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith | USC coach Lincoln Riley | Iowa general manager Tyler Barnes | Indiana coach Curt Cignetti | West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez | Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire | Arch Manning's HS coach Nelson Stewart MORE 2025 NSD: Comparing 2025 five-stars to NFL stars | Texas assistant Chris Jackson wins Rivals National Recruiter of the Year | Top recruiters in each Power Four conference | How Texas won the 2025 recruiting title | Texas' 2025 class | National Signing Day Announcement Guide USA Today MICHIGAN The Wolverines were not just a winner in the Big Ten but one of the biggest winners in the country this cycle. The flip of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood was one of the biggest storylines of the entire cycle. Michigan has a dynamic signal-caller to go along with an always solid offensive line and defense. The team added some potential future All-Big Ten linemen, too. High four-star offensive linemen Andrew Babalola, Avery Gach and Ty Haywood make for a terrific trio. Five-star defensive lineman Nate Marshall should be a great fit in the defense along with high four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng. This is a terrific haul for coach Sherrone Moore. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN FANS AT OHIO STATE Ohio State is known for having an elite crop of receivers coming to Columbus on a yearly basis. This year is slightly different. The haul is good but isn't the reason why the Buckeyes are a winner. The program signed arguably the best quarterback in the country with five-star Tavien St. Clair. The Buckeyes did sign the best cornerback in the class after inking Devin Sanchez out of Texas. Ohio State also signed an outstanding linebacker group – five-star Riley Pettijon, plus four-stars Tarvos Alford and Eli Lee – that we aren't talking about enough. This is another elite class that will keep the program in championship contention. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT OREGON Coach Dan Lanning has turned the Ducks into a recruiting machine during his time in Eugene. The Ducks were in contention for the No. 1 class in the country for most of the cycle. Defensive backs coach Chris Hampton took home our Big Ten Recruiter of the Year honors. The team signed a pair of five-star defensive backs and two versatile four-star players at the position. Oregon also signed Dakorien Moore, who is the clear No. 1 wide receiver in the cycle. He'll be a go-to weapon during his time in Eugene. The Ducks also improved in the trenches led by five-star offensive lineman Douglas Utu. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OREGON FANS AT 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
