Latest news with #RivalsFive-Star
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3 days ago
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OL Ashley Walker looks back at Arkansas football commitment
@AshleyFb2026 Ashley Walker spent some time in Fayetteville this spring, interested in Arkansas enough to pencil in an official visit for the weekend of June 13. Other trips were coming into focus, too, until the Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna offensive line recruit elected to shut down the process and commit to the Razorbacks this week. Advertisement "I've felt the love from them since they offered me," Walker told Rivals. "And since then we've built a great relationship. I can't wait to be back on campus. They said they see me as a player that can play both the guard and tackle positions on both sides of the line. "A couple of schools have hit me up and congratulated about my commitment. I'm not currently planning any other OVs with other schools." Double-digit offers came in for Walker this year, including the Arkansas tender. After unofficial visits to UA, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Syracuse and others, it was time to shut things down with a pledge. Now Walker isn't looking back. Advertisement "I made a commitment to the school, and I don't see a reason why go visit other schools while being committed somewhere else," he said. "Now that I'm committed, I can become less focused on my recruitment and more focused on preparing for this upcoming season." The Lions and Walker just wrapped up spring football ahead of an ambitious title defense, kicking off with a national game against fellow national power Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy in August. 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 Walker was at West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman High School in 2024. The transition to CMHS not only accelerated his recruitment, but the competition level every day as well. Advertisement "It's been great so far," he said. "The education and football has been very balanced. The environment is great as well. We all push each other to be great, and we're locking in on our goal to win another state championship." Beyond the time in South Florida, there is an extra layer of excitement for the versatile blocker to play SEC football at the next level under a coach like Sam Pittman. "Coach Pittman has lots of knowledge and takes pride into developing the best offensive lineman," Walker said. "He coached a long time as an OL coach -- which is why I chose learn and develop into one of the best."
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3 days ago
- General
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Rivals Roundtable: Which 2028 prospect will you be watching this fall?
Jeff McCulloch/ Standout prospects in the 2028 class will take a big step forward as sophomores this coming season. Which one will our national analyst team be watching the closest this fall? Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Greg Smith and Sam Spiegelman give their takes below. Advertisement MORE: Five prospects poised to climb in the next rankings update 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 FRIEDMAN: Tahj Gray Gray is advanced well beyond his years and is on track to be one of the top defenders in the 2028 class. At nearly 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, the Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph's Regional standout has the tools to be a devastating defender. Gray has the speed to stick with running backs and tight ends in coverage while displaying the strength and physical style that will allow him to be a playmaker near the line of scrimmage. Advertisement He is slated to play linebacker this fall but he is trending toward being an edge defender at the next level. Gray's offer sheet already features Oregon, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee and many others. GARCIA: Jayden Wade The California native is set to be the trigger man at IMG Academy after waiting his turn to be QB1. Before his first official start, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder has collected offers from the nation's top programs including Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and scores of others, thanks to what appears to be a can't-miss skill set as a legitimate dual-threat talent. Advertisement Wade has a quick motion on a strong arm, has clocked multiple 4.4-second laser 40-yard dash times and carries himself with a combination of California cool and Florida confidence while competing with and against some of the nation's top prospects every day. If he can flash and begin living up to lofty expectations this fall, Wade has a chance to become a household name in the sport before he ever sets foot on a college football field. GORNEY: Marcus Fakatou There are a lot of interesting players already in the 2028 class and I always like to start at quarterback, but in the West, Orange (Calif.) Lutheran defensive end Marcus Fakatou is the name I'll be watching. Advertisement Fakatou has already been on the scene for a few years in California and at 6-foot-7 and 258 pounds, the 2028 prospect is a striking figure. He's not fully there yet in terms of technique but he played a significant amount as a freshman in the country's best high school football league and should only develop more in the coming years because his work ethic is off the charts. There are a lot of similarities between Fakatou and Oregon star defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei at the same stage except Fakatou is a few inches taller. We'll see if the same success is found and it should be because Fakatou has all the tools to be special. SMITH: Wonderful Monds IV Monds is a player that the entire country will know by the time he leaves high school. He's got terrific bloodlines with multiple family members having played college football. Monds is already standing at 6-foot-2, 200-plus pounds. He's also productive throwing for 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns, and running for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. Advertisement The Florida native is already closing in on 20 scholarship offers from around the country. It'll be fun to see his development over the next few years. SPIEGELMAN: Calvin Ursin One 2028 prospect I'm very excited about is athlete Calvin Ursin out of Watson (La.) Live Oak. A two-way standout, we've been able to evaluate Ursin in the camp setting and in live game action. He is a projected wide receiver at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with through-the-roof verified testing as an underclassman. Ursin's ability to make plays down the field, attack the ball in mid-air, make contested catches, attack different levels of the field and make plays in space is outstanding. He plays offense, defense and special teams for Live Oak but ultimately we project him to be one of the best receivers in the 2028 class.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Predictions: Where the top five uncommitted OL will land
The big visit month of June is coming up so before all of that happens, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney takes a look at the top five uncommitted prospects at each position. We move to the offensive line. THIS SERIES: Commitment predictions for top QBs | Predictions for top RBs | Predictions for top WRs | Predictions for top TEs 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 Oregon has set the pace in Iheanacho's recruitment and the Ducks could be tough to beat regardless, but a big visit is coming up this weekend. Advertisement The five-star offensive tackle from North Bethesda (Md.) Georgetown Prep is heading back to LSU and the Tigers are a very serious threat in his recruitment especially because of his relationship with position coach Brad Davis. Texas A&M has an outside shot as well, while Maryland and Penn State haven't been eliminated yet. Prediction: Oregon The five-star offensive tackle from Mansfield (Texas) Lake Ridge has had an interesting official visit schedule with Colorado, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Florida already done and this weekend is a major trip to Ohio State. If there is a major threat to Texas, it would be the Buckeyes so his weekend trip to Columbus will be crucial over the next few days. But the Longhorns still have the lead, Austin is less than three hours away and his relationship with position coach Kyle Flood are all playing significant roles here. Advertisement Prediction: Texas Ohio State offered but it might be too late. Brown will be at Miami this weekend and that could get interesting fast. But this still feels very much like a two-team race between LSU and Texas A&M and heading into June, the Aggies hold the lead. Brown is from Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab, literally on LSU's campus, so the Tigers are not going to give up easily especially after losing five-star safety Blaine Bradford from Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic to Ohio State. But it seems as if Texas A&M has taken the lead for Brown – selling him on playing on the defensive line – and that could be a big factor. Advertisement Prediction: Texas A&M A whole bunch of visits have already happened and many more are to come but LSU is believed to have turned the corner here and is now the team to beat in Gray's recruitment. South Carolina will battle until the end and will be right there until decision day for the four-star from Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher's. Ohio State, Tennessee and others will be in the mix as well. This is a tough call because so much could still happen and he loves the coaches in Columbia, but LSU seems to have a little more pull. Prediction: LSU A battle between Texas and Texas A&M is raging for the four-star offensive lineman from Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley but the Longhorns are leading right now. Advertisement That could continue even if Texas keeps Maximus Wright and Nicolas Robertson (which is expected) and even adds five-star Felix Ojo. But if Ojo jumps on board then that might help the Aggies with Turntine, too. That's a wait-and-see game but right now the Longhorns are looking strongest. Prediction: Texas
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4 days ago
- 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
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Recruiting Rumor Mill: First big visit weekend is just days away
Nick Lucero/ The first big visit weekend of late May and early June is only days away but there is still a ton going on across the country. Here's the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney in this Recruiting Rumor Mill. Advertisement MORE: Ohio State QB commit Brady Edmunds has some big targets 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 The high three-star defensive back from Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward committed to Toledo last June but now Akande has a full visit schedule this month and there's a big threat that he could flip. Akande is at UCF this weekend and that will definitely be one to watch before he sees South Florida, Toledo and FIU to close out the month. Minnesota, Kentucky and NC State are also big threats to flip him. Tennessee remains at the top of the list for Anderson and with a limited amount of other Power Four offers it would be very surprising if he didn't end up with the Volunteers if they have room in this recruiting class. Advertisement Cincinnati, Memphis and others are involved but after a recent return trip to Knoxville where he got to know the staff even better, Tennessee is the front-runner. There is a strong feeling that Miami is the front-runner for the four-star edge rusher from Venice, Fla., and it could help the Hurricanes even more since he's taking his final official visit there at the end of the month. But others are going to throw their hat in the ring as Florida gets its shot this weekend. He'll also see Louisville, Kentucky and Missouri before wrapping up the month in Coral Gables. Texas is in very good shape with the 2027 four-star defensive back from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. Advertisement Texas A&M, Colorado, Cal and BYU round out his top five, as Davis looks to a busy round of visits. He's expected to visit the Longhorns this weekend, then head to Boston College, Arizona State and Sacramento State by the end of the month. Georgia has emerged as the front-runner for the five-star safety but Alabama is right there in his recruitment with Oregon rounding out his favorites. Texas A&M had been at the top but seems to be sliding for the Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances standout. A new visit to Florida on June 3 will be one to watch as there is a significant SEC feel now to his recruitment. Michigan is trying to make a serious run at the five-star LSU cornerback commit and while the family is listening, his commitment to the Tigers has not swayed. The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout has only been committed for weeks and he was already back in Baton Rouge in recent days to firm things up even more. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LSU FANS AT The four-star defensive tackle from Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill is kicking off his official visit schedule this weekend at LSU as the Tigers remain one of four front-runners in his recruitment. It was thought that Oklahoma might have had an edge but the Sooners have fallen off a little. LSU, Ole Miss (where he's a legacy), Oregon and Ohio State have emerged as the four to watch. The 2027 three-star running back from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman is now up to 20 offers with more very possibly on the way but so far Arizona, Notre Dame, BYU, Cal, Washington, UNLV and Arizona State have been in touch the most. Advertisement Grant is still in the early stages and doesn't want to name leaders yet, especially with Oklahoma, Oregon, USC and UCLA asking about him. Matthews has a list of favorites but this could be boiling down to a two-team race with South Carolina in the lead but Texas is making a major play for the four-star cornerback from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough. Matthews will be in Miami this weekend and that could get interesting. Some believe the Longhorns have the momentum, but South Carolina remains very appealing. Alabama, Michigan and Texas will host the four-star linebacker from Marietta (Ga.) Kell in the coming weeks before Rouse heads back to Tennessee and the Vols could be really tough to beat. Advertisement Rouse had a trip 'different from any other visit' last weekend in Knoxville that only strengthened his relationship with the coaching staff and pushed the Vols even higher among his favorites. After official visits to Washington, Stanford and UCLA, the high three-star defensive end from Seattle (Wash.) O'Dea will return home and work through a decision with his family. Washington is 'home' and that could be playing a big role in his thinking but all three schools are basically even heading into visits. The four-star Tennessee tight end commit was back in Knoxville over the weekend and he had a great time as the coaching staff is recruiting him like he hasn't made his pledge yet. Advertisement The Nashville (Tenn.) Donelson Christian Academy standout has dropped his Miami visit and has Florida, Ole Miss and a return trip back to Tennessee on the calendar. If the Vols throw more to their tight ends, then Sneed might be locked in as that has been a concern while looking at other programs. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT Theodore feels like a priority every time he's on Tennessee's campus and the Vols are very high on his list especially after being at their 865 Live event over the weekend. Tennessee looks very strong for the three-star cornerback from Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School with Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Duke and Virginia also there. The four-star offensive tackle from New Albany, Miss., has been committed to Mississippi State since February but Tucker will be at Ole Miss this weekend followed by LSU and then close out the month back in Starkville. Advertisement The word is that LSU is recruiting him the hardest so that trip to Baton Rouge will be one to watch closely and Oxford is less than an hour away. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MISSISSIPPI STATE FANS AT Auburn will host the four-star edge rusher from Wadley, Ala., this weekend and the Tigers are definitely one of the front-runners. Texas A&M could be sneaky here and might have the advantage right now in his recruitment with Miami and the Tigers involved. This trip to The Plains could settle things for Auburn but the Aggies are a major player in his recruitment for sure.
