re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition

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ELLITOR

BACK OR NAH

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KN just put out a VIP update on 5* WR Justyn Ross. Said he spoke with someone close to Justyn Ross's recruitment who says AU is much more in this race than has been reported lately. Thinks AU might even still be the slight favorite based off recent conversations with Ross. Either way his recruitment is expected to go on for awhile and that like Justin Fields, he seems to be telling all 3 sides what they wanna hear. KN say to also not count out Ross's relationship with Gatewood. As of now, Ross is planning to visit all 3 for a game this fall

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Agreed. But DAMN that kid needs to put on some weight. He LOOKS like he's all of about 175 pounds.

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I would consider Devan Barrett in our last class to be an elite level 4*. He is going to be really, really good in our offense.

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Tae Provens had three finalists and a scheduled commitment date, and after one phone call, all of said plans were completely scrapped.

Provens, a top-50 athlete in the 2018 class, was set to choose from LSU, Auburn and Tennessee on Aug. 11. The 3-star recruit was favored to wind up On The Plans or in Rocky Top, with LSU seemingly a distant third in the race.

That wasn’t the case — at least for long.

Provens admittedly was leaning toward Auburn and Tennessee at different junctures in his recruitment, but LSU’s recent surge paid dividends. Once the door opened on a potential commitment to LSU, the 6-foot, 190-pound running back jumped in without hesitation.

“You know, the whole time throughout the recruiting process, I jumped around from here and there. I had a top 5 and was visiting those schools, but deep down I knew where I wanted to go. When I talked to [running backs] coach Tommie Robinson and [head coach] Ed Orgeron, it felt good and I couldn’t wait any longer.

“I talked to them over the phone. We have been talking for about a week now nonstop. Coach T-Rob offered me when he was at USC and I was his No. 1 back in the 2018 class. That continued when he was at LSU. I felt good about that and it meant a lot to me.”

Tae Provens-LSU-LSU recruiting
Tae Provens is a 3-star athlete who will play running back for LSU (Ben Wolk/SEC Country)
Provens did not make it to Baton Rouge for the three-day elite high school camp. His commitment came over the phone on Saturday.

Robinson, who left Southern California to join LSU’s staff in February, has been in daily communication with the Gurley (Ala.) High School product and the latest conversation yielded a boom. As far as the reaction from the coaching staff, Robinson endured chest pains while Orgeron began to discuss notions of national championships.

“We’re really close,” Provens said of his relationship with Robinson. “We talk all day every day. We text constantly. When I committed, he was highly excited. He said his heart was racing so fast. Coach O was really excited, too. We have been getting a lot of commits here lately, so he was really excited for my commitment. Like T-Rob, he has been wanting me for a long time. He said he’s ready to win multiple national championships and ready to get this thing rolling.”

National championships?

We?

No, Provens did not misspeak. The Alabama native feels there is no reason to be coy. A huge reason behind his decision to join LSU’s 2018 recruiting class was because of the family atmosphere. Moving forward, it seemed impolite to refer to the Tigers’ coaching staff as anything other than “we” or “us.”

“That’s family,” he stated. “Whenever I went down there, I was confident that I liked the campus I liked Coach T-Rob and when we talked in-person, we kicked it. Everyone down there treats you so good that you don’t want to leave. It’s such a beautiful place.

“Tennessee and Auburn were frontrunners, but stuff happened. LSU just made a stronger push. I still have love for Tennessee and Auburn, and those are two good programs that’ll continue to do well in the SEC. But LSU, that’s my jam.”

While Provens’ position has been labeled as an athlete, he has no qualms about where he’ll be spending all of his time when he arrives at LSU.

As a junior, Provens amassed 1,264 yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games. He plans on bringing that set of skills to the Tigers’ backfield, and that’s what the coaching staff expects, too, from Alabama’s No. 22-ranked prospect.

“I’m going down there to play running back,” Provens stated. “They want me as a running back and there’s no in between. There’s no playing here or there or moving you to defense. It’s none of that. They think I can be just as good as them (Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice), if not better. That’s a big compliment and it’s also big shoes to fill.”

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What Dominick Blaylock’s decision might mean for UGA

Georgia has gone through a drought over the last 10 years at the receiver spot. The current commitment from 5-star Jadon Haselwood is a reversal of that trend.

Haselwood is seen by many as the nation’s No. 1 receiver for 2019. Blaylock is also very much in that discussion.

If Georgia does secure Blaylock’s commitment, that would mean a program that hasn’t signed one of the nation’s Top 5 receiver prospects since 2010 would have commitments from the nation’s top two 2019 prospects at receiver per 247sports.

That would mean that Georgia would have three 5-star commitments in the Class of 2019.

It would mean a program that is known for its tailbacks is starting to stack up both elite quarterback and wide receiver prospects under second-year coach Kirby Smart.

That would also mean that the Bulldogs would have a strong shot at signing the nation’s No. 1 class for 2019.

Blaylock’s choice can also greatly influence the decisions of top in-state targets J.D. Bertrand and Ryland Goede. Those three elite prospects are life-long friends. They are constantly hanging out at one another’s houses when they are not training or working.

Bertrand and Goede are also grinders according to the textbook application of the term. When they have free time, they are in the weight room or working on their speed and agility training.

They have been making their rounds across the South over the last few weeks. Bertrand, a 4-star LB, has been to Clemson and LSU of late. Goede, who rates as the nation’s No. 4 TE for 2019, has been to Auburn and Clemson, among other stops.

When Smart saw the trio at G-Day back in April, he chatted with all three of them at the same time. There were a lot of smiles in that group.

Package deals are kind of like fidget spinners. Those seem like a lot of fun for folks to read about out of the gate. They just don’t last for very long.

This one could be different.

“I do think that there’s a good chance we will all end up going to school together somewhere,” Goede said earlier this spring. “I think that package deals can work to an extent. But for a high school kid to get to go to school with a couple of your best buddies is a big deal. It is a lot of fun to think about.”

Those three usually spends their weekends together. The spot rotates.

“JD, Dom and I love to work out, man,” Goede said. “We are always pushing each other and that would be a lot of fun. We all live about 45 minutes away from each other in like a triangular route away from one another. So once we do get to college together and get to room together, then it would be a lot of fun to get to do that and keep pushing each other on a more consistent basis.”

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5-star Jadon Haselwood asked the questions this time

Haselwood’s first thought was to ask Cheney about his commitment to Georgia. That only happened back in February. The look on big defensive tackle’s face said don’t bring that weak stuff into this kitchen.

“C’mon bro,” Cheney said. “Naw, man. That don’t even make sense with me anymore.”

Haselwood regrouped. He was soon 5-star fast on his feet in the interview game, too.

“I got you,” he said.

The highest-rated receiver commitment the Bulldogs have had in a decade whipped the conversation around. He had it going down the road anyone wearing a red Georgia “Power G” backpack would want to chat about right now.

“What are your thoughts on the decision Justin Fields will be making with his schools,” Haselwood said. “What decision will he be making between Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia?”

Cheney liked that. He flashed a big grin. Like a greedy grin that Mr. Burns would break out in The Simpsons as he was counting up his stacks.

“He’s coming to Georgia,” Cheney said. “When we get him, he’s going to be a big-time outlet for the 2018 class. The 2018 class will then jump on board. If we get Fields, then we are going to get all the big receivers. Fields can bring a whole team of big-time players in.”

Haselwood had more.

“If Fields comes, do you think Georgia has a chance at getting Kearis Jackson?” he said.

“Yes,” Cheney replied. “They played on the same 7-on-7 team. That makes sense.”

“Oh, you think they have got that chemistry then,” Haselwood said with just a tad of irony. “OK. I got you.”

The receiver was digging this reporter stuff.

“You are a defensive player and all,” Haselwood said. “But how do you think the offense at Georgia is going to look this year?”

“We are going to be looking good with that 2017 offensive line class we just signed,” Cheney said. “Those guys are giants. Justin (Shaffer), Netori (Johnson) and Isaiah (Wilson) up there. Some of them might not start but they are going to contribute. Those are going to be some big dudes to run the ball behind. I feel great about those guys. Those guys work hard. Things are going to be great for Georgia running the ball this year. I can already see it.”

That was it. Haselwood concluded the interview and thanked him for his time.

The guy who gets paid to ask questions for a living had a few topics. He asked Cheney what sort of impact that Fields choosing Georgia would have on Haselwood.

The reporter-for-a-day also plays on the same Cam Newton 7-on-7 team with Justin Fields. That’s why that “chemistry” comment he made while he was quizzing his teammate was a tad ironic.

“This dude loves talking about Justin Fields,” Chaney said. “He says all the time, ‘If Justin Fields comes,’ he is going to do this and this. If you get Justin, then you for sure get Jadon.”

If you’ve been on summer vacation the last two weeks, you might not know Fields is the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect for 2018. He’d be the third All-American QB that the Bulldogs would sign over the last three years.

He recently de-committed from Penn State and the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat prospect is a very hot topic these days.

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Justin Fields visits Alabama with his family

Keeping track of 5-star quarterback Justin Fields’ recruitment hasn’t been easy. His visit to Alabama over the weekend was another example.

SEC Country was told on Friday by multiple people that Fields, the nation’s No. 2 quarterback from Harrison High School (Kennesaw, Ga.), was not going to visit Tuscaloosa with his family, who would instead be in town for his 10-year-old sister’s softball camp.

That was false.

He did visit, according to a Facebook post by his mother on Sunday. Fields was there with both of his parents and the family met with coach Nick Saban.

This trip is the first known visit to Tuscaloosa for Fields, and it’s significant because he had told SEC Country last week that Alabama wasn’t really in the mix as Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia are believed to be the top schools.

“I just don’t talk to the coaches as much as I do with the other guys,” Fields said.

It should be noted, though, there has been so much misinformation from Fields and his inner circle since he’s become a national recruit that interviews with him and those close to him need to be taken with a grain of salt.

With this visit to Tuscaloosa now in the books, he has been to Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia at least once. There have been other secret visits to Auburn, Florida and Georgia, to my knowledge.

For the Tide, getting Fields on campus, especially after he just said he doesn’t talk to Alabama coaches much, is a big win as they try and ascertain which 2018 quarterback will commit to them.

Things are very murky with Alabama and quarterback recruiting this cycle. It’s understandable — the Tide have three young-and-talented prospects currently on their roster. Early playing time for any 2018 QB prospect in Tuscaloosa doesn’t look obtainable for a few years.

We should know what Fields decides to do by the end of August.

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Former Auburn defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson Jr. has signed with Blinn (Texas) Community College, according to multiple sources familiar with his situation.

Jackson transferred from the Tigers earlier this spring. Auburn subsequently blocked him from transferring to a number of programs, including perceived favorite Ohio State. Jackson and his family appealed the decision and the ruling was not in their favor.

As a bounce-back, Jackson could potentially transfer to the program of his choice in December. The Buckeyes have history at Blinn with bounce-backs. They signed cornerback Kendall Sheffield, formerly of Texas A&M, out of Blinn in the last class.

Jackson was a four-star prospect and the No. 50 overall prospect in the 2016 recruiting cycle out of Cedar Grove High in Ellenwood, Ga., and was a U.S. Army All-American. His brother, linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams, plays at South Carolina.

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