re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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Insiders say 90%

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Recruiting often comes down to who has the best relationships, and it seems Tennessee has the best relationship with Quay Walker right now.

The Class of 2018 Alabama commit took an official visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., over the weekend. He’s been shaky in his commitment since the departure of defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt to Tennessee and position coach Derrick Ansley to the Oakland Raiders.

Walker told SEC Country’s Chris Kirschner what he told Tennessee commit JJ Peterson during the visit.

“I actually told JJ that it didn’t feel right at first, but things went well after meeting with the new coaches,” Walker said.

The Alabama weekend got more comfortable for Walker, but there’s no doubt he was closest to Pruitt and Ansley during his recruiting process.

Pruitt is hoping to turn that strong relationship into a Tennessee commitment on National Signing Day (Feb. 7). The Vols are transitioning into a 3-4 defensive scheme next season and the team has a big need at linebacker.

Peterson was a big get for the Vols, and he is now peer-recruiting Walker to join the class. Pruitt and Peterson have good relationships with Walker, which clearly helps the Vols’ cause and has them squarely in the hunt down the home stretch.

Alabama coach Nick Saban won’t let Walker flip to his former protégé that easily, though.

The 6-foot-4, 236-pound prospect spent a lot of 1-on-1 time with Saban. He even drove around with Saban in his luxury car.

The linebacker prospect also spoke with former Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland about the school.

“He told me that Alabama is the school that’ll get me to where I’m trying to go, and he talked to me about his career,” Walker said.

Walker is a 4-star prospect and the No. 3 outside linebacker in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has the ability to come to Rocky Top and compete immediately for meaningful playing time.

The Cordelle, Ga., native will take an official visit to Auburn this upcoming weekend.

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The final Rivals100 for the class of 2018 has been released and with it comes the addition of nine new five-stars.

The top three for 2018 remains the same led by Clemson quarterback signee Trevor Lawrence and Georgia quarterback signee Justin Fields followed by USC commitment Amon-Ra St. Brown.

We placed former 2019 prospect JT Daniels, a USC quarterback commitment, who recently re-classified into the 2018 class at No. 4. The discussion around Daniels was a good one with some feeling he is better than Fields, while others feeling he should be lower down the list.

Following Daniels and essentially holding their spots are Clemson defensive end signee Xavier Thomas and Penn State signee Micah Parsons. Alabama signee Eyabi Anoma, after a great Under Armour week, jumped up 17 spots to No. 7 and is followed by cornerback Patrick Surtain, Georgia offensive line signee Jamaree Salyer and Georgia running back signee Zamir White. The Bulldogs boast three players in the top 10 while Clemson and USC have two each.

New five-star Nick Petit-Frere moved up to the No. 1 offensive line spot in the country and is joined as a new five-star by six other prospects in the second half of the five-star pool. Here’s a breakdown of those that earned their fifth star and the two players that fell back down to four-stars.

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Olaijah Griffin

“I absolutely loved Griffin when I watched him during his senior season because he's so smooth, so athletic and he was a big-time playmaker in all three phases for Mission Viejo. He performed really well against elite national competition at the Under Armour game, only furthering our belief he's one of the best players in this class. There have been comparisons to Darnay Holmes, especially when the new five-star was committed to UCLA, but Griffin is a little different in that he's skinnier and more sudden than Holmes. USC is a main contender in his recruitment with a host of SEC and ACC powers also in the mix.” –Gorney

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Jaylen Waddle

“Waddle’s performance throughout the week at the Army All-America Bowl confirmed what his highlights have shown throughout his entire high school career; that he’s deadly in the open field with his ability to make defenders miss. Add to the fact that he can turn on the afterburners and outrun entire defensive units, and he is everything coaches look for in a modern slot receiver. He may not be as tall as other elite receiver prospects, but he’s sturdy enough to absorb a hit or break a tackle to continue a big play. Waddle seems to be most seriously considering Alabama, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M.” – Nick Krueger, Rivals.com Texas Recruiting Analyst

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The final 2018 Rivals 100 has been released with much of the focus on the new five stars. However, there were many prospects that made big jumps in the rankings and a few that slid pretty far as well.

Here’s a breakdown from our team of analysts on the biggest risers and sliders in the Rivals100.

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