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

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3-star DE/Buck Azeez Ojulari

My Crystal Ball pick: No pick made

Level of confidence: N/A

Breakdown: Ojulari's recruitment has only recently started to take off so there's a long way to go.

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3-star OT Jerome Carvin

My Crystal Ball pick: No pick made

Level of confidence: N/A

Breakdown: Could make second visit this year to Auburn in June. The Tigers appear to be a solid contender.

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KN also had more intel on 4* QB Joey Gatewood. Apparently lots of teams are starting push harder for him now. Here's summary

- Interestingly Ohio State stopped by to visit him Monday. They already have 5* Emory Jones committed but AU is still in contact with him. KN wonders if this is a shot across the bow from Buckeye staff. Will be interesting to see if the Buckeyes start pushing harder for Gatewood

- Apparently he is very interested in Alabama. HIs camp wants to know exactly how interested the Bama staff actually is in landing him

- Georgia is after Gatewood real hard right now. They offered earlier this spring and were the first team to see him during the evaluation period. The Dawgs also are looking to sign 2 QBs this cycle

- Despite all that Gatewood is solidly committed to AU but he is going to keep his options open. He is close with Chip Lindsey but wants to see our offense in action this year and make sure as a dual threat QB he's still a fit. It does sound like AU is where he wants to be but he isn't closing any doors

Gatewood's recruitment is going to be interesting. For all of our concerns about his QB ability plenty of top schools are trying to flip him for their class so it's clear that many think he has a high potential. I think if AU has a good season and continues to show him love he sticks with us. We have offered only 1 QB (Justin Fields) since deciding to go after a 2nd QB & two targets about to be off the board: Jarren Williams recommitted to UK & Gerry Bohanon expected to commit to MSST or ARK Friday. Not sure who that 2nd QB is gonna be right now

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MONDAY - THOMPSON

The main attraction here is Taulia Tagovailoa, as the younger brother of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a four-star quarterback with offers from Alabama, Oregon and more. He had a decorated two-year career in Hawaii and threw for nearly 7,000 yards as a two-year starter at a different high school than Tua, and was on pace to break his records.

But the family will be in Alabaster to get closer to Tua and Taulia has his chance to face some legit competition. He's not as big as Tua and is right-handed. He's probably more comparable, based on size, to Tate Martell, a five-star in last year's class who signed with Ohio State. Taulia's escapability will be huge for Thompson and he can hit the throws.

His presence will benefit receiver M.J. Edwards the most. Edwards took a slant and broke free for what would have been around a 70-yard touchdown if this was a real game.

"He's the sleeper," Thompson coach Mark Freeman said. "He's probably 6-3, 200. There's probably 10 schools coming in here to lay eyes on him."

Thompson's biggest prospect in size is defensive tackle Mackie McNeal. The 6-foot-5, 308-pound three-star recruit has SEC offers from Ole Miss, Tennessee and Mississippi State, but he's being held out this spring with a back injury.

Thompson has some very good linebacker prospects in Jalen Rayam and KJ Robertson, both of whom are in the 6-foot-1, 215-pound range. Both have FBS offers from the likes of UAB and South Alabama with SEC teams looking in.

Freeman feels that all-state safety Myles Brown will get some opportunities.

The headliner in 2019 aside from Tagovailoa is left tackle Amari Kight. At 6-foot-5, he has a Mississippi State offer and more will come.

Coaches spotted: UAB (X2), Troy, Arkansas State

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WEDNESDAY - CENTRAL-PHENIX CITY

This will be a school where it may not be possible to list every prospect. The Red Devils are loaded, especially in the 2019 and 2020 class.

"We've got a lot of them coming around, so we'll see where we go," said Central coach Jamey DuBose, who estimates that at least eight to 10 colleges stop by daily. "Heck, you've still got to line up and play the game."

Justyn Ross is the headliner, as the 6-foot-4 receiver has every major offer and should be a composite five-star recruit (ESPN has him too low in their national rankings).

Mississippi State recently offered two 2019 prospects, and more will come for quarterback Peter Parrish, a track champion, and running back/safety Ray Thornton (6-foot-2, 195 pounds). Thornton was at safety on Wednesday.

Mississippi State has offered 2020 receiver Eddie "E.J." Williams. More will come.

"He has a lot of similarities to Justyn Ross," DuBose said. "A lot of people want to tag him as the next Justyn Ross. That remains to be seen, but he's got a lot of talent and he's a good player."

I'm doing this for my people ... stay tuned [?] pic.twitter.com/RhKEAeuxV2
-- Justyn Ross . [?] [?] (@_Jross5) May 12, 2017

Parrish isn't the only talented quarterback on the Central roster, as rising sophomore Tucker Melton is 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds. DuBose is high on him as well.

Senior offensive lineman Jalil Ryles (6-foot-3, 300) has offers from Connecticut, Southern Miss and others.

Senior defensive end Tyler Moore has an Appalachian State offer with Kentucky looking in. Cornerback M.J. Woods is another prospect. Latavious Calhoun is a transfer safety who wears the same number (5) as Ross and looks like him, but he wears a different color jersey in practice. DuBose said plenty of coaches have inquired about him.

There are many more to track on this Central roster.

Coaches spotted: Florida, Chattanooga, Middle Tennessee, Presbyterian

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Hoover star receiver Shedrick Jackson is now in more of hurry to make his college decision, but there is still plenty of time before his senior season kicks off.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jackson said after Saturday's spring game at Jacksonville State that a decision could come sooner rather than later.

Jackson, the great-nephew of Auburn Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, holds an Auburn offer.

"Initially, I was saying I wanted to do it after the season, but now I've been changing my mind," said Jackson, a three-star recruit. "Now, I want to go mid-summer or anytime before the season."

Jackson caught a 44-yard touchdown pass in Hoover's spring game win over Park Crossing (see film below).

He recently visited Auburn and plans to be back on June 3 for Big Cat Weekend.

"I just went down there and got to hang out with (offensive coordinator) Coach (Chip) Lindsey and hang out with (receivers) Coach (Kodi) Burns," Jackson said. "I got to talk with them and talk football and everything."

Jackson said on Saturday that he didn't have any other visits planned, but that may have changed with spring football in the past. Georgia Tech and Mississippi State are among schools recruiting Jackson hard. Auburn assistant Herb Hand was in Jacksonville watching Jackson and Mississippi State had two coaches present.

"Right now, I'm taking it slow, trying to go day-by-day, trying to be here with my football team and get everybody right and get better myself," Jackson said. "I don't have any leaders or anything. I love every school I go to. They have great coaches, great atmospheres everywhere and great campuses."

Jackson caught 43 passes for 661 yards and three touchdowns last season and had four receptions for the Bucs in the AHSAA Class 7A state championship win over McGill-Toolen in December.

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STOCK UP

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DT Coynis Miller

Recruiting wrap: Alabama and Auburn are perceived as the favorites, but Miller continues to say he will go anywhere. He recently listed recently Georgia and Florida as two schools outside his home state that he is looking at.

The breakdown: Miller is a versatile defensive lineman who can move around along the defensive front. He is a big body who holds his ground, he can eat up space and he also can get up the field. He has worked hard in the weight room this offseason, he is in great shape and he has had a great spring. Miller is one of the top defensive linemen in the south.

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STOCK DOWN

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DT Dare Rosenthal

Recruiting wrap: A one-time Alabama commitment, Rosenthal is still considering the Tide, LSU and several others.

The breakdown: A year ago Rosenthal looked like he would become one of the nation’s best offensive linemen, but he since has shifted his focus to defensive line, a position at which he’s still developing. He has tantalizing size and athleticism, but right now a ranking inside the Rivals100 over more accomplished defensive linemen seems like a little bit of an overshoot. Look for a correction during the next round of rankings updates.

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PHENIX CITY, Ala. — He moved just a few miles down the road and that put him into a new state. Ray Thornton was a star in Columbus (Ga.) last fall, but now he is Alabama at Central High School in Phenix City.

Thornton is surrounded by a lot of talent, he plays for a top coach in Jamey Dubose, so plenty of college coaches have stopped by there this spring. One was D.J. Looney of Mississippi State. It was not long after that visit that Thornton received his first offer.

"Getting that first offer was great and it was a great feeling because Mississippi State is the first college to believe in me," said Thornton. "They came through the school, then I talked to them on the phone and they told me that they liked me and wanted to offer me.

"I have watched them on T.V. and I like how they play. I like their offense, I like their style and them offering me first definitely has me interested in finding out more about them."

He does not know as much about the Bulldogs as he does a few other schools in the SEC. One he knows a lot about is Florida. He is hearing from the Gators and he would love nothing more than to pick up an offer from the school he grew up rooting for.

"Florida was my dream school when I was little. Part of my family is from Jacksonville (Fla.), so I grew up going down there to see them and spend time with them, so that is when I started liking Florida.

"Tim Tebow and Chris Rainey are two of my favorite players that I grew up watching, so I watched a lot of their games when they were at Florida. They produce a lot of players and I like it there a lot.

"I have been there for a couple of camps, I have been to one game and I love it there. If I get an offer from Florida one day, that will be special to me. That was my dream school."

Outside of Florida, other schools the 6-foot-1, 195 pound rising junior safety is hearing from are Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee.

He grew up playing a lot of offense, but Thornton is now a full-time defensive back. He is a big safety who loves to come downhill and he feels he is strong in coverage. Look for his recruitment to pick up.

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