Started By
Message
re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:09 am to chattabama
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:09 am to chattabama
5500
1
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:12 am to TideSaint
Chefrossi from BOL has spoken:
He's one of the only "insiders" I believe might be legit.
quote:
I'll say that with the private commits we have a top 10 class and would have a top 3 class with the guys we feel really good about. so our recruiting is fine right now.
He's one of the only "insiders" I believe might be legit.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:15 am to TideSaint
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:21 am to TideSaint
247 finally put up a profile page for 2019 prospects George Pickens (Hoover WR) and Desmond Little (Vigor OLB). I linked them on the first page.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:21 am to TideSaint
Tennessee got a few CBs for Greg Emerson over the weekend.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:25 am to TideSaint
quote:
The latest on Alabama’s search for a 2018 QB
Matt Corral’s de-commitment from Southern California on Saturday was unexpected. The 247Sports 5-star quarterback from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School had been actively recruiting for the Trojans.
Now that he’s uncommitted, however, Alabama is in solid position of being the next school he chooses. 247Sports’ Tom Loy reported that Alabama, Florida and Georgia were the three schools that had the edge in Corral’s recruitment.
There is a big domino here that can impact the Tide’s chances with Corral. Justin Fields, the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat prospect from Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison High School, is a major target for both Florida and Georgia. It’s very likely Fields is the top quarterback target for both schools. Fields told SEC Country on Sunday that those two schools were recruiting him the hardest. If one of those two schools land Fields, it’s likely that Corral will then be the next option for the school that misses on Fields.
SEC Country was told by a source last weekend that Corral will visit Tuscaloosa for the first time next month. A date for that trip isn’t set just yet, but a potential time for the visit could be for the Champions Cookout, which is one of Alabama’s biggest recruiting events of the summer for its elite targets. Another source close to the program said that the team is “really hoping” it can land Corral, the nation’s No. 2 pro-style quarterback.
Out of the three schools that supposedly have an edge for Corral, he has only visited Georgia. So, it’s safe to say the Bulldogs have a slight edge on the Crimson Tide and Gators.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:25 am to TideSaint
quote:
Where USC turns now … and how that could impact the Tide
USC’s class took a major hit with the loss of Corral. Now, the Trojans are expected to put the full court press on 4-star Utah quarterback commit Jack Tuttle, who lives about two hours from the Southern Cal campus.
Tuttle is saying all of the right things right now about his commitment with the Utes. That’s important because Alabama would love to flip Tuttle, as well. He has a committable offer from the Crimson Tide and is one of the team’s top targets.
Like Corral, Tuttle hasn’t visited Tuscaloosa before. But Tuttle also doesn’t have any plans to do so. If he doesn’t make a trip to Alabama, it will be almost impossible for the Crimson Tide to flip him.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:26 am to TideSaint
quote:
What about Justin Fields?
Fields is being targeted by almost every single top college football team in the country.
But it doesn’t appear likely that he’ll choose Alabama. He told SEC Country on Sunday that while Alabama is in the mix, it shouldn’t be considered as strong of a contender as other schools.
“I just don’t talk to the coaches as much as I do with the other guys,” Fields said.
The “other guys” are Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia.
Fields is expected to make a commitment before his senior season begins. And again, if either Florida or Georgia lands him, that’s one less school in the race for Corral.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:26 am to TideSaint
quote:
So, who is the likeliest candidate to join the class?
This is a tough question to answer right now because no major quarterback prospect is clearly favoring Alabama. Compare that to last year and the situations with Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones before he flipped from Kentucky.
The Crimson Tide remain in the race for 4-star prospect Tanner McKee. But he’s in no rush to make a decision. As we have noted before, McKee will do a two-year Mormon mission trip after graduating high school. That effectively makes him a 2020 prospect. Because of that, it makes sense if he did commit to the Tide because the team’s current depth chart wouldn’t matter to him. Jalen Hurts will be gone by then and Tagovailoa and Jones would be either seniors or redshirt juniors.
James Foster, an in-state 3-star prospect from Montgomery, is committed to Missouri but continues to show up on visit lists to Alabama. He was expected to meet with Nick Saban during the weekend. What’s unclear is if Foster has a committable offer. If he does, things could get interesting. He grew up a major Alabama fan and has said that he dreamed of playing for the Crimson Tide. Foster makes sense for Alabama if he did flip his commitment because, in my opinion, he will need time to hone his skills in a program before being successful on the field.
As you can see, 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.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:27 am to TideSaint
quote:
Emmit Gooden commits to Arkansas
Emmit Gooden was one of Alabama’s top defensive line targets in the Class of 2018. But after an official visit to Arkansas during the weekend, the junior college tackle committed to the Razorbacks.
This one surprised me because I had just talked to Gooden last week and he pretty much said that Alabama was his top school, and it was the team that was coming after him the hardest.
Clearly, Arkansas did a fantastic job locking up one of the most talented junior college prospects in the country before he left campus.
“It was just a good fit,” Gooden said. “But it’s a long ways until signing day. Don’t count ‘Bama out yet.”
Gooden said he’s locked in with Arkansas but may consider visiting Alabama in the future. He said that was the only school that could host him on a visit.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound prospect would have been in SEC Country’s Alabama first mock signing class for this cycle that will come out later this week. He will no longer be included.
The team is in good shape with several defensive tackles in 2018 such as 4-star prospects Bobby Brown and Coynis Miller and 3-star prospect Jalen Cunningham. However, Cunningham still needs to have a good camp performance before he can commit. There are questions about his weight and if he’s actually a defensive lineman instead of an offensive guard. Junior college DL Caleb Tremblay received an offer from Alabama shortly after Gooden’s commitment to Arkansas. He balled out at the OL/DL camp during the weekend and is now a top target.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:29 am to TideSaint
quote:
BRADENTON, Fla. — Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is catching some shade underneath a cabana after his 7-on-7 team, led by 5-star QB Justin Fields, has notched a 31-8 win in its third game of the NFA7v7 national championship Sunday.
A reporter approaches Newton and requests an interview about Fields, the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat passer from Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga. Newton politely declines to talk, but does make this declaration:
“Justin Fields is the best recruit in the country. Write that down.”
That’s quite a compliment from the 2015 NFL MVP and No. 1 overall draft pick in 2011 . Like Fields, Newton is from the Atlanta area and was a 5-star QB prospect 10 years ago.
Newton played two seasons with the Florida Gators before joining Auburn as a junior college transfer. The Tigers won the 2010 national championship behind Newton’s Heisman Trophy campaign.
“Growing up when he was at Auburn, he’s kind of who I modeled my game after,” Fields said. “So it’s definitely great learning from him.”
In a state loaded with elite quarterbacks, being the handpicked signal caller of Newton’s 7-on-7 team is a testament to the transformation Fields has made in the past year.
After all, he hasn’t always been the nation’s most talked-about prospect.
“I think it was before spring last year, I just wanted an offer from Mercer,” Fields said with a laugh. “So I’ve definitely come a long way.”
Fields now holds more than 40 scholarship offers, but Mercer doesn’t have much of shot. He’s being pursued by several powerhouse schools and big-name coaches who want him to be their quarterback of the future.
Fields believes he can be a program-changing player in college, but the Elite 11 finalist hasn’t always felt that way.
“No, I’m going to be honest,” Fields said. “I probably didn’t feel that way last year. I guess, I didn’t know I was this good. I feel like sometimes I doubt myself when I shouldn’t. God’s blessed me with a great gift.”
That gift was on display Sunday, as Fields picked apart several secondaries with his downfield vision and pin-point accuracy. He threw eight touchdown passes through the first three games with zero interceptions.
The pressure and expectations of being a high-profile quarterback doesn’t bother Fields, nor does the recruiting process.
“You just have to embrace it,” Fields said. “All the talk, you can’t let it get to your head. You just have to keep working, just how I was when I didn’t have any offers. So that’s just how I take it.”
“I don’t really text a lot of coaches, so it’s not really [weighing] that heavily on my life. It’s not really that big of a deal. I’m just taking things slow right now. It’s not that stressful.”
Fields said Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia are the main schools he’s focused on. He added that Alabama, North Carolina and Ole Miss are still involved a little bit.
“Georgia and Florida, those two are probably [recruiting] the hardest. Florida State, too,” said Fields, who will visit UF this week after recent trips to Georgia, Auburn and FSU.
Fields reiterated that he’s not sure when he’ll make a commitment, but he hopes to do so before his senior season. His determining factors are academics, relationships with coaches and their track record of player development.
Newton has advised Fields on his decision-making process.
“I honestly do not know where I’m going to go,” Fields said. “Cam tells me just do what’s best for me. All these colleges, they want you to come help them. But really, just find the best fit for you.”
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:31 am to TideSaint
quote:
Justyn Ross is one of Alabama’s top overall targets in the Class of 2018. The 5-star wide receiver from Central High School (Phenix City, Ala.) released his top 5 on Sunday and Alabama made the cut. Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and Florida were the other schools included.
Ross, the nation’s No. 5 wide receiver according to 247Sports, has been a priority for the Crimson Tide for more than a year now. He’s considered Alabama’s top target at the position in the Class of 2018.
God got me . ???? Top 5 ?? pic.twitter.com/hcD5muqWg9
— Justyn Ross . ???? (@_Jross5) June 19, 2017
The 6-foot-4, 197-pound prospect told SEC Country during our trip around the state of Alabama that Tide offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley have established a good relationship with his mother, Charay Franklin. She recently returned from Kuwait, where she was stationed with the National Guard.
“When [Daboll] got [to Alabama], he was asking me about my background,” Ross said. “I told him that my mom was overseas and he said he wanted to communicate to her.
“That’s really important. I want her to be comfortable with the school I pick, too. Her getting a good relationship with the coaches is very important to me.”
Since his mother has returned from Kuwait, she has accompanied him on visits to Alabama and Auburn to our knowledge. Those visits were her first to those schools during her son’s recruitment.
There are several people around the state of Alabama who believe that Ross’ recruitment is strictly an Iron Bowl battle, but that’s not the case at all. Clemson and Florida State are true threats to pluck away one of the best prospects in the nation from either Alabama or Auburn.
For some perspective, though, the 247Sports composite tracks player rankings since 2000. Only twice has the No. 1 player in the state not gone to Alabama or Auburn: Chad Jackson (Florida) in 2003 and Jameis Winston (Florida State) in 2012. Ross has said numerous times that the in-state programs are the schools that are recruiting him the hardest.
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:32 am to TideSaint
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:33 am to TideSaint
quote:
It has been a very busy eight days for 4-star tight end Luke Ford. On June 10, Ford, the nation’s No. 4 tight end in the Class of 2018, de-committed from Arkansas. Since then, he’s picked up offers from Auburn, Baylor, California, Missouri, Oregon and Texas. He’s also taken visits to Alabama and Auburn.
Ford visited Tuscaloosa on Saturday to work out for the coaching staff and tour the campus. By the time he left on Saturday, the Crimson Tide took the top spot in his recruitment.
“My God, Alabama is definitely at the top because the visit was amazing and you can tell that they don’t do what they did for me for just anyone,” Ford told SEC Country. “I got to chill with the coaches in their offices. I worked out for them and got to talk to Nick Saban for a while.”
The 6-foot-7, 250-pound prospect said he won’t make a commitment until later this year. After de-committing from Arkansas, he wants to be sure that the next place he commits to is the school he will stick with.
But when he does make a decision, how hard is it going to be for him to turn down the Crimson Tide?
“Very damn hard,” Ford said.
After his workout for the coaches, Ford is now one of the team’s top tight end targets along with Dominick Wood-Anderson, the nation’s No. 1 junior college prospect who is taking an official visit to Tuscaloosa next month, and 3-star Louisiana tight end Glenn Beal.
Alabama signed two tight ends in the Class of 2017 in Kedrick James and Major Tennison, but the team would like to add one more this recruiting cycle. Ford said it was directly expressed to him by Saban that Ford can choose to commit to the Tide at any time.
“Chilling in Coach Saban’s office was the best part of the visit,” Ford said. “The best thing he had to say to me was, ‘we want you.’ ”
LINK
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:34 am to TideSaint
quote:
Top defensive end target close to decision
Andres Fox is inching toward an announcement.
He originally labeled it as a “summer decision,” but it appears that timeline is gradually moving up, it seems. On his most recent visit to Auburn, he spent Tuesday to Friday living the day-to-day life of an Auburn student-athlete. When he left, his timetable sounded like one that’s on the verge of completion.
“Probably a couple of weeks,” Fox said.
Fox has a few more visits in place before that decision.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end has one more Alabama visit scheduled before his decision. That will be one to watch. LSU also feels like it’s in good position with Fox. But Fox’s bond with Auburn seems to be the best fit and the most likely landing spot.
Often quiet, Fox was able to open up with Tigers’ players who were making jokes at him about his imminent commitment.
“They be playing around, saying, ‘Commit already — if you go to Alabama I’ll beat you up.'”
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:35 am to TideSaint
quote:
No. 1 player in Alabama names top 5
Just taking a stab at the Auburn and Alabama recruiting boards, there is probably one name that sits atop both: Justyn Ross.
The wide receiver has fluctuated between a 4-star and 5-star in the 247Sports composite rankings. He’s the No. 1 prospect in the state of Alabama. Ross is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, and he has the tools to do pretty much everything as an imposing receiver and a speedy playmaker.
Every program in the country would love to have him.
Alabama and Auburn are the most likely to do so. Ross moved one step closer to that when he released a top 5 schools on Sunday night. Auburn and Alabama were joined on the list by Florida State, Clemson and Florida.
It’s not a guarantee Ross stays in-state. He called Clemson his favorite visit after he left there for the first time. Florida State has made a major impression on him. Florida seems like the dark horse of the group.
But the two in-state programs have recruited him the hardest from start to finish.
Ross said he doesn’t plan to commit until National Signing Day, or at least close to it, but he will be the prospect to watch for all five of the aforementioned programs.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:45 am to TideSaint
quote:
5-star quarterback breaks down busy two weeks
Justin Fields has had a hectic two weeks. He de-committed from Penn State. He shined at the Rivals.com 5-star challenge in Indianapolis. He visited Georgia. He visited Auburn. He visited Florida State. He put on a highlight show at the NFA7v7 national championship Bradenton, Fla., as the quarterback of Cam Newton’s hand-picked squad.
Fields finally broke a recent silence to answer a few of the questions circling his recruitment right now.
He spoke with SEC Country’s Zach Abolverdi at that tournament, but it was something his mentor said that might be more telling.
“Justin Fields is the best recruit in the country. Write that down,” Newton said, the only comment he’d make regarding Fields’ recruitment.
Fields has made a fast rise from semi-unknown to Most Wanted Uncommitted Prospect. He joked with Abolverdi that, at this time last year, he was just working hard to compete and earn an offer from a program like Mercer.
Clearly Fields’ priorities are different a year later — as is his confidence.
The 5-star quarterback also had three interesting comments about his recruitment going forward.
- He’s focused in on four schools: Auburn, Georgia, Florida State and Florida.
- There are three programs still being considered that haven’t been mentioned often with Fields: Alabama, Ole Miss and North Carolina.
- Georgia and Florida are recruiting Fields the hardest. Florida State is close behind that.
I’m not sure how much any of that means regarding how Fields feels about any of these schools. Recruiting harder doesn’t always mean recruiting better. Alabama hadn’t been mentioned with Fields before, but that’s something worth watching even though the Crimson Tide are on the outside looking in. Never count them out with a top prospect.
With that said, the top four are the ones to really monitor at this time. And, yes, it would surprise me to see a Penn State re-commitment.
If Auburn has one key advantage, it’s Newton’s direct link to the Tigers. Newton’s role with Auburn recruiting can often be overplayed. But in the case of Fields, Newton is a true mentor. They are very close. Newton’s opinion likely won’t be “Hey, go to Auburn,” but his insight on Gus Malzahn and Auburn — both of which thrusted him to a national championship and Heisman — will only help the Tigers.
It’s certainly susceptible to change, but my Crystal Ball prediction for Fields is still Auburn.
Posted on 6/19/17 at 10:46 am to TideSaint
quote:
Arkansas has received the commitment of 2018 Independence (Kan.) Community College defensive tackle Emmit Gooden. He is the No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 10 overall junior college recruit in the class according to 247Sports composite rankings.
Gooden (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) announced his pledge Sunday following an official visit to Arkansas over the weekend. His offer list includes Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Southern Cal and others.
The commitment to the Hogs has Gooden in line to unite with friend McTelvin “Sosa” Agim on Arkansas’ defensive line for the 2018 season. Gooden and Agim first developed a relationship as highly touted defensive line prospects in the 2016 high school class.
“If me and Sosa were together, that’s deadly,” Gooden told SEC Country last month. “I think the other day I tweeted out Sosa will kill the SEC West and that’s a fact right there. I watched him in 1-on-1s when I visited and he can get after it. He’s nasty.”
Now a tackle at Independence, Gooden played end at Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tenn. The Razorbacks’ newly implemented 3-4 defensive scheme is an attractive selling point for him because of his ability to play multiple spots in the three-man front.
“I can fit in perfect,” Gooden said. “I can play the nose, I can play the end. That’s my versatility. I could play it all, so it really doesn’t matter. But I view the 3-4 more as an NFL type of defense, so it’d help get me noticed by the NFL scouts, I think.”
The Razorbacks now have seven commitments in the 2018 class — five on defense. Gooden is the first defensive lineman and only player from the junior college level.
As a high school recruit, Gooden committed to Mississippi State over Alabama and LSU in December of 2015. He announced shortly after he would not qualify academically and would be enrolling in junior college.
LINK
Page 276 of 1304
Latest Alabama News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News