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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:04 am to TideSaint
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:04 am to TideSaint
quote:
Dabo Swinney knows a little something about recruiting.
The Clemson coach, coming off a College Football Playoff National Championship against Alabama, currently has five of the 55 commitments on the ESPN 300 "Most top 100 commits," per Tom VanHarren of ESPN.
The number is tied for second in the nation behind Ohio State's nine.
Recently, the former Alabama player explained what he looks for when he is out on the recruiting trail.
"When you get around a company that's got a great culture, you can smell it," Swinney said, per TigerNet.com. "You see it on the walls. You hear it. That's why I like to go on the road in December and January recruiting. I love to go to these schools, and I can spend five minutes at a place, and I know exactly what type of culture they're coming from. It's a culture of commitment, or it's a culture of compromise. I can tell just like that.
"Sometimes, I go to these places that don't have a whole lot, the school's in bad shape, but there's so much pride in what they have. Sometimes I go to schools that have a lot, and it's a mess. There's entitlement, instead of empowerment. This is a program of empowerment here. That's the culture we've established."
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Earlier this month, Clemson visited the White House.
Dabo Swinney on playing Alabama in consecutive years for the College Football Playoff National Championship: "I really thought we were going to be here last year."
Swinney, as he often does, cited his time as an Alabama player when talking about the honor it is to be invited to the White House.
"I really thought we were going to be here last year, but we came up short," Swinney said of Alabama's 45-40 win in 2016. "I'm so thankful and glad my players and my staff got a chance to experience what I experienced as a player as a part of the Alabama national championship team in 1992."
The Clemson coach cited Corinthians and George Washington Carver in his remarks Monday.
"In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win," 1 Corinthians 9:24.
LINK
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Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:13 am to TideSaint
quote:
The majority of the nation’s top prospects will be competing in “The Opening” finals on Nike’s campus in Oregon from Wednesday through Monday, including one Alabama commit and numerous top targets for the Crimson Tide in the classes of 2018 and 2019.
Here are the top names, story lines, pending decisions and things to keep tabs on out west over the next six days:
LINK
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:20 am to TideSaint
quote:
The names to know
Commits:
Xavier Williams, 4-star WR (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Targets:
Tommy Bush, 4-star WR (Schertz, Texas)
Tyson Campbell, 4-star DB (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Jackson Carman, 5-star OL (Fairfield, Ohio)
Matt Corral, 5-star QB (Long Beach, Calif.)
Greg Emerson, 4-star DL (Jackson, Tenn.)
Justin Fields, 5-star QB (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Luke Ford, 4-star TE (Carterville, Ill.)
KJ Henry, 5-star JACK (Clemmons, N.C.)
Trey Hill, 4-star OL (Warner Robins, Ga.)
Jaycee Horn, 4-star DB (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Talanoa Hufanga, 4-star ATH (Corvallis, Ore.)
Kearis Jackson, 4-star WR (Fort Valley, Ga.)
Harold Joiner, 4-star ATH (Mountain Brook, Ala.)
Cameron Latu, 4-star JACK (Salt Lake City)
Tanner McKee, 5-star QB (Corona, Calif.)
Micah Parsons, 5-star JACK (Harrisburg, Pa.)
JJ Peterson, 4-star LB (Moultrie, Ga.)
Justyn Ross, 5-star WR (Phenix City, Ala.)
Penei Sewell, 4-star OL (Saint George, Utah)
Tyreke Smith, 4-star DL (Cleveland, Ohio)
Patrick Surtain Jr., 5-star DB (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Michael Thompson, 4-star DL (St. Louis)
Solomon Tuliaupupu, 4-star LB (Claremont, Calif.)
Jack Tuttle, 4-star QB (San Marcos, Calif.)
Justin Watkins, 4-star WR (Clermont, Fla.)
Devon Williams, 4-star ATH (Lancaster, Calif.)
Targets committed elsewhere:
James Cook, 4-star RB (Miami) — committed to Florida State
Robert Cooper, 4-star DL (Snellville, Ga.) — committed to Florida State
Brenton Cox, 5-star JACK (Stockbridge, Ga.) — committed to Ohio State
Emil Ekiyor, 4-star OL (Indianapolis) — committed to Michigan
Josh Jobe, 4-star DB (Miami) — committed to Miami
Kelvin Joseph, 4-star DB (Baton Rouge, La.) — committed to LSU
Trevor Lawrence, 5-star QB (Cartersville, Ga.) — committed to Clemson
Kyler McMichael, 4-star DB (Norcross, Ga.) — committed to Clemson
2019 targets:
Devontae Dobbs, 5-star OL (Belleville, Mich.)
Zach Harrison, 5-star DL (Lewis Center, Ohio)
Nolan Smith II, 5-star DE (Bradenton, Fla.) — committed to Georgia
Owen Pappoe, 5-star LB (Loganville, Ga.)
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:20 am to TideSaint
quote:
The story lines
Only one Alabama commit in attendance
It will be unusual to not see Alabama’s commits dominate the nation’s premier camp this year. The Crimson Tide have only one commitment at The Opening, 4-star wide receiver Xavier Williams. Last year, the team had eight commitments led by Najee Harris and Tua Tagovailoa. That week in Oregon was critical for the Tide keeping Harris committed, as the two formed a strong bond, which led to them ultimately becoming roommates at Alabama.
There will be none of that this year. But, the good news for the Tide is that Williams has an effervescent personality and has established relationships with several of the team’s top targets who will be in attendance such as Josh Jobe and Patrick Surtain Jr.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:22 am to TideSaint
quote:
Is Alabama’s 2018 quarterback one of the Elite 11 finalists?
For the past six recruiting cycles, each of the Tide’s quarterback signees was an Elite 11 semifinalist. This past cycle, Tua Tagovailoa was named the Elite 11 MVP.
The likely candidates for Alabama to land one of the Elite 11 finalists are Tanner McKee, Matt Corral, Jack Tuttle and Justin Fields. McKee is the likeliest out of that group because the depth chart won’t be a factor by the time he enrolls. The California standout is a devout Mormon and will take a two-year mission trip after graduating high school, which effectively makes him a 2020 prospect.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:23 am to TideSaint
quote:
How serious are 5-star JACK targets Micah Parsons and KJ Henry about Alabama?
The Crimson Tide would love to sign both Parsons and Henry. Parsons, a former Penn State commit, has been most associated with Ohio State, while Henry is seen as a Clemson lean.
Parsons hasn’t visited Tuscaloosa yet but is expected to before the summer ends. Henry has visited several times and has said he feels very comfortable on campus. Understanding what each prospect feels about Alabama’s chances of landing their respective commitment will be a big story line.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:25 am to TideSaint
quote:
What’s up with Josh Jobe?
Jobe is very quiet when it comes to talking to the media. He has been committed to Miami since 2015, but there is some buzz that he’ll eventually flip to Alabama — even though he has said his recruitment is 100 percent over.
I don’t believe it. Him showing up at a satellite camp with Alabama’s staff there and no Miami coaches in attendance says otherwise. He communicates nearly daily with the Crimson Tide staff. That’s not something that goes down if you are 100 percent committed.
I have heard Jobe feels pressure to stick with his commitment because he lives in Miami. I also have been told that once he leaves for his senior year at a boarding school in Connecticut that he’ll be more open to the thought of abandoning his pledge to the Hurricanes. We’ll see what happens.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:31 am to TideSaint
quote:
The Scout.com national recruiting analysts will be in Beaverton, Oregon, all week for The Opening at the Nike Headquarters.
Leading up to The Opening, a gathering of 160 of the top prospects from all across the country, they are focusing on some of the key things to watch in the summer's biggest event.
LINK
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:33 am to TideSaint
quote:
Blair Angulo, Mountain Region Recruiting Analyst
I've been very impressed with the four-star offensive guard from Salt Lake City (Utah) East, Sam Taimani (formerly Sam Vakalahi) in every event he's attended and this one should be the best opportunity to gauge his ranking. Taimani can line up on either side of the ball and he's open to playing either guard or defensive tackle at the next level, but he's headed into the event as an offensive lineman and he's certainly got the potential to impress in this setting, which features highly competitive one-on-one battles in shells and helmets. There aren't many prospects in the West region that can match Taimani physically, but will that translate on a national scale? Can Taimani make up ground on St. George (Utah) Desert Hills four-star offensive tackle Penei Sewell as the best lineman in their state? Those are just a couple of questions centering Taimani heading into The Opening and we're excited to see how he responds. Taimani recently named a top seven of Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, UCLA, Utah and Washington.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:35 am to TideSaint
quote:
The Scout.com national recruiting analysts will be in Beaverton, Oregon, all week for The Opening at the Nike Headquarters.
Leading up to The Opening, a gathering of over 160 of the top prospects from all across the country, they are focusing on some of the key things to watch in the summer's biggest event.
LINK
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:36 am to TideSaint
quote:
Which prospect at a skill position from your region are you most excited to see on the big stage at The Opening?
Brian Dohn, National Recruiting Analyst (East)
Micah Parsons, the No. 2 player in the country, interests me the most because every time I see him, I am blown away from his athleticism and his diverse skill set. He projects as a defensive lineman, but because of Pennsylvania's rules regarding high school players in such combines, he will play as a linebacker. And I expect to see him run some routes as a tight end or receiver. He just visited Nebraska, and he has Ohio State, Penn State, Miami, Georgia and Florida all high on his list.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:37 am to TideSaint
quote:
John Garcia, South Recruiting Analyst
Justyn Ross has been on the ascent on Scout and now stands as a five-star wide receiver prospect and sits among the top five nationally at the position. Many don't realize how inexperienced he is compared to other top pass catchers in these offseason settings, as he focused on basketball in year's past and suffered a torn ACL when the plan was to focus on football more recently. Ross' first camp of any kind came at the Future 50 near the New Year and he was one of the top prospects in attendance, not having looked back since. The Opening will be more thorough than any camp experience he has undertaken, so how will he produce compared to fellow five-stars Amon-Ra St. Brown, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Brennan Eagles? These are top talents we have seen dominate the camp circuit much longer than Ross has.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 1:38 am to TideSaint
quote:
Brandon Huffman, National Director of Recruiting
We've seen Dorian Thompson-Robinson on the 7v7 circuit plenty the last couple of years but he's always had to wait his turn when it came to Friday nights, having to back up Tate Martell, now at Ohio State and an alum of The Opening Finals himself. Now, in his final tune-up before fall camp starts for the two-time defending Scout national champions, Thompson-Robinson will quarterback Team Alpha Menace with Matt Corral, who will be starting his fourth season at quarterback. Thompson-Robinson has been excellent in events the past two years, wisely doing several since his snaps were limited during the actual season, and he's been chomping at the bit to make one more big national statement before his patience pays off with the starting job for Gorman.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 10:37 am to TideSaint
Demetric Warren just CB'd Teair Tart-Spencer to Alabama.
I haven't hear that name in months.
I haven't hear that name in months.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 10:42 am to TideSaint
The Auburn SEC Country mod CB'd Harold Joiner to Auburn.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 10:46 am to TideSaint
Despite seemingly leading for Justin Fields, Georgia continues to rack up CBs for Matt Corral.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 11:00 am to TideSaint
quote:
The Auburn SEC Country mod CB'd Harold Joiner to Auburn.
FWIW here's his reasoning
quote:
4-star RB Harold Joiner, Mountain Brook (Ala.): Joiner will be a hot topic over this weekend and throughout the rest of the summer. He has come out and said LSU and Georgia are no longer in consideration because of those schools taking a few running backs in the last week. Strangely, he spoke publicly about his new interest in … Michigan State. With all that said, I put in a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction to Auburn — the first one — because I don’t see the Tigers missing on him now that he appears within their grasp.
Only way I see that happening is if we miss on both Martin and Pierce which is possible
Posted on 6/29/17 at 11:00 am to TideSaint
quote:
4-star OT William Barnes, Opopka (Fla.): Barnes hasn’t publicly visited Auburn as he suggested he might in the spring. Barnes has been trending toward his home-state Florida Gators for a while. North Carolina is seen as a dark horse. The big offensive tackle is, by my estimation, the Tigers’ top tackle target in the class, but until the Tigers get him on campus, I expect him to be a Gator.
Posted on 6/29/17 at 11:01 am to TideSaint
quote:
4-star WR Tommy Bush, Clemens (Texas): Bush’s second stop of his southeast-wide tour went to Auburn. He has received some graphic edit love from the Tigers since he left, and Bush sent that out on social media. The thing to watch with Bush: Does he visit again? If he visits again, I’ve been told Auburn has a legitimate chance. For now, it’ll be a waiting game as Bush narrows down his list in July.
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