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Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:08 am to Rizzy
quote:
Many believe that it's an Ohio State-Penn State battle for Cleveland, Ohio four-star recruit Tyreke Smith, but he plans on visiting Alabama this fall.
Alabama is targeting the 6-foot-4, 249-pound Smith at a different position than what he's used to. Smith participated as a defensive end last week at The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Ore. He's ranked as the No. 107 overall recruit, No. 4 weak side defensive end and No. 3 prospect in Ohio.
"They want me to play outside linebacker or more of a rush type," Smith said in Oregon. "I haven't done that, but I'm willing to try new things. In colleges, sometimes you get moved around. If that's what they think is best, they're a powerhouse team.
"I can drop back into coverage. I'm athletic enough and quick enough, so I can do it."
Smith said he has a good relationship with Alabama's coaching staff and that he speaks with head coach Nick Saban on a regular basis.
He included Alabama in a top five with Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon and USC, and indicated he wants to take unofficial and official visits to Alabama. He hasn't visited Alabama yet, but has been to schools in the southeast such as Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee.
"It's Alabama," Smith said. "It's a powerhouse school. They really impress me with their education aspect.
"I want to major in finance or engineering and their programs are top of the line."
Smith said his grade point average is around 3.9-4.0 and he is listening closely to schools' academic pitches.
"You're only going to play in the NFL and college for so long," Smith said. "I'm looking for a 40-year plan where someone can support me on and off the field. I like schools that take pride in their education. I like the coach who gets on the phone and doesn't talk about just the football aspect."
Smith said he plans on making his commitment public at the Under Armour All-American Game. The date has not been set, but is usually around Jan. 1 in Orlando.
LINK
Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:11 am to TideSaint
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Jaycee Horn no longer committing this Saturday
After announcing he’d commit on July 15 between Alabama and South Carolina, 4-star Alpharetta (Ga.) High School cornerback Jaycee Horn has decided to back off his plans, he told SEC Country.
Horn doesn’t have a set date for when a commitment could come, but Tennessee has now entered the mix. The Volunteers were being considered before Horn announced his top 2, but they didn’t make the cut. Since he announced the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks were his final two choices, Tennessee’s staff turned up the heat to get back into the mix.
I still think Alabama is in good shape to land Horn, whenever he announces his commitment. He grew up a big Crimson Tide fan and the team has a serious need for corners after not signing any in the Class of 2017. His father, former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn, actually believes Alabama is the closest program you can get to being in the league.
“He thinks it’s the closest thing you’re going to get to the NFL, especially for a DB,” Jaycee Horn said to SEC Country in an interview. “They run an NFL type of defense. They play a lot of man to man. Nick Saban, you can debate on the fact that he’s the best DB coach in the nation right now.”
Alabama already has a CB commitment from 4-star prospect Jalyn Armour-Davis. The Tide would also like to add 5-star prospect Patrick Surtain Jr., as well as Tyson Campbell and Josh Jobe.
Damnit.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:13 am to TideSaint
quote:
Alabama will make the cut for Tyson Campbell
Tyson Campbell is viewed as Alabama’s top cornerback target in the Class of 2018. When he trims his list to seven schools, four are certainly going to be on there, according to Campbell: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State.
Campbell, a 4-star prospect from American Heritage High School (Plantation, Fla.), hasn’t visited Tuscaloosa since he was going into his sophomore season. At the time, he wasn’t being recruited by the Crimson Tide. That has changed tenfold.
“I hear from Alabama almost daily,” Campbell said. “I talk to Coach Saban a lot, coach [Derrick] Ansley, I talk to them a lot. I plan on visiting them sometime in July.”
When in July isn’t known yet. Campbell said he’s planning on visiting Clemson on July 21. That’s the day Alabama would love to have him on campus because it is having its invite-only cookout event where the majority of its top targets will be present. Another potential visit day could be this Sunday for camp.
Either way, getting Campbell on campus this summer is important because, as stated above, Alabama needs several elite cornerbacks this year after signing zero in the last recruiting cycle. The nation’s No. 3 cornerback said that lack of depth could help the Tide’s cause.
“That can influence my decision,” Campbell said. “Early playing time, come in early, learn the system and get on the field.”
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound prospect said he’s planning on taking an official visit to Tuscaloosa this fall. Despite not visiting Alabama since he became a national recruit, Campbell has received face time with the coaching staff. Campbell attended a satellite camp at Florida International last month, where he spoke with Saban and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt.
That visit definitely helped Alabama’s chances with Campbell, but he’s in no rush to make a decision.
“I’m just taking it day by day,” Campbell said of his recruitment. “It’s a fun process, but at the same time it’s a tough one. You’re making a decision that can dictate your future. Your life can change in the next three or four years, so I am taking my time to make sure I’m making the right decision.”
Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:14 am to TideSaint
quote:
Ken Montgomery Jr. has Alabama in final four
Ken Montgomery Jr., a 3-star cornerback from Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Fla.), included Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State and UCLA in his final four schools. He’ll commit to one of those programs on July 27.
While the Crimson Tide may be in his final four, he cannot commit to them as of Monday. Montgomery is planning on attending camp in Tuscaloosa this Sunday, so maybe a good performance will shoot him up the board.
Armour-Davis, Campbell, Jobe, Surtain Jr. and Horn remain the priority cornerback targets.
He's gotten a bunch of CBs to UCLA since he made his decision date known FWIW.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:15 am to TideSaint
quote:
Where do the Vols stand with Jaycee Horn?
Class of 2018 Georgia cornerback Jaycee Horn recently cut his list to South Carolina and Alabama, but Tennessee has not stopped its recruitment of the son of former NFL player Joe Horn.
Horn tweeted a screenshot of a facetime he had with Tennessee coach Butch Jones.
Jones’s continued pursuit of the 4-star corner may be paying off, because while Horn left the Vols off his final list, there still seems to be some mutual interest.
Tennessee currently holds secondary commitments this cycle from Brendon Harris, Brandon Cross and Tanner Ingle. The Vols will lose five secondary players from the two-deep roster this fall, so there will likely be opportunities to play early.
Tennessee’s recruiting class currently ranks as No. 6 in the country and No. 2 in the SEC behind LSU, according to 247Sports.
Fellow Georgia native and Tennessee commit Jatavious Harris has apparently been pushing the Vols hard in their recruiting efforts of Horn.
Harris will continue to push for Tennessee to recruit Horn until his final decision. Possibly after, too, since cutting Horn’s list to two didn’t seem to stop Harris. Horn will supposedly make his decision July 15 but could be delaying his decision.
Harris called his shot, so to speak, despite Tennessee being left off Horn’s top-2 list.
Horn ranks as the No. 23 cornerback in the class and the No. 22 prospect in Georgia. He’s nearly in the top 200 recruits in the country, coming in at No. 211.
Horn continues to tweet more and more positive edits of himself in orange.
LINK
Posted on 7/10/17 at 11:17 am to TideSaint
quote:
Patrick Surtain Jr. talks leader, timeline for decision
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Patrick Surtain Jr. is straightforward.
He isn’t shy about his recruitment. He knows which school leads, which are close and which are still in contention.
Since this time a year ago, the nation’s top cornerback has maintained that LSU is in front in his recruitment. The reasons don’t change, only vary slightly.
Even through multiple coaching staffs, Surtain has remained a priority for LSU. He is the top defensive back on the board for defensive backs coach Corey Raymond board and hears from the Tigers’ assistant coach daily. Like Surtain, Raymond is transparent in his pitch, and that’s something that the 5-star corner can get behind.
“LSU just keeps talking to me often, hitting me up and I like when a coach hits me up and tells me how important I am to them,” Surtain told SEC Country during his second appearance in Nike’s The Opening Finals in Oregon.
“Off of what they have been telling me, I feel that I am [LSU’s No. 1 priority]. Because of how many defensive backs they’re losing … I know a lot of them are going to the draft. It would be a great opportunity for me to come in and show out and stand out early. It would be great.”
Raymond is not only Surtain’s position recruiter but his area recruiter as well.
At times, Surtain has referred to his relationship with Raymond as a father-son type of bond. Raymond is also very close with Surtain’s father, who played 11 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back.
Raymond’s message to Surtain Jr. remains consistent, but with LSU out in front, it has changed a bit to start referencing his future in Baton Rouge. That relationship is a key reason why the Tigers are in the position that they are with the elite defensive back.
“He tells me to get ready,” Surtain said. “Whenever we’re talking, he’s telling me how much of a player I am, how great of a player that I am, and it’s great to have that special bond with him.”
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound cornerback from American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) High School said he will return to LSU this weekend for his second unofficial visit in a four-month span. Surtain previously visited in April along with 4-star defensive back Tyson Campbell and 4-star defensive end Andrew Chatfield, as well as his father, who grew up down I-10 in New Orleans.
While Surtain has maintained that the Tigers are the leader for his commitment, he is coming off a stop at Southern California and is still planning visits to Clemson, Ohio State and Alabama. Florida State and Florida are other schools he’s still considering.
LSU is certain to host Surtain for an official visit this fall, which could be his last time on campus before he makes a decision. The nation’s No. 5 overall recruit in the 2018 class has said he aims to make a decision sometime this fall in the middle of his senior season, but if not, closer to National Signing Day in February.
So, what could push LSU ahead of those other schools?
“I want to go to a school that feels like home,” Surtain said. “I want a school that treats me well and a school that helps me to become a better player. I also want a school that has great academics.”
LINK
Posted on 7/10/17 at 1:39 pm to TideSaint
Posted on 7/10/17 at 1:47 pm to Buckeye06
Yep, I saw a lot of huge Jumps too.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 1:53 pm to Rizzy
I posted this on the rant and now the thread has become an LSU vs Arky fight 
LINK to my thread
quote:
Bielema on his younger self meeting Miami DL coach Ed Orgeron: "I didn't know who the hell he was. And I couldn't understand him."
LINK to my thread
This post was edited on 7/10/17 at 1:54 pm
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:05 pm to Buckeye06
quote:
New 247 is out. Some crazy jumps (hundreds of spots) and Fields is #1 now
LINK
Guys guess whose #1 in AL now on 247's rankings?
Harold "Best RB In The Country" Joiner
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:12 pm to Buckeye06
quote:
New 247 is out. Some crazy jumps (hundreds of spots) and Fields is #1 now
I knew Fields would jump Lawrence after their Opening performances.
I'm going through the list now and will post our commits/targets in a bit.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:13 pm to TideSaint
quote:
Justin Fields is the new No. 1 player in the class of 2018. He headlines a wholesale rankings update that follows The Opening Finals and an exhaustive camp and 7on7 circuit that is finally starting to wind down in preparation for the season. While The Opening Finals event was the primary driver for this update, all corrections and re-evaluations were on the table for what is likely our last major shakeup for the class of 2018 before pads are donned.
The internal debate about No. 1 was unique. In discussions, there was near unanimous agreement that Fields, a quarterback from Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison High School, looks like the best player in this class. The question was more specifically was 'has he earned No. 1?'
CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED TOP247
Put another way, is it right that Fields, after a camp performance — a camp season — with no pads and no real football snaps, overtake a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence with 10,000 career passing yards, two state championships and one career loss as a starter? Lawrence is 6-foot-6 with a huge arm, all of the physical tools and is the most accomplished active high school quarterback in the country. And now he's lost the pole position after a camp circuit?
Yes. Here is why.
Fields looked like the best player in the country this spring and summer. He certainly looked like the best quarterback. In fact it wasn't close. That's not a commentary on the other quarterbacks. We actually think this is a strong crop of arms. It's a commentary on Fields. He's just that good.
As good as Fields has been this offseason, he hasn't even been able to showcase his speed (4.51 40 yard dash) and strength (6-3, 221 pounds). He's also been moonlighting on the baseball field for much of the offseason with his high school team so what we've seen will only get better in the future when he's focused strictly on football and will only be tougher to defend when his legs are a factor.
But this No. 1 ranking isn't just about what he's done in camps. Let's talk about what he's done in pads and compare it to what Lawrence has done.
Lawrence has led Cartersville to a 30-0 record the past two seasons. His only career loss as a starter came in the state semifnals as a sophomore. As a junior, Lawrence threw for 3,900 yards in Georgia 4A football.
Fields, against 6A competition in Georgia, threw for 2,770 yards but also rushed for 1,176. He doesn't have quite the immaculate win-loss record of Lawrence but neither does the team he inherited.
As a sophomore Fields started his team's first 7 games, leading Harrison to a 5-2 record. He missed the last three with injury and the team went 0-3. As a senior, Fields led Harrison to its first 10-win season since 2002 and its first playoff win since 2008.
Lawrence's Cartersville team had gone 26-2 in the two seasons preceding his arrival.
These are two great quarterbacks but don't call Fields a camp guy. He has already transformed his high school team and he's got every No. 1 trait we could ask for.
LINK
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:14 pm to TideSaint
quote:
Three-man race for No. 1
The focus of the race for No. 1 has justifiably been centered around the quarterback position but don't leave out Clemson defensive end commit Xavier Thomas. This is effectively a three-man race for the No. 1 spot heading into the season and Thomas has put himself right in the hunt.
We've seen some amazing defensive linemen at The Opening Finals in recent years. Just two years ago we saw a D-line roster that included Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence and Rashan Gary, all future first-round picks. Thomas would have fit right in with that group. His strength and edge power, his maturity and competitiveness are No. 1 worthy and in a different year he'd be sitting comfortably at the top of the rankings. Playing at IMG Academy this fall, Thomas will have every opportunity to prove that himself.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:15 pm to TideSaint
quote:
The new five-stars
Patrick Surtain Jr. – We've yet to encounter a setting in which Surtain didn't dominate. He's the best big corner in a class full of big corners and he's now ranked No. 5 in the country.
Justin Shorter – Shorter needs to cut out the concentration drops but the Penn State commit is the most physically talented wide receiver in this class and he dominated The Opening like he should with those traits. For that he's now the top ranked wide receiver and No. 7 nationally.
Jordyn Adams – 247Sports is going hard against the grain of the rest of the industry with Adams' ranking as the No. 9 player in the country but we're not even that nervous about the move. The UNC commit is so fluid, so smooth, so polished as a receiver and yet he doesn't even play the position full-time.
Jamaree Salyer – Though he plays a non-premium position at offensive guard, there's still usually one or two guards that get drafted in the first round and Salyer is without question the top guard in this class and in our opinion he's the clear top offensive lineman regardless of position. He's now ranked No. 10 overall.
Jeremy Ruckert – Ruckert's dominating performance at The Opening was on par with some of the other top tight end efforts we've seen in the history of the event. At 6-foot-6, he's got unique size, he's athletic, his film pops and he's a young senior at only 17 years old. Ruckert is now ranked No. 11.
Talanoa Hufanga – Hufanga is a three-sport athlete that flashed at The Opening but his showing there was more of a cross-check of what we've seen on film. That film is five-star worthy and his in-person performance was good enough to verify that. We love his competitive demeanor and athleticism.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:15 pm to TideSaint
quote:
Just missed
- OT Jackson Carman and wide receivers Kamryn Babb and Terrace Marshall are all on the cusp of five-star status. Carman's polish has moved him up to the top offensive tackle spot and he's shown the ability to line up at offensive guard, too. Babb and Marshall round out a phenomenal wide receiver group and both are likely to land that fifth star with a good senior season.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:30 pm to TideSaint
Commits/Targets (plus their movement):
1. Justin Fields (+1)
4. Micah Parsons (+4)
5. Patrick Surtain (+10)
6. Zamir White (-2)
12. KJ Henry (-6)
13. Talanoa Hufanga (+15)
19. Isaac Taylor-Stuart (-3)
20. Tyson Campbell (+20)
25. Azeez Ojulari (+155)
34. Tanner McKee (-2)
43. Josh Jobe (-10)
44. Penei Sewell (+28)
53. Jacob Copeland (-11)
54. Kelvin Joseph (-10)
61. Matt Corral (-44)
63. Brandon Kaho (+32)
64. Luke Ford (+67)
68. Harold Joiner (-12)
71. Tyreke Smith (+78)
76. JJ Peterson (-12)
86. Stephon Wynn (-8)
91. Justin Watkins (-10)
93. Jalyn Armour-Davis (-9)
94. Eyabi Anoma (-9)
98. Nicholas Petit-Frere (+11)
102. Jack Tuttle (-68)
105. Jaylen Waddle (-9)
118. Devon Williams (+57)
129. Houston Griffith (-11)
131. Bobby Brown (-10)
138. Justyn Ross (-91)
153. Emil Ekiyor (+2)
156. Coynis Miller (-12)
167. Jack West (-7)
199. Seth Williams (-2)
208. Quay Walker (no movement)
218. Tommy Brown (no movement)
228. Christian Tutt (-80)
239. Xavier Williams (+1)
244. Asa Martin (+42)
Talk about a reverse Bama bump.
1. Justin Fields (+1)
4. Micah Parsons (+4)
5. Patrick Surtain (+10)
6. Zamir White (-2)
12. KJ Henry (-6)
13. Talanoa Hufanga (+15)
19. Isaac Taylor-Stuart (-3)
20. Tyson Campbell (+20)
25. Azeez Ojulari (+155)
34. Tanner McKee (-2)
43. Josh Jobe (-10)
44. Penei Sewell (+28)
53. Jacob Copeland (-11)
54. Kelvin Joseph (-10)
61. Matt Corral (-44)
63. Brandon Kaho (+32)
64. Luke Ford (+67)
68. Harold Joiner (-12)
71. Tyreke Smith (+78)
76. JJ Peterson (-12)
86. Stephon Wynn (-8)
91. Justin Watkins (-10)
93. Jalyn Armour-Davis (-9)
94. Eyabi Anoma (-9)
98. Nicholas Petit-Frere (+11)
102. Jack Tuttle (-68)
105. Jaylen Waddle (-9)
118. Devon Williams (+57)
129. Houston Griffith (-11)
131. Bobby Brown (-10)
138. Justyn Ross (-91)
153. Emil Ekiyor (+2)
156. Coynis Miller (-12)
167. Jack West (-7)
199. Seth Williams (-2)
208. Quay Walker (no movement)
218. Tommy Brown (no movement)
228. Christian Tutt (-80)
239. Xavier Williams (+1)
244. Asa Martin (+42)
Talk about a reverse Bama bump.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:36 pm to TideSaint
quote:
25. Azeez Ojulari (+155)
This dude was underrated but then they overcompensated and now have him WAY overrated. I like Ojulari but he is not a top 25 player
quote:
138. Justyn Ross (-91)
Not sold on him as a 5* but he is a sure top 100 player
State of Alabama players did not do well in this update outside of Asa Martin. I still think Coynis Miller and Seth Williams are way underrated.
Posted on 7/10/17 at 2:39 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
State of Alabama players did not do well in this update outside of Asa Martin.
I knew this in-state class was going to be rough, but I would have told you you were crazy if you said the top ranked player in the state would be #68 overall.
That's like Iowa level talent right there.
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