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

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Commitment watch on for Jerome Carvin?

Ever since 4-star outside linebacker Jordan Davis committed to Alabama in December, Jerome Carvin has heard a familiar message from his “blood brother” almost every single day: When are you going to join me in Tuscaloosa?

Carvin, a 3-star offensive lineman from Cordova (Tenn.) High School, is one of the Crimson Tide’s top guard targets in the Class of 2018. He’ll visit Tuscaloosa again this weekend as one of many elite recruits in attendance for the Champions Cookout on Friday. Carvin will make the trip with Davis, and the pair plan to spend the entire weekend in Tuscaloosa.

With this being his sixth trip to Alabama, Carvin said he’s already seen everything he’s wanted to. So, is a commitment from Carvin to be expected this weekend? If so, he’s not giving up any hints.

“If everything goes well, it’s possible, but I’m not sure right now,” Carvin said. “I’m not planning on committing this weekend, but we’ll see.”

#ROLLTIDE???? LINK

— JEROME CARVIN7??4?? (@JeromeCarvin) July 18, 2017

The reason why there’s some hesitancy on Carvin’s end is because of the in-state school. Tennessee’s coaching staff is in touch with Carvin every day. His best relationship with any coaching staff is with Tennessee. To show just how often he’s talking with the Vols, read the following quote from Carvin.

“I talk to Coach Butch Jones a lot,” Carvin said. “He’s on vacation right now, so I haven’t talked to him in a few days.”

Carvin knows when Tennessee’s coach is on vacation. He’s obviously a massive priority to the Volunteers, but he is also a priority to the Crimson Tide.

Carvin, who’s rated as the nation’s No. 29 tackle but is being recruited by Alabama as a guard, says he hears from Tide offensive line coach Brent Key every other day. He also talks with tight ends coach Joe Pannunzio often as he’s Carvin’s primary recruiter.

But his main relationship is with Key.

“He really just wants to develop me into one of the next great Alabama offensive linemen that they send off to the league,” Carvin said of Key’s message to him. “I definitely believe him. I truly believe that Alabama is the best team in the nation. It’s really just an honor to be recruited by them.”

The 6-foot-4, 325-pound prospect said Michigan and Mississippi State are also in the mix for him but “Alabama and Tennessee are really pushing me.” He broke down why he’d choose both of those schools if he were to commit today.

On Alabama: “The reason would be because of the dominance Alabama has every year. Just to be able to play for Coach Saban would be an honor. I feel he’s the greatest college football coach of all time — well, definitely one of them. I know if I committed to them, I’d be playing for a national championship almost every year.”

On Tennessee: “My relationship with the coaches is great. I’m close with Coach Jones and [offensive line] Coach [Walt] Wells. I know their commits really well. Cade Mays and Adrian Martinez are really on me hard.

Carvin, who would like to be an athletic director in the future, knows that Tennessee’s AD may have to make a tough decision at the end of the season this year if things don’t go well for the Volunteers.

Butch Jones’ seat is warm in Knoxville, but Carvin thinks his job is safe.

“I have definitely thought about it a few times, but I think Coach Jones is going to be there for a long time,” Carvin said. “I think Tennessee is going to have a great year this year. I’m not really worried about them.”

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Welcome to SEC Country’s daily Auburn football recruiting notebook with Auburn recruiting beat writer Benjamin Wolk. In this edition, we catch up with the top player in the state of Alabama, wide receiver Justyn Ross. Also, why the change on Juanyeh Thomas and who is expected at the weekend cookout?

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Preliminary list for Auburn’s end-of-summer event

Call it a cookout. Call it a barbecue. Call it a picnic. Call it whatever you want, really.

Whatever it’s called, Auburn will host several top prospects for its end-of-summer recruiting event on Saturday. Alabama will host its version Friday, so there is a potential for some overlap.

The Auburn cookout visitor’s list hasn’t finalized yet, but I’ve started to reach out to Tigers targets to see who plans to come up for the event. Here is an early look at who Auburn fans can expect to see on campus this weekend.

I’ll have this at the bottom of every notebook for the rest of the week. Near the end of the week, I’ll expand more on storylines to follow Saturday. There is likely to be at least one commitment at the event.

4-star WR Matthew Hill
4-star RB Harold Joiner
4-star RB Asa Martin
4-star LB Zakoby McClain
4-star safety Quindarious Monday*
4-star LB JJ Peterson
4-star LB Quay Walker (Alabama commit)
4-star WR Seth Williams
3-star CB JaKorey Hawkins
3-star OL Jalil Irvin*
3-star WR Shedrick Jackson*
3-star safety Jamien Sherwood
3-star RB Shaun Shivers*
3-star OL Kameron Stutts*
3-star DT Tramel Walthour

Maybes: 3-star DE Andres Fox, 3-star OL Jerome Carvin.

No-gos, confirmed: 5-star QB Justin Fields, 4-star WR Justyn Ross, 4-star DT Coynis Miller.

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Receivers: Jacob Copeland, Pensacola, Fla.; Ja’Marr Chase, Metairie, La.

Florida is considered the favorite for Copeland, but Alabama and Auburn are both in contention. Copeland plans to make his commitment at the 2018 Under Armour All-America Game. Chase was scheduled to choose between LSU and TCU on live TV at The Opening, but the NFL Network ran out of time. Chase has since decided to push back his announcement.

Miami 3-star WR Tyquon Thorton will also attend FNL along with 2019 Florida commits Josh Dunmore (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Maurice Goolsby (Dunnellon, Fla.).

The Gators will meet their tight end needs for the 2018 class if 4-star prospect Kyle Pitts commits Thursday. FNL will attract Keon Zipperer, a 2019 recruit who is ranked the nation’s No. 5 tight end and No. 71 overall recruit by 247Sports.

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Offensive line: William Barnes, Apoka, Fla.

Barnes chose to visit the Gators this Friday instead of attending Alabama’s Champions Cookout. Florida and North Carolina are the co-leaders for Barnes, who plans to commit on National Signing Day. His teammate, 3-star offensive guard Ed Montilus, will also be on hand Friday along with 2019 UF commit Andrew Coker (Katy, Texas).

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Isaah Crocker has seen beautiful facilities and gorgeous campuses as his recruitment has picked up.

The four-star receiver from Sacramento (Calif.) Inderkum saw that at Alabama as well but there was something even more special about his time in Tuscaloosa.

And now that Crocker, who has shined at numerous events this offseason, has an offer from the Crimson Tide, he is seriously thinking about one day playing for college football’s Goliath.

“It’s just a cool thing to know you’re at the best school in college football,” Crocker said after he camped at Alabama this week.

“It did make it special. They’re not there to put the impression on your mind that it’s a beautiful school. They mean business. That’s what makes it a huge deal. Getting an offer from them is a blessing.

“It was unbelievable. I killed the camp including the Cali dudes. I was killing everybody.”

Crocker spent a good deal of time with Alabama position coach Michael Locksley and he also met with coach Nick Saban, something that was definitely memorable.

“They were telling me how good I was doing and they checked my film,” Crocker said. “They wanted to see how I would do out there with their guys. Having a camp with the receivers coach, he liked me a lot.

“I only went to two sessions of the camp. I went Sunday afternoon and then the morning and they break down film on everybody they have up there. They liked my film.

“I went in and sat in (Locksley’s) office with coach (Terrance Leonard of TMP Elite) and he liked the way I played, the way I can control my body to catch the ball at the highest point and he said he could see me playing there.

“Coach Saban loved me. He was telling me he wants to get close to my family so he can keep the relationship going. Coach (Leonard) was there. it was crazy just being in his office and seeing the rings and everything.”

Official visits have been planned to Oregon, Oregon State and Nebraska – considered his three frontrunners – and now Alabama joins that list as well.

A date has not been finalized for the Crimson Tide trip – it could be for the LSU matchup in early November – but Crocker said he’s sure Alabama moves way up his list and he absolutely plans to return to Tuscaloosa.

“They do jump up there,” Crocker said. “You have to have them up there. That has to go up there automatically. Who wouldn’t have Alabama up top?”

After Alabama offered, Crocker noticed something else, too. Georgia coach Kirby Smart followed him on Twitter.

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The Latest: Versatile three-star Louisiana athlete Slade Bolden went into his Alabama visit not knowing what to expect but he left Tuscaloosa very impressed with both the campus and the program's coaches. After staying the night Saturday and camping on Sunday Bolden did enough to prove to the Alabama coaches that he's worthy of the offer they handed out earlier this year. The question is, did Alabama do enough to pass LSU and perceived leader TCU? Rivals.com caught up with Bolden to talk about all three options as well as his hopes to announce a decision soon.

In His Words: "It was great. I knew Alabama was going to be special I just didn’t know how special. They treated me very well and I had a wonderful time and it didn’t disappoint."

On how Alabama sees him fitting: "They want me at slot, Coach Daboll worked with a bunch of guys with my kind of stature when he was in the NFL and that’s what he’s going to use me as and that’s what he was telling me. Basically what they say is they’re trying to get three good receivers out of this class and they seem to really want me and they show a lot of love towards me."

On the camp experience: "We went through testing and routes on air and stuff like that and then just a few us went over and ran through a bunch of stuff. I got to run some routes with Calvin Ridley and Jalen Hurts was there working with us, too. I liked the way Coach Locksley and Coach Daboll worked their receivers. They push them hard."

On Alabama's facilities: "They definitely beat everybody. It was unbelievable facility but that wasn’t even the best part about it. They were great coaches, great people."

On TCU: "I plan to attend TCU on Friday for a visit and that will be my last one before I get back to work with my team. They seem to have a really good family based staff. They all seem like good people and the facilities are nice of course and they always treat West Monroe people well from what I know. A bunch of my friends are there too but it’s just another school for now even though I like them a lot. [Rivals100 TCU quarterback commit] Justin Rogers has been recruiting me hard, he's a great guy."

On LSU: "Coach O really brought me in and treated me like his own son, like family and I got a lot of love from there when I visited last month. I just don’t know for sure yet. I’m still trying to make my mind up. I don’t really know how their offense is going to look. I went to their spring game and I saw a little bit but they didn’t really show everything. But it’s a lot better for someone like me than what they used to run."

On a decision timeline: "My goal is to decide by the end of the month but I don’t know if that’s the plan. If I don’t’ know by then then I guess I’m going to have to continue to think about it."

Rivals Reaction: There were rumors that Bolden nearly committed when he was on campus at LSU last month but obviously he's still on the open market and Alabama made quite an impression during his time in Tuscaloosa. TCU has also been perceived as Bolden's leader at times as well, but he seems conflicted heading into this weekend's visit. Depending on how things go in Fort Worth, it could go a long way toward helping Bolden make up his mind.

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With the summer camp circuit winding down and The Opening Finals now in the rearview mirror, the final summer rankings release today on Scout for the 2018 class.

Like he has been since the 2018 Scout 300 2.0 was released the day after National Signing Day 2017, Cartersville (Ga.) quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a commit to Clemson, remains No. 1 in the rankings.

But the margin has narrowed.

Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison quarterback Justin Fields has made this race ever so close and moves up to No. 2 in the rankings, behind Lawrence, but just barely.

Southeast recruiting analyst John Garcia has seen both plenty all spring and summer.

"The race for No. 1 in America was thought to be close to over before Fields began closing the gap on Lawrence, with a standout junior season," said Garcia. "He has only impressed and topped subsequent performances with each event he is seen at -- which has been plenty considering the competitor Fields is. His Elite 11 and The Opening Finals show was as close to perfect as anyone could have expected, even with the lofty expectations surrounding his name this year. The Fields file becomes more impressive once his speed and strength as a dual-threat weapon is considered,"

Yet Lawrence held on to his top spot, taking into consideration what he's done on Friday nights in the fall.

"Lawrence still retains his post atop the rankings, ever so slightly, because of his on-field dominance when it counts most -- in pads," said Garcia. "Each had great junior seasons, and Lawrence still flashed his big arm this offseason, but those in the Peach State haven't quite seen the prowess and consistency Lawrence has displayed over a longer period of time versus Fields' rapid rise. Fields is a physical specimen as to where Lawrence, who moves very well inside the pocket and out, continues to add to his 6-foot-6 frame."

Garcia plans to see both early in the season before getting to see both at their respective All-American Games, Fields at Under Armour and Lawrence at Army.

"Scout will play it straight up from here on out between the two program-building talents and will make it no secret early this fall when the first two games Scout's Southern crew sees to kick off the 2017 season will be built around each 5-star," said Garcia. "Seeing Lawrence and Fields live in consecutive weeks will most appropriately further the debate that should come down to our final ranking in January."

While Lawrence and Fields make up 1-2, the No. 3 spot continues to be the domain of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage cornerback Patrick Surtain, who remains at No. 3 but is now the No. 1 defensive prospect in the country.

After a dominant performance at The Opening Finals for the second consecutive year, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy defensive end Xavier Thomas, another Clemson commit, moves up to No. 4.

Harrisburg (Pa.) defensive end Micah Parsons fills out the top five and remains the No. 1 prospect in the East.

Coming in at No. 6 is Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman five-star linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, the No. 1 prospect in the West in this class followed by the top running back nationally, Zamir White, the five-star from Laurinburg (N.C.) Scotland.

At No. 8 is the top offensive lineman in the country and OL MVP at The Opening Finals, Atlanta (Ga.) Pace Academy guard Jamaree Salyer.

Rounding out the top ten are a pair of receivers, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, the No. 1 receiver nationally and No. 9 overall followed by Terrace Marshall Jr., the five-star from Bossier City (La.) Parkway and No. 10 overall.

After their junior film and a number of events nationally to evaluate, there are four new five-stars in the class of 2018, bringing the total to 20.

The No. 1 tight end in the country is Lindenhurst (N.Y) product Jeremy Ruckert, who committed to Ohio State on Monday. Ruckert cemented his spot as the top-rated tight end at The Opening Finals and in the process, he too earned a fifth star.

"When it comes to the passing game, Ruckert is elite," said Dohn. "He releases off the line quickly and without incident, gets into his routes quickly, explodes out of his breaks and he locates the ball well. The Ohio State commit attacks the ball and has strong hands. He is physical down the field and should be a perfect target in the seam for Buckeyes quarterbacks. He will create matchup nightmares for defensive coordinators because of how well he runs, his ability to track the ball and his sure-handedness."

Corvallis (Ore.) Crescent Valley athlete Talanoa Hufanga has been Scout's No. 1 athlete for most of this cycle but after appearing at his first event all offseason (since he's a three-sport star), he left no doubt he's one of the premier players in the country and he moves from the No. 40 overall prospect to No. 17 and becomes the first five-star from Oregon in five years.

"Hufanga came in to The Opening Finals rated the No. 40 overall player and No. 1 ATH in the nation," said national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins. "We loved Hufanga on film but wanted to see him up close and personal to get a better gauge for his overall athleticism and ability to play in space on a national level. For a player who doesn't play a lot of 7v7, Hufanga was tremendous all week and showed he's easily among the nation's top defensive backs. He has a great frame, showed a lot of range roaming the secondary and very good ball skills as well. When you combine that with the toughness and physicality he shows on film and it was a pretty easy call to bump him up in to five-star status."

Hufanga currently has a top 10 of Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, USC, Utah and Washington.

The fourth and final five-star goes to Fairfield (Ohio) offensive tackle Jack Carman, who moved to the No. 2 tackle nationally and the No. 18 player overall in the 2018 class.

"He had a dominant junior season at Fairfield and was a high four-star even coming out of his sophomore season," said national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu. "We try hard not to make big big changes based on one camp. However, in Carman's case, he showed at The Opening Finals he had the strength and quickness to matchup with the nation's best. That was enough, coupled with what he has done in pads for two seasons to give him the boost needed to break the five-star threshold. We are not entirely certain if his best shot to play beyond college will be at tackle or guard, but we think either way, he is going to be a fantastic college lineman and can be a guy who potentially plays early."

While the Midlands didn't add any new five stars, there were some jumps from a handful of prospects, notably in Louisiana.

"It was a pair of Louisiana prospects making the jump up into the Top 100 in quarterback Justin Rogers and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, but Chase was easily the highest riser, as the athletic specimen from Metairie (La.) Archbishop Rummel jumped up 207 spots in the Scout 300 and now checks in as the No. 69 prospect nationally," said national recruiting analyst Greg Powers. "The four-star was one of the most explosive performers at The Opening Finals and at 6-foot-1, 193 pounds has proven that he is a receiver who can stretch defenses vertically and climb the ladder to make plays. He has always been highly regarded, but has pushed his game to the next level and that powered his jump in the rankings."

The next Scout 300 update will come in the early part of the fall, during the high school football season.

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