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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:18 am to TideSaint
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:18 am to TideSaint
quote:
My Crystal Ball pick is in for LSU
When I first interviewed Fox in April at Nike’s The Opening regional in New Orleans, I put a Crystal Ball pick in for Auburn.
On Monday, I changed that pick to LSU and feel fairly confident in my selection. Mobile, Ala., is only an hour outside of Louisiana and is comprised of Auburn and Alabama fans, but I don’t believe that matters much to Fox.
Based on some hints I picked up at Fox’s practice on Monday afternoon, I believe Fox’s final visit of the summer — to LSU — was critical. The silver engineering program checked out and impressed his parents, who are playing an integral role in this decision with their son.
Fox has maintained that Orgeron is recruiting him the hardest. So it should not be a surprise that the Tigers fit the bill as his private leader, with schools such as Auburn, Stanford or Alabama competing for Nos. 2 and 3.
LSU has been searching for another defensive end/outside linebacker prospect to replace Adam Anderson in its 2018 recruiting class. Fox could be a stand-up rusher or add weight and be a 5-technique in the three-man front. Both schematically and academically, Fox fits. When you factor in Orgeron’s personal touch and LSU’s consistent approach, the Tigers make a lot of sense.
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Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:20 am to TideSaint
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Top RB target’s surprise commitment alters plan
Dameon Pierce announced a slight stunner Sunday when he committed to Florida.
The No. 9 running back in the nation — formerly an Alabama commit — changed up his timeline in a major way. As he said after the Auburn cookout, Pierce originally said he’d wait until after his senior season to decide, perhaps even letting it run until National Signing Day.
That changed quickly.
Pierce, who visited Florida the day before he visited Auburn, added to the Gators’ monster month of recruiting.
But it left plenty on the Auburn side scratching their heads, and asking: What is Auburn’s plan at running back?
There are really three options.
- Land Asa Martin and stick with it.
- Find/evaluate other targets.
- Nothing.
For starters, the Asa Martin sweepstakes isn’t complete. The state’s top-ranked running back will decide on Aug. 24 between Auburn, Alabama, Clemson and Florida, though Pierce’s commitment to Florida shows the direction the Gators are trending for Martin. Clemson is the late addition, but it’s still going to be an Auburn-Alabama battle.
Alabama has been publicly perceived as the leader since he received the offer, but Auburn’s staff has some optimism as it pertains to Martin. When he attended Alabama’s cookout, he went for a single day. For Auburn’s, he arrived a day early, stayed the day of the cookout and stayed overnight then, as well.
That’s three days on the Plains. So, before Auburn fans have given up on that one, just know Auburn’s side has much more confidence on the Martin front than most of the outside perception.
Option No. 2 gives the Tigers time to look deeper at guys like Harold Joiner, Kaviosey Smoke or other prospects who have been on the surface level of target lists so far. If Auburn goes this route, I wouldn’t expect to see a running back commitment for a while as the Tigers monitor respective seasons closely.
And then there’s the final possibility: nothing.
This one might make some in the fan base cringe. I’ve made radio appearances where several of the call-in complaints centered around the lack of running back depth — I disagree with this opinion — and the desire to have a substantial running back class in 2018.
But Auburn’s staff doesn’t feel like it’s in desperation mode as much as some in the fan base. The Tigers like what they have in both freshmen Devan Barrett and JaTarvious Whitlow. That should be one saving grace. Whitlow should now be considered a running back. Players and coaches have confirmed most, if not all, of his work is coming out of the backfield.
Whitlow has the size, speed, vision and ball skills to play the running back position at a high level, so consider that an extra running back in the 2017 class.
The Tigers also have high hopes for Shaun Shivers. They don’t necessarily see him as an every-down back, but they believe he’ll contribute plenty out of the backfield during his time at Auburn.
Since, in the staff’s opinion, there aren’t any clear-cut, first-round draft picks in the Class of 2018, the Tigers appear willing to be fairly patient at the position. In other words, don’t panic if the Tigers decide to play it cool at running back with misses on Dameon Pierce and potentially Asa Martin.
LINK
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
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Alabama’s Class of 2018 has eight commitments with four months remaining until recruits can sign a National Letter of Intent.
With those eight slots filled, the Crimson Tide are more than a third of the way finished with their class. Nick Saban said Alabama can only sign 22 players in the 2018 class because the Crimson Tide had three players on a delayed enrollment plan in the 2017 class (Jarez Parks is a grayshirt and both Hunter Brannon and Joseph Bulovas are blueshirts.)
Alabama will likely have more than half of its class filled by the time the season rolls around, which is where the Crimson Tide staff expected to be by the Florida State game in Atlanta.
Here’s a glance at where things stand for the 2018 class:
LINK
This article was written before Jarrett Bell committed FYI.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
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Where Alabama’s class ranks
Alabama’s 2018 class is ranked No. 41 nationally and No. 10 in the SEC, according to the 247Sports composite. Six of the Tide’s eight commits are 4-star recruits. Seven of them will play in either the Under Armour All-America Game, U.S. Army All-American Bowl or the Polynesian Bowl in January. The Tide also have the third highest average star rating in the 2018 class, as they are only behind Ohio State and Texas. This class will be elite come signing day, though it may fall short of the No. 1 class, which would be the first time in seven years.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
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Latest news
Alabama received a commitment Thursday from 3-star athlete Slade Bolden. Bolden became a priority for Alabama after his performance at the team’s high school camp last month. Entering that camp, Bolden had Alabama, LSU and TCU in his top 3. He couldn’t commit to ‘Bama at the time, but before he left Tuscaloosa, his showcase was enough for the coaching staff to give him the green light.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
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Commits
WR Xavier Williams, 4-star, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DE Stephon Wynn Jr., 4-star, Bradenton, Fla.
CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, 4-star, Mobile, Ala.
LB Quay Walker, 4-star, Cordele, Ga.
OT Tommy Brown, 4-star, Santa Ana, Calif.
Jack LB Jordan Davis, 4-star, Memphis, Tenn.
ATH Slade Bolden, 3-star, West Monroe, La.
P Skyler Delong, 3-star, Fort Mill, S.C.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
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5 top targets
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5-star quarterback Tanner McKee, Corona, Calif.
Of the elite quarterbacks in the 2018 class, McKee makes the most sense for Alabama to sign because he’s effectively a 2020 recruit. After graduating from Centennial High School, McKee will do a two-year LDS mission. That means the young depth chart currently in Tuscaloosa won’t matter to him. McKee will take an official visit to Alabama in November for the LSU game.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
quote:
5-star cornerback Tyson Campbell, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Campbell is Alabama’s top cornerback target, which is important because the Crimson Tide need several at the position this year after signing zero in the 2017 class. The nation’s No. 3 corner visited Tuscaloosa on July 24 where sources inside the program say Alabama hit a home run on that trip.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
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5-star Jack linebacker KJ Henry, Clemmons, N.C.
Henry recently released a top 5, and Alabama made the cut. His recruitment is shaping up to be an Alabama-Clemson race. Both schools feel confident where they stand with Henry.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
quote:
4-star linebacker JJ Peterson, Moultrie, Ga.
Peterson has been Alabama’s top linebacker target, and it should be a matter of when and not if he’s going to commit to the Crimson Tide. His head coach at Colquitt County is Rush Propst, who is very close with Tide defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
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4-star wide receiver Justyn Ross, Phenix City, Ala.
Ross is Alabama’s No. 1 wide receiver target. His recruitment should come down to the Crimson Tide, Auburn and Clemson. ‘Bama feels confident it will land the in-state prospect.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
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Position breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the number of commits by position and how many are projected to be signed:
QB: 0/1
RB: 0/1
TE: 0/1
WR: 1/3 (Williams)
OL: 1/3 (Brown)
DL: 1/4 (Wynn)
LB: 2/4 (Davis, Walker)
DB: 1/4 (Armour-Davis)
P: 1/1 (Delong)
ATH: 1/1 (Bolden)
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
quote:
Geographical breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of Alabama’s commits by state:
Florida: 2 (Williams, Wynn)
Alabama: 1 (Armour-Davis)
Georgia: 1 (Walker)
California: 1 (Brown)
Louisiana: 1 (Bolden)
Tennessee: 1 (Davis)
South Carolina: 1 (Delong)
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:24 am to TideSaint
Taking a piss break. 
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:26 am to TideSaint
WE ROLLIN WE ROLLIN!!!
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:31 am to BuccWildBammer
I assume this article came out before the Latu and Bell commitments or did I miss something since last night 
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:37 am to TideWarrior
quote:
I assume this article came out before the Latu and Bell commitments or did I miss something since last night
Most of the ones I'm posting today were before Bell committed.
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:48 am to TideSaint
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Here are the most significant recent commits as high school seasons across the South open practices for the season.
1) DE Christopher Hinton, Michigan (2019) – A five-star who could play defense or offense and hails from Georgia, Hinton is a home run despite being a 2019 very early commit.
2) DE Cameron Latu, Alabama – A great pull from Utah, the Tide are recruiting nationally and cherry-picking key guys of need from out West. Fans will love Latu’s motor.
3) ATH K’Vaughan Pope, Ohio State – A perfect fit for Ohio State, Pope will complement linebackers Teradja Mitchell and Dallas Gant very well with his quick-twitch ability and sideline-to-sideline quickness.
4) DT Calvin Avery, Illinois – A huge get for Lovie Smith, perhaps the biggest in his tenure, Avery is physically ready to impact early and is at a huge position of need.
5) WR Jacob Copeland, Florida – Florida recruiting keeps on improving for 2018 and the momentum is off the hook. Copeland was expected, but his commitment could draw other top wide receivers and help with 2019 quarterback recruiting.
6) DT PJ Mustipher, Penn State – Not a surprise commitment, Mustipher plays a key position of need for the 2018 PSU class and brings athleticism to the position. He’s behind Avery only because Illinois needs elite DTs a bit more, but this is a key grab for James Franklin.
7) S Trey Dean, Tennessee – A big-time steal from Georgia. Many expected Dean to either stay home or head far away. The Vols got a key piece here and a kid who can hit.
8) OT Doug Nester, Ohio State – A 2019 lineman pickup, Nester is the first in the class for the Buckeyes and can play inside or outside down the line.
9) OL Steven Jones, Oregon – Jones is another huge get for Oregon, figuratively and literally, as the Ducks remain the hottest team in the country.
10) OL Juice Scruggs, Penn State – Another big-time offensive line commitment, perhaps the biggest need for Penn State in this class, Scruggs can play guard or even center at the next level.
11) TE Dominick Anderson, Texas – Another elite athlete and offensive weapon for Tom Herman and company to utilize, watch how he does things downfield for this offense.
12) RB Dameon Pierce, Florida – The Gators add more offensive punch with a running back who can run with power but has good feet as well. He’ll help efforts in Georgia despite the fact that UGA wasn’t that interested.
13) OL Spencer Brown, Michigan State – Brown is a great start to the 2019 class as an in-state target with length and a ton of upside.
14) OL Demarcus Marshall, Texas Tech – Everyone talks about needing defensive help, but Texas Tech is quietly putting together a nice offensive line for the future. That could help the running game protect the defense.
15) DE Tyler Baylor, Maryland – An important local commitment at a key position, Baylor plays for a huge program in state. He is athletic enough to come off the edge but also cover a lot of ground.
16) S Marlon Character, South Carolina (4 star JUCO) – Former Auburn signee (after being a Gamecocks verbal) ends up with Will Muschamp at South Carolina and brings a ton of versatility to the table.
LINK
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:49 am to TideSaint
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The first numerical Rivals100 for the class of 2019 has been released, which means we now have our first No. 1 in the class: USC quarterback commit J.T. Daniels. Three new five-stars join the mix as well, with many other prospects pushing for that status as they begin their junior campaigns.
LINK
Posted on 8/8/17 at 9:50 am to TideSaint
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DANIELS SITS ATOP 2019
Daniels, who won't wow you with measurables, has amazing football instincts and downfield vision, and his long ball is as pretty as you’ll see in high school football. The game is never too fast for him and he rarely makes the wrong read.
Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney has seen Daniels many times and breaks him down.
“Daniels is the most college-ready quarterback I've scouted in eight years as a regional analyst and that includes Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and many other elite quarterbacks who have come through the West in that time. He had a fantastic sophomore season where he didn't make many mistakes and called the offense himself from the field,” Gorney said. “He has an advanced understanding of defenses, he wants to learn more all the time and then he has the physical tools and the heart to go out on the field and produce. Daniels throws a phenomenal deep ball and his accuracy is already elite. It's hard to believe he's only going to be a junior in high school.”
Louisiana defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher checks in at No. 2 in the Rivals100. He was a somewhat polarizing choice to follow Daniels. When Sopsher is on, he’s dominant and just toys with his opponents but, like every defensive tackle, he can get frustrated with constant double and triple teams. It was an interesting debate between Sopsher and defensive end Christopher Hinton from Georgia, ranked No. 3 in the Rivals100. Sopsher is more physically dominant and closer to his ceiling while Hinton has excellent upside and could end up at a few different positions.
Georgia wide receiver, and Bulldogs commitment, Jadon Haselwood, checks in at No. 4 with his combination of hands, size and ability to make tough catches. California defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is No. 5 with his freaky pass rush ability.
Our team of analysts breaks down the new five-stars who check in at Nos. 6, 7 and 8, along with some other Rivals100 prospects to keep an eye on as the season begins.
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