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

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With fall camp now under way all over the country, just weeks stand between the country and one of it’s favorite pastimes: gambling on unpaid student-athletes. This week, Rivals.com is taking a look at Vegas’ projected win total for each Power Five Conference program and ventures a guess on the over-under for the 12-game regular season. Today, we examine the SEC.

Sports gambling is illegal 49 states, so the following picks should be used for entertainment purposes only. Unless, of course, you live in Nevada, in which case it’s totally cool to bet your children’s’ college tuition based on the halfwit advice imparted below.

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Gurvan Hall remains committed to Miami. He says he’s solid in his pledge and is looking forward to joining the program next spring. That doesn’t necessarily equate to a total shut down of his recruitment, though. There will be official visits. Five of them to be exact, and it doesn’t seem as though a trip to Miami, the local school, will be among them. Instead, the four-star defensive back will use the all-expense paid trips to spread his wings.

“My first one, I’m going to Oregon,” Hall said. “I’m going to Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and Clemson.”

Asked if a Miami official was out of the question, the Hurricanes commit seemed sure of his decision to pass.

“I’m not taking one there anymore since It’s just right here,” Hall said

Hall, who attends, Florida’s Palm Beach Lakes High School, is the No. 18 safety and the No. 188 overall prospect in the class of 2018.

IN HIS WORDS:

-- “All these schools are trying to make me flip. It’s like Alabama, Florida, Ohio State. It’s a lot. I just keep working and try to stay committed.”

-- [I’m looking forward to] probably Alabama [most]. I already know some players there, so I want to see how they practice. I want to see how they work, I want to see – if I do end up going there – how I should be ready to come in as a freshman and adapt to the change.”

-- “I know Jerry Jeudy up at Alabama. I know Vandarius Cowan and Najee Harris.”

RIVALS REACTION: Hall has real interest in Alabama but it’s unclear how hard the Tide are pushing for him at the juncture. He seems relatively solid in his commitment to Miami, but official visits sometimes have a way of creating drama. He should been seen as a solid commit to the Hurricanes for the time being, but a list of five official visits looms large.

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KN did one of these again. Unfortunately can't copy/pasts so will summarize again. Love it basically means KN feels really good about that pick, Like it is a step down from Love It but still some confidence and Leave it basically means since he's made that pick he isn't as sure. Doesn't mean it still won't happen but it's more of a toss up at this point

Love It

4* WR Matthew Hill -> AU
- Bumped him up from "Like It" last time. BAMA/SCAR are pushing but sounds like AU is very confident and decision could happen soon (ya right )

4* WR Kearis Jackson -> UGA
- Unless Jackson is trolling, he will end up a Dawg. AU probably #2 but it's a very distant #2

4* OT Richard Gouraige -> UF
- AU still recruiting him but this guy appears to be all Gators. 17 CB picks made for UF

4* Buck Richard Jibunor -> AU
- TEN & UF appear to be biggest threats & Jibunor wants to take a few more visit before committing so that's gonna push his timeline back some. However, KN believes AU is firmly in the driver's seat

Like It

4* WR Anthony Schwartz -> UF
- Odds still high he is a Gator but some questions of whether there will be room. AU made a big push on recent visit

3* TE Tommy Tremble -> ND
- AU has not been mentioned with him in awhile

4* DT Coynis Miller -> AU
- AU/BAMA/UF battle & KN continues to hear that the Tigers have a slight lead. Rodney Garner appears to be the crucial reason why. UF is making a push tho & you can never count out the Tide but for right now KN still likes AU's chances

4* LB Channing Tindall -> SCAR
- Gamecocks still the team to beat with AU, FSU, UF & UGA all chasing. Tigers need to get him back on campus if they hope to have a shot, him not visiting for camp at end of July was not positive sign

3* CB Jamari Brown -> UK
- Originally when Brown was offered KN put in a CB pick immediately for AU seeing as he was Rosegreen's nephew & AU offer was one he really wanted. But AU is being patient at CB & not sure Brown is a take right now. With him committing this month UK seems the most likely destination

3* S Juanyeh Thomas -> GT
- Thomas lost his spot after Monday & Sherwood committed. Now looking like he will land with the Yellow Jackets

Leave It

5* QB Justin Fields -> AU
- KN says when he originally made the pick after Fields decommitment it looked like it was going to be an AU/UGA/UF battle. Since then FSU has become a real threat with some thinking it's down to the Dawgs & Noles. The AU staff still firmly believes that they are in the race & him pushing back his commitment decision is a positive for the Tigers. Says AU is in the race but confidence not high at all in the pick but for now will stick with AU

4* RB Asa Martin -> AU
- A clear AU/BAMA battle where Tide are real confident but AU likes their chances too. KN says in July his gut feeling was Martin was all Tide but now not so sure. Until he hears anything more definitive he is going to stick with his CB pick

4* Harold Joiner -> Foggy
- Joiner has been all over the place, now the Tide are trending but is he a take? KN suspects plenty more twists & turns are on the way

4* WR Justyn Ross -> AU
- Has had AU as the pick for awhile and doesn't have enough intel to really know where Ross is going so sticking with pick. Says all 3 schools of AU/BAMA/CLEM like where they stand

4* WR Seth Williams -> Foggy
- Recently switched CB pick to foggy as although Bama seems like the logical pick AU is recruiting him much harder. In fact, AU thinks they lead but KN wants to wait a bit before switching CB pick over just because Williams's recruitment has been a mystery at times so far

4* OG Trey Hill -> Foggy
- KN was first to pick UGA for Hill but now has switched to foggy. Says would not be surprise if Hill ended up at UGA but FSU, CLEM & AU are all pushing. Hill's recent visit where he brought whole family to AU has Tigers feeling hopeful

4* OG Tank Jenkins -> LOU
- It appears Jenkins missed his window to commit to AU. That could change down the road but for now appears to be LOU/MIZZ battle with not really a clear favorite

3* DE Andres Fox -> AU
- AU, BAMA & LSU have all lead at one point. Now STAN is in the game. Fox has also pushed back commit timeline. Bottom line is it appears to be a tossup right now

4* LB Zakoby McClain -> Foggy
- Two weeks ago it looked like McClain was all AU. Now things are a mystery. LSU is trending but he might not be a take for them as they are close to filling up class. Sounds like AU might be backing off now too. So for now, KN gonna switch to foggy until things become clearer

3* S Joseph Foucha -> Foggy
- He appeared all AU all summer but then LSU offered & the Tigers loaded up at safety. AU is still recruiting him but now as a CB & plan to be patient at that spot so it's no sure thing he's a take now

For reference here are the major changes from the last time KN did this:

- 4* WR Matthew Hill got bumped from "Like It" to "Love It"
- 4* WR Anthony Schwartz got knocked down from "Love It" to Gators to "Like It"
- 4* WR Kearis Jackson was bumped from "Like It" to "Love It" for Dawgs
- 4* WR Seth Williams is still "Leave It" but now KN has switched CB from Bama to Foggy
- 3* TE Michael Parker wasn't even mentioned (Bama might offer soon & he will commit)
- 4* OG Trey Hill was bumped from "Like It" to "Leave It" & KN switched CB from UGA to Foggy
- 4* OG Tank Jenkins went from "Love It" to "Leave It" & KN switched pick from AU to LOU
- 4* LB Michael Harris was listed as "Love It" & committed to AU
- 4* LB Zakoby McClain went from "Like It" to "Leave It" & KN moved CB from AU to Foggy
- 3* CB Charles McClelland was listed as "Leave It" with KN CB on AU. McClelland recently committed to Cincy & it appears KN flipped CB to them right before his pick
- 3* S Jamien Sherwood was listed as "Love It" & committed to AU

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Remember how Alabama's quarterback battle was one of the SEC's most interesting talking points heading into last season's opener against USC?

Most believed, at least during the bulk of fall camp, Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett would split snaps against the Trojans with true freshman Jalen Hurts seeing spot duty if needed.

Both former Crimson Tide quarterbacks recently told ESPN they felt betrayed by how that game played out, Hurts ultimately winning the job after accounting for four touchdowns and 150 yards total offense.

Hurts would go on to earn the SEC's Offensive Player of the Year honor.

"How things were communicated, there was a lack of communication," Bateman, a walk-on at Utah, said. "I knew I didn't want to be involved with that anymore, but fortunately that was the first game of the season -- 12, 13 more to go. I put my head down and battled through it. I knew after that first game that I didn't really want to be a part of it anymore."

Barnett, now at Arizona State, said he was told by Saban that he would start and Hurts would play in red-zone situations.

"According to him, I was their guy," Barnett said. "Once Jalen went in, I was expecting it. But then he went out on the next series, the next series and the next series. I don't know if everything was communicated correctly."

For Bateman, a redshirt junior at the time, says he felt he had done enough to earn the job, but was prepared to split time with Barnett. Barnett was the heralded former five-star expecting the Crimson Tide to be his team, in a sense.

Barnett eventually left the team after four games, which angered Saban. Barnett says he wasn't happy with the way Saban later portrayed his transfer on his radio show.

"Obviously, I didn't expect them to be happy in any way," Barnett told ESPN. "Them being upset and holding a grudge -- that was expected to me. The only thing I took offense to is that Saban goes out to media and tried to diminish my reputation for a decision I made that was best for my career individually.

"It was kind offensive that he would go out and bash a 20-year-old."

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Jarrett Bell performing at Alabama's camp (Twitter video)

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Josh Jobe got a CB to Michigan from some dude

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Michigan supposedly had a hand in helping Jobe get into the school up in Connecticut FWIW

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