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

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I'm just too snakebit by these JuCo who end up having the same learning curve as true freshmen.

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Nadab Joseph down to 3 schools

Nadab Joseph de-committed from LSU in August. That didn’t come as a surprise because two months before he made that decision, he told SEC Country he could de-commit.

Since then, Joseph, a 4-star cornerback from Miami Norland High School, released a top 5 of Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Oregon. He’s now down to the Crimson Tide, Tigers and Bulldogs. One of those teams is on top.

“I sat with [his guardian] coach Vick [Evans] and my mom, and we came up with that,” Joseph told SEC Country’s Sam Spiegelman. “I have a better connection with those coaches. I have a leader right now, but my top 3 are not that far apart. It’s just those three schools right now. They’re all close together, and on the visits, we’ll see. On the visits, that’s how we’ll separate them.”

Joseph decided to keep his leader to himself, but the thought is that Alabama is on top. It was somewhat of a surprise when he de-committed from LSU that he didn’t flip to Alabama at that time. He had taken two trips to Tuscaloosa in the span of a month, and those close to the Alabama program had felt strongly that Joseph eventually would be a part of the Tide’s 2018 class.

The one thing that would prevent Alabama from signing Joseph when he makes his decision is LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond. Out of all the coaches Joseph communicates with, he’s closest with Raymond.

“I feel like he’s more like a brother, like family,” Joseph said of Raymond. “When I talk to him, it’s kind of different than when I talk to any other coaches. It’s better and it’s different, a little bit of both.

“I don’t know how, but he’s been looking at my film and he’s been telling me to back up, open up my hips and still tells me what I need to do. It shows me that he still really cares about that he really wants to coach me.”

Interestingly enough, Joseph didn’t tell Raymond that he was going to de-commit from LSU before he made his decision. He didn’t talk to him until the following day. Joseph also said it’s a “possibility but less likely” that he recommits to the Tigers.

That opens the door for Alabama. Joseph will take an official visit to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4 for the Tide’s game against LSU.

“That’s Alabama. That’s Nick [Saban], and the head coach works with defensive backs,” Joseph said. “They’re coming at 99, always hitting me up, and the head coach is calling me a lot. Alabama, you know, they’re telling they want me to come in and play now, and that’s what I want. If they say it, I believe it.”

The nation’s No. 21 cornerback said early playing time is what’s most important to him when choosing his future college. Alabama offers that opportunity with both of its starting cornerbacks not returning next season in Anthony Averett and Levi Wallace.

What Alabama also has over LSU, according to Joseph, is better wide receivers. Not many high school cornerbacks take that into account when choosing their schools. But Joseph makes a good point on why choosing a school with better wide receivers could be beneficial to him.

“Doesn’t Alabama have better wide receivers than LSU?” Joseph asked. “I know I’d get a better look at practice, and that’s what they’ve been talking about — that I can go against the Alabama wide receivers and they’re doing something right, and if I go against them in practice, that will make me better.”

Don’t expect Joseph to make a decision until he takes his official visits. The only one he has set right now is to Alabame. He said he’s planning on taking visits to LSU and Georgia, too.

“I want to get the official visits in first [before making a commitment],” Joseph said. “I need to see the dorms, the classes where I’m going to be studying at, how I’m going to get around and see if everything looks good.”

Joseph is one of the recruits I feel most confident in projecting to Alabama at this time.

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Looks like it could be an Iron Bowl recruiting battle for JUCO cornerback Saivion Smith.

The former LSU defensive back is now at Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he stars on a defense alongside Auburn commit Daquan Newkirk. Smith visited Alabama last weekend for the Ole Miss game, and there’s a high chance he makes it to Auburn in the near future.

While public perception pits Smith as a Crimson Tide lean, he said it’s still wide open.

“I don’t really have a leader or a school that’s in last place. I’m still look at all of the schools that are looking at me,” Smith told SEC Country.

Smith holds offers from Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. With that said, Alabama is the only school he’s visited, and he’s now done that for a game and for a practice a few weeks ago.

He hasn’t set up a visit yet, but it’s something he wants to do. This weekend against Ole Miss would be a great opportunity to do so with Newkirk returning, too.

“I haven’t confirmed it with Auburn yet, but I do want to visit. They hit me up pretty often,” Smith said. “They want me to come make a difference for them. They’re doing pretty well this season. They’re undefeated in the SEC so far. I’m watching them.”

Nothing is set in stone yet, but Smith expects to take an official visit to Auburn. The only other school he knows will receive an official visit is Alabama.

The Auburn connection is simple. He’s spoken with the staff regularly since the start of his JUCO season. Smith is close with Newkirk and Torrance Gibson who have raved to him about the Tigers after recent visits. Plus, he has some Florida native connections with a pair of Auburn receivers.

Those relationship are sure to help the Tigers’ chances.

“I’m probably going to take an official visit to Auburn, but I haven’t set anything yet,” Smith said. “I need to figure out my schedule. I have a few teammates who are all for Auburn, and they’re kind of recruiting me. They want me to check it out. I also know some people already there like Ryan Davis. I went to school with him. Nate-Craig — I know him well.”

Smith isn’t in a rush to make a decision. His first priority is graduation in December. After that, he’ll transition into the college selection process.

So far in 2017, Smith has recorded 28 tackles. He’s ranked the No. 3 overall prospect in junior college and the top prospect at cornerback. He will be a hot commodity for both Auburn and Alabama.

Smith’s priorities when making his decision are clear.

“I’m looking for a great coaching staff. I want to choose a program that is known for winning and putting their players in the NFL. I definitely want to compete for a national championship,” Smith said. “Those are some of the things I’m looking for in the next program I choose.”

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The situation: LSU suffered one of its worst losses in recent memory over the weekend, dropping a home game to Sun Belt school Troy. But the Tigers also took a major loss on the recruiting trail shortly thereafter when Rivals100 defensive back Kelvin “Fat” Joseph backed off his longtime pledge to the school. Joseph, a Baton Rouge native and the No. 44 overall player in the country, had been committed to LSU for nearly 18 months. So how big of a blow is the loss of Joseph to the Tigers class and where do things go from here? We examine it on a local, regional and national level.

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LOCAL REACTION: MIKE SCARBOROUGH, TIGERBAIT.COM

“Joseph is one of the top prospects for 2018 nationally and he was important for Ed Orgeron in Louisiana. One of the first things Orgeron talked about when getting the LSU job was locking down the state and keeping the best players home. While Joseph says in his de-commitment statement that LSU is still a leading contender, the timing of him reopening the recruiting process fuels the bad perception that Orgeron's first-year program is facing. After losing to Troy, the last thing Orgeron wanted the following Monday was the loss of a Rivals100 prospect from Baton Rouge. Particularly one who's been to Alabama for unofficial visits many times and is now going to look at Florida State.”

Sting factor: 9

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NATIONAL REACTION: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS RECRUITING DIRECTOR

“This de-commitment has been expected for a while, so it's not the surprise aspect that makes it this high but the fact that it comes off an embarrassing loss to Troy and is a defensive back lost by a program that prides itself on being called ‘DBU’.”

Sting factor: 7

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