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re: Class of 2019 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: That's a Wrap Edition
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
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Digging into the Auburn-Alabama battle for Clay Webb
Webb has been the top player in Alabama for two cycles, and both in-state schools have been recruiting him since his freshman year.
Even with the out-of-state pushes, Webb admits the Crimson Tide and Tigers have a bit of an advantage.
“Oh yes sir, just because of their radius and distance to me,” Webb said.
Webb has two in-state friendships that will weigh heavy in this decision.
At Alabama, it’s fellow offensive line target Pierce Quick, a vocal leader in the Crimson Tide class.
“He wants me to come there and play with him. He wants me to be his little buddy, stay with him there the entire time,” Webb said. “Oh yes [it helps Alabama], I’ll already have an upper edge on knowing somebody there and get straight to the program with someone I know.”
At Auburn, the head of the class Bo Nix and his high school teammate K.J. Britt have been the main player recruiters.
The message from Nix is a fairly simple one.
“Hey, Clay, why don’t you come here and block for me, all right?” Webb said, laughing. “He wants me to go there.”
As for the coaching relationships, Alabama holds an edge. Webb said his closest bond is with Crimson Tide offensive line coach Brent Key, who he referred to as “like a really, really, really close uncle.”
Auburn isn’t completely starting from scratch, however, through its O-line coaching change.
Webb knew J.B. Grimes during the early stages of his recruitment, and they’ve reconnected since Grimes’ return to the program. That will only help the Tigers as they battle it out with the Crimson Tide for the state’s top prospect.
“I feel like I kind of have an advantage with that since I’ve already known the guy for a while. … I like him, just his coaching style,” Webb said. “I already like the team, all the players, how they come together automatically like brothers, the way the team just carries itself.”
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Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
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Opinion: Bo Nix-to-George Pickens connection special
This goes away from my typical intel-driven content to give you my stance on Auburn commits Bo Nix and George Pickens.
Nix is the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the nation. He lived up to his expectations on Sunday with the first back-to-back QB MVP performance. Nix dropped slightly in recent rankings releases, but upon the next re-rank, I fully expect Nix to move up closer to the 5-star brink. The quarterback talent is down in 2019, but Nix’s performances — undefeated state championship season and standout showcase camps — are worth 5-star consideration.
He’s a quarterback in every sense. On Sunday, it didn’t matter if he was working with a lesser-known prospect or one of his go-to targets in Pickens or Georgia commit Jadon Haselwood; Nix was actively communicating with his receivers in between reps.
As for Pickens, the No. 26-ranked receiver in the nation won’t have 25 receivers rated ahead of him for long.
Pickens rivaled Miami commit Jermaine Burton and Georgia commits Haselwood and Dominick Blaylock for the best receivers on the day. He will see a major rankings rise next time around with his on-field production at Hoover (Ala.) and his promising camp and 7-on-7 showings.
I’ll have more on the relationship between these two guys later in the week. Auburn’s couldn’t have a much better tandem as the foundation of the class.
I agree with Chris Kirschner. We should be all over George Pickens. I wonder why we aren't.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:24 am to TideSaint
Top performers, LSU recruiting notes from The Opening regional camp Atlanta
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BUFORD, Ga. — The Opening made its way through the Atlanta metro area this weekend, luring top talent from Georgia as well as a handful from SEC territories such as Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Most notably, there was an abundance of talent in the trenches, both on the offensive line and among edge rushers. There was also a handful of talented pass catchers and defensive backs. Kardell Thomas, Clay Webb, Nakobe Dean, Christian Williams, Kalen Deloach, Nolan Smith II, Chester Kimbrough, Dominick Blaylock and Jadon Haselwood were the nine Finals invitees from the loaded crop.
Here were some of the top performers, as well as critical recruiting updates regarding some of the top prospects and where LSU stands.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:26 am to TideSaint
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Kardell Thomas, 5-star OL
Thomas made the trek from Baton Rouge to Atlanta to cement his status as the top guard in the 2019 class. That was made clear, as Thomas did not lose a rep during 1-on-1s and barely had to leave his 3-point stance during the Final 5 competition. Thomas lived up to his reputation, and then some. He is currently ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the nation, a position he’ll continue to improve upon as he dominates in Dallas for The Opening Finals.
From a recruiting standpoint, Thomas shut down his recruitment in late January after visiting for LSU’s elite junior day. Now, what does that entail? It’s very possible that the 5-star guard could resume taking unofficial visits later this spring and summer, and even officially visit some other programs before signing his letter of intent early and enrolling at LSU in January. Visits are certainly the norm, and while rival programs are hoping to flip Thomas, that is really not a concern at this juncture. Any visits are simply to do his homework and allow Thomas and his parents some trips they would otherwise be unable to take. He’s LSU-bound.
It appears lil Sammy didn't learn his lesson from the Patrick Surtain recruitment.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:27 am to TideSaint
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Kevin Harris, 4-star DE/OLB
Harris was wildly impressive with his quickness on the snap. He is an electric rusher off the edge from a 3-point stance and could very well dominate with ease in a stand-up rushing position, too. The 4-star Grayson (Ga.) star also measured in at 6-foot-5 and 217 pounds, with a frame he could continue to pack weight onto. Harris is in an ideal mold as an LSU Bench-linebacker much like Arden Key was coming out of Georgia back in 2015.
A week after making his first visit to LSU, Harris released a top three of LSU, Alabama and Miami. That, however, is a soft top three, as more offers could lead to some changes. Both of Harris’ parents hail from Louisiana and several family members still reside in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. He has plans to visit Miami soon and is scheduling a visit to Alabama. LSU is the favorite given his ties to the program and memorable junior day visit, but new offers could change things here. For the moment, I feel comfortable putting a Crystal Ball pick in for the Tigers.
See above.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:28 am to TideSaint
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Nakobe Dean, 5-star LB
Dean continues to impress with his size and athleticism as a middle linebacker. He was fluid in coverage and went step-for-step with some of the top running backs during 1-on-1s. He’s excellent in coverage, but is equally as impressive as a field general defending the run, which we saw glimpses of during competition on Sunday.
Dean’s most recent visit was to LSU, which along with Ole Miss and Alabama, have played host to the 5-star linebacker the most in recent months. During his junior day, Dean spent a good portion of time learning about LSU’s engineering program and actually met with the program’s director, which left a lasting impression on his mother, who is keen on the academic side of this decision. Alabama and Ole Miss are the two other schools to watch, with Nick Saban playing an integral role in Dean’s recruitment. There’s also Ole Miss’ edge with a push to keep some of the top talent from Mississippi in-state. Auburn is a sneaky contender, too.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:29 am to TideSaint
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Christian Williams, 4-star CB
Williams is long and rangy, and it’s easy to see why LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond is high on the Alabama cornerback. Williams excelled in both press and when playing off. He has quick make-up speed to break up passes and is fluid moving backward and laterally. Williams is very quick running downfield on deep routes.
LSU has made a hard-fought push for the Mobile, Ala-area product and is recruiting him harder than any school in the country. That’s not to say that Auburn and Alabama aren’t still in the mix. Williams isn’t anywhere close to making a decision and has visited LSU, Alabama and Auburn the most of any three schools. Immediate playing time in Baton Rouge is attractive, but it’s not the most critical factor in Williams’ mind.
This dude has got to be the biggest homer of all the recruiting mods out there, and that includes Ohio State's Bill Kurelic.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:29 am to TideSaint
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Chester Kimbrough, 4-star CB
Kimbrough made a statement in Atlanta on Sunday, grabbing the attention of the crowd with his jams at the line of scrimmage and coverage of bigger pass-catchers. Kimbrough was fluid in coverage and made fantastic plays on the football. Mostly, he was physical and did not back down from the competition, earning himself the defensive back MVP honor and a ticket to The Opening Finals this summer.
Mississippi State, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Georgia and Kansas are the main schools to monitor for the 4-star New Orleans cornerback. LSU is not out of it either. Raymond has touched base with Kimbrough and is beginning to dial up the pressure on the in-state blue-chipper. An offer might come as early as the spring evaluation period or during camp, which could shake up LSU’s entire defensive back board.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:49 am to TideSaint
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George Pickens, 4-star WR
Pickens is a unique combination of size and athleticism. At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he presented a gigantic target for the quarterbacks on Sunday and did not disappoint. He was an excellent route-runner as well and was arguably the top receiver in terms of deep balls at the camp.
Pickens remains solid to Auburn, but LSU is one of the schools he mentioned that is working hardest to flip him. The 4-star wideout just picked up an offer from LSU last weekend and has yet to visit campus, so if a trip is in the works, it could spell mutual interest. Nonetheless, he’s a prospect the Tigers’ coaches are keen on and are putting in a lot of work behind the scenes.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:51 am to TideSaint
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Mohamoud Diabate, 4-star OLB
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Diabate has room to add more muscle to his frame. Right now, he is dominating out of pure explosion and quickness around the edge. Diabate was too quick for most tackles during 1-on-1 drills and won the majority of his reps against the top left tackles there. Additionally, he worked from a wide-9 technique, but can also rush from a stand-up outside linebacker position.
Diabate made a recent visit to LSU, which looms large for the Tigers’ chances of landing a top-200 prospect from Auburn’s backyard. In talking to some folks in Diabate’s camp, Texas A&M is the biggest threat. Should Auburn offer, it could change things rather quickly. LSU is certainly in the mix, but has other prospects such as the aforementioned Harris and Marcel Brooks higher on their board.
Lil Sammy is just being petty by leaving us out of this blurb.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:51 am to TideSaint
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Harrison Bailey, 4-star QB
Despite being an underclassman, Bailey proved to be the top quarterback in attendance on Sunday. A big frame paired with a powerful arm, Bailey made consistently great throws, mixing up strong tosses with finesse dimes. He also showed the ability to work with his receivers on timing and route-running, which shows the innate leadership ability inside of him.
The No. 2-ranked pro-style passer in the 2020 class made a visit to LSU back in February and, at this point, is getting closer to making a decision. Bailey told SEC Country he’d like to finalize a plan at some point during or immediately after his junior season, which is only seven or so months out. Coach Ed Orgeron made a strong impression on the 4-star quarterback, but it’s unlikely the Tigers are the favorite. Alabama, however, has Bailey atop its 2020 board.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:52 am to TideSaint
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Quandarrius Robinson, OLB
Simply put, Robinson is a freak. At 6-foot-4 and a shade under 210 pounds, he could play outside linebacker or defensive end for a Power 5 team and dominate at either position. Robinson worked out with the outside linebackers on Sunday and was excellent in coverage. His size and athleticism would make for a great pass-rushing option around the edge, too.
Robinson recently made a visit to LSU and was very impressed by the love he received from area recruiter Tommie Robinson and defensive line coach Dennis Johnson. The two assistant coaches are enamored with Robinson, hence the pressure to get the 2020 prospect on campus so early this spring. LSU has quickly established itself as one of the chief schools in the mix for the future blue-chipper with momentum quickly building.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:54 am to TideSaint
South Carolina recruiting: Gamecocks host Taulia Tagovailoa, brother of Tua Tagovailoa
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On Saturday, 4-star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, the younger brother of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, took his first recruiting trip to South Carolina.
Taulia, a 5-foot-11, 203-pound prospect from Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., spent part of the day with coach Will Muschamp and quarterbacks coach Dan Werner.
“I watched them practice and their practice is good,” Tagovailoa said. “They’re up-tempo and you can see the quarterbacks, they learn and feed off each other. The relationship with the quarterbacks is good and that’s a good thing, too.”
Contact with Werner has “been strong” since the Gamecocks offer, which came earlier this year.
“I talk to Coach Werner a lot. … I see what he did at Ole Miss and I really like it,” Taulia said.
Werner, of course, was a member of Alabama’s coaching staff in 2017, during Tua’s freshman season with the Tide.
“I’ve talked to Tua a lot and he said [Werner’s] really good,” Taulia said.
The No. 6-ranked pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2019 (247Sports composite) enjoyed the interaction he had with Werner on Saturday.
“We went into the film room with him and one thing he really made me understand is why they do this and why they do that, the reason why some quarterbacks are wrong and some are right,” Taulia said. “The whole thing is about them getting benefitted and getting to the NFL.”
A return visit is in the works. Taulia is thinking about taking an official visit in April, though he hasn’t settled on a weekend.
Along with the South Carolina offer, his list includes Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah.
As a junior, Taulia passed for 3,820 yards with 36 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He also rushed for 155 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:55 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 9:57 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 10:00 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 10:01 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 10:02 am to TideSaint
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This dude has got to be the biggest homer of all the recruiting mods out there, and that includes Ohio State's Bill Kurelic.
This post was edited on 3/26/18 at 10:03 am
Posted on 3/26/18 at 10:02 am to TideSaint
Posted on 3/26/18 at 10:06 am to TideSaint
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