re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition

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PETERSON'S BEING PATIENT

Some thought Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County linebacker JJ Peterson would be committed by now. Alabama has been in the lead since the spring, and the Crimson Tide is still the team to beat, but Peterson is not ready to make his decision just yet.

"I would have liked to have had JJ done with recruiting in the summer, but he wasn't ready," said head coach Rush Propst. "We talked about it some, but he is still not committed to anyone right now."

Auburn and Georgia are next in line for Peterson, with the Tigers likely the No. 2 team at this time. Peterson visited his top three schools over the summer, and he likely will again before he commits.

"I do not know about official visits yet," said Peterson. "I have not even thought about them yet. I will just see what happens this season."

With Peterson's head coach having ties to Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt and Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey from his days of coaching at Hoover (Ala.), most expect Peterson to leave the state at this time.

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MICHIGAN COMMIT IS MUM

Otis Reese made a lot of noise on the field Thursday night for Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County, but when he is not knocking pads, he is like a ghost.

The four-star linebacker is committed to Michigan, but he is avoiding all media, not talking Wolverines, his summer visits to Georgia or anything else right now. Reporters have traveled to his school, but Reese has not addressed his recruitment with the press. He was at a luncheon last Wednesday for the Corky Kell Classic, but he wouldn’t talk to anyone. And after the win Thursday night, Reese declined interviews.

What does this all mean? Is he solid to Michigan, but worried about hurting the feelings of local Georgia fans? Is he wavering and thinking more about the Dawgs than before? Is he just focused on the season and not wanting recruiting to be a distraction? Nobody really knows. He has visited Athens, but he will not discuss the trip, so Reese's thought process regarding his recruitment is unclear.

What is known is that he is a heck of a football player. In game one against Forsyth (Ga.) Mary Persons, he had numerous big hits including one which led to a fumble and turnover. He was around the ball a lot, he was very aggressive, and he is going to be a Rivals100 prospect when all is said and done.

Reese was the first 2018 Michigan commit. That verbal pledge took place the summer of 2016, over a year ago, so will the Wolverines hold on? Jim Harbaugh signed Reese's former teammate, Aubrey Solomon, in 2017, and Reese's older brother is playing at Central Michigan. So there are several factors that tie him to the Wolverines. Either way, this is something we will continue to track.

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CAMARDA CAN BOOM IT

You are seeing more and more special teams players get scholarship offers each year. Kickers, punters and long snappers are being offered because they are elite and the best at what they do.

Georgia Bulldog fans need to know Jake Camarda, a commitment out of Norcross (Ga.). This young man can do it all. Each kickoff was a touchback, with two going clearly out of the end zone. He drilled a 52-yard field goal with about five to eight yards to spare. His punts were as impressive as anything, averaging 47 yards in distance and 4.6 seconds hang time.

If those numbers weren’t enough, he also dropped a punt inside the one yard line. Sure, quarterbacks get the most love any hype, but kickers change and win games. They are extremely important, and Camarda was a player who created a real buzz around Georgia State’s stadium Saturday afternoon. There hasn't been a starting kicker or punter named by Kirby Smart yet for the 2017 season, but if Camarda was there, he’d be the answer.

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Five-star quarterback Justin Fields (Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison), the nation's No. 1 overall recruit on 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite rankings, is focusing on his senior season. But programs like Auburn, Florida State, and Georgia remain in heavy pursuit of the uncommitted prospect, so Justin's father, Ivant Fields, joined the SEC Recruiting Buzz to detail where things stand in his son's recruitment.

Justin has taken multiple trips to see Auburn, Florida, State, and Georgia over the past few months.

"We just kind of gathered information, built a relationship with the coaches, checked out the programs, the academics at the programs," Ivant said. "A lot of times, the way a school ranks nationally does not necessarily mean the thing he wants to major in that they rank badly in that. For instance, Auburn has this entrepreneur major that he really, really likes.

"Schools have different pros and cons, whether it is academia, depth charts, or offense. There are just a lot of things that they may have a little better than this school. You try to put them all down. Distance becomes a factor. You try to disseminate the information you get and make the best choice."

A decision could come at any moment, but the plan, for now, is to see how things look on the field.

"Now it has kind of boiled down to watching some football and looking at the teams and how they operate," Ivant said.

"It will continue into the football season. I think we will do that (official visits). I know we are going to the Florida State - Alabama game. I am looking forward to seeing the dome actually. I have not taken a tour or anything. From there, we really do not have any solid plans."

His father is not sure if the programs will get Fields back on campus before a decision is made.

"I am pretty sure we are going to watch some football games," Ivant said. "A decision could be made Sept. 3, He could, if everything lines up on Sept. 3. A decision could be made in February, after five official visits. That is ultimately up to Justin and when he says he is ready to pull the trigger."

Auburn has the connection with Cam Newton, a childhood idol for Fields and his summer 7on7 coach.

"The entrepreneur major. The distance. It is short, you can get there pretty quick. It is a really easy drive. His idol, went there, Cam. It has some pros. Gus Malzahn is a great guy. I think Justin has a great relationship with Chip Lindsey. I think they are going to air it out a little more.

"Justin is not looking to go to a place and run a lot. He can use his legs, but you do not see a pro quarterback just tuck and run. Ultimately, he would like to fulfill his dream and become a pro football player and they do not do a lot of running. He needs to go somewhere where he is developed, reading defenses, coverages and protection and things of that nature. Who is going to develop him and get him ready for the next level?"

Florida State has had production at the quarterback position in recent years.

"You cannot deny their development," Ivant said. "Coach Fisher is a quarterback guru. Three first round picks with the last three starting quarterbacks. That is a big pro with Florida State. They kind of jumped on him late, so he is still developing relationships there, but it is undeniable - they can develop a quarterback."

Ivant praised Georgia for its efforts in pursuing his son.

"Georgia has done a great job recruiting him," Ivant said. "Even when the kid from Cartersville was deciding between Clemson and Georgia, they kind of went out on the limb and offered Justin when he had boiled it down to two schools. I do not know if they had an inside track whether the kid was going to Clemson or not. But they offered him them and that was before he committed to Penn State."

A few members of the Fields' household are in full support of Justin attending Georgia.

"Georgia is great," Ivant said. "They are here. Of course, my wife would love for the kids to be together. My daughter is already committed there for softball. Having them at one school would be pretty easy on the family. That is not the ultimate decision maker, but it would be convenient."

At this time, Georgia has a 2018 class ranked inside the top 25, but the addition of Fields could help give Bulldogs' head coach Kirby Smart a third-straight top 10 class on signing day.

"I think Coach Smart is doing a great job recruiting," Ivant said. "He is keeping some in-state guys here and they are building a strong recruiting class."

Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney is hoping to have Fields in the quarterback room in 2018.

"Coach Chaney has a pretty good resume himself," Ivant said. "We have seen some of the guys he has coached, such as Drew Brees, and worked in the NFL, things of that nature. Coach Chaney, he's a down-to-Earth person that you can just talk about anything with. When it comes to the X's and O's, I had to look to make sure that was still the same guy talking. He's a pretty smart guy. He's been coaching a long time, with a lot of quarterbacks in a lot of places. He knows the game pretty well."

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Quick note on Asa Martin

Asa Martin, a 4-star running back from Austin High School (Decatur, Ala.), will make his commitment this Thursday. For several months I’ve predicted Martin to commit to Alabama.

I am changing my prediction.

When Martin makes his commitment on Thursday, I expect Auburn to be the choice. I am hearing loads of confidence on the Auburn side of things and the Tigers have continued to gain traction by the day.

We still have one more day to go until his decision, which is an eternity in recruiting, so my prediction can change. But, right now, I’m thinking Auburn is going to land the state’s top running back.

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