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

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Justyn Ross, wide receiver

While Justyn Ross is ranked as the top wide receiver prospect in the state by most recruiting services, his recruitment remains a mystery. Ross is waiting for his mother to return from her military stay in Kuwait this summer so they can narrow down his list of offers to some contenders. However, he has said Alabama and Auburn recruit him harder than any other school.

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Seth Williams, wide recevier

Bryant plays his football in Tuscaloosa for Paul Bryant High School, but Auburn is in good position to land his commitment. Williams told AL.com last month that Auburn, Ole Miss and Georgia recruit him the hardest and Auburn “sticks out from the rest.” He plans to take more visits this offseason before narrowing things down.

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One of the region's top prospects in the 2019 class has Alabama as his leader.

Auburn isn't too far behind, though, for LaGrange, Ga., linebacker King Mwikuta.

Mwikuta, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound four-star recruit ranked as the country's No. 70 overall recruit and No. 5 outside linebacker, has Alabama on top followed by Georgia, Auburn, Florida State and Clemson in that order, he said Saturday after Auburn's A-Day game.

Mwikuta, who aspires a career in radiology, is being recruited to Auburn to play the BUCK position (defensive end/linebacker hybrid). He has made the close trip from LaGrange to Auburn numerous times.

"First, their practice (stands out), I can say that," Mwikuta said. "People around, fans, coaches. I can say the culture is good. I always harp on that when I come here. I say the culture is good around here. That's one of the things I look for in a school, the doctoral school. The culture around, you can't have bad culture because that brings bad habits around."

But Alabama, a school which offered in January, still leads. Mwikuta has made multiple trips to Tuscaloosa this spring.

"They're top of the list right now," he said. "They're going to win regardless of the situation."

What makes Alabama his leader?

"I like (outside linebackers) coach Tosh (Lupoi) a lot over there and (secondary) coach (Derrick) Ansley," Mwikuta said. "That's really the school that started recruiting me as a linebacker and I just learned how to play in open space and open field. I like that move from a five, (having) hand in the dirt to a 'wide nine' (spread out) standing up and rushing the quarterback. I like that."

Mwikuta wants to make an early commitment, but not too early. He said he's targeting a commitment around this time next year.

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Not many in the recruiting world knew of Mohamoud Diabate before the 2016 season, but the Auburn (Ala.) High edge talent had a productive year for the Tigers and the recruiting attention has followed.

Virginia kicked off the process with an offer at the end of February and SEC programs Mississippi State as well as Vanderbilt have since followed early on the rising junior's offer list.

"Coaches say they like my size, speed, versatility, motor," Diabate, who flashed those traits at The Opening Atlanta (video above), said. "I think speed is my biggest asset, my motor is really great too, because I simply won't stop between the whistles.

"Being 6-4 definitely helps when you're trying to keep blockers off of you."

The long and lean pass rusher, who has yet to visit any of the programs that have verbally offered him a scholarship, does see room to up his stock even more as he hits various camps into the spring evaluation period.

"I need improvement in run protection and I think my technique has room to improve," he said. "There's always something to improve."

Diabate, who ran a laser-timed 4.69-second 40 yard dash time at The Opening Atlanta, is approaching the recruiting process one step at a time. He wants to take visits to several schools before forming a true opinion on where they may stand at this early juncture.

There is no timetable for a decision.

Scout's Take

Diabate is a long and lean pass rusher who can stress the edge of an offensive line with his hand in the ground or from a stand up position. His 6-foot-4 frame and sheer athleticism allows him to get to the passer quicker than most, with the length and range to help make up for a lack of polish early in his prep career. Diabate plays with a high motor and runs very well for his size, allowing him to make plays all over the field. With better leverage and added bulk to his frame before the next level, he can be a force fairly early in his college career.

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Big changes appear to be coming to the football recruiting calendar, which has led to mixed reactions from state high school coaches.

The NCAA Division I Council approved a recommendation for a football early signing period today, which would allow seniors to sign during a 72-hour period beginning the third Wednesday of December.

The Collegiate Commissioners Association, which governs the National Letter of Intent program, must also sign off on the change at its June meeting before it can take effect. Currently, players cannot sign until the first Wednesday in February.

"Anything that gives our kids an opportunity to do what's best for them, I'm in absolute support of," James Clemens coach Wade Waldrop said. "It's just another opportunity for a high school athlete to take care of their business sooner than February. It gives those kids more security and more opportunity to make those decisions quicker and do what's best for them quicker and not be hanging on longer."

Waldrop's 2017 class included SEC signees LaBryan Ray (Alabama), Kyriq McDonald (Alabama, early enrollee) and Monty Rice (Georgia, after a late flip from LSU).

"A kid doesn't have to sign on that (December) date," Waldrop said. "Nobody is making them sign on that date. But if that option is on the table, and a kid knows what they want to do, then I think it's great that they're going to have the opportunity to do that."

Daphne coach and former Alabama defensive lineman Kenny King said the December date would have intrigued him as a high school player.

"I think I would have (signed early)," he said. "I think it would be good to go and get it behind you and focus on the job at hand."

Davidson coach Fred Riley, who spent nine years in the college ranks during the 1980s, noted that an early signing date falls in line with the increasing popularity of early enrollment.

"I have no problem with the December date," he said. "I don't see a big deal with it, one way or the other. The last few years, a lot of our kids have graduated in December anyhow and moved on, so it's beneficial for them. I don't see it affecting how we do things at all."

The early signing period would appear to benefit mid-major teams whose commitments are sometimes poached by Power Five programs in the lead up to National Signing Day.

"Some coaches are going to be glad because you don't lose as many guys toward the end of the signing period," Riley said, "where you have to go back and try to figure out which direction you're going to go. It gives them a chance, right before the new year, to regroup and say, 'OK, we've lost our top quarterback prospect. We're going to pursue our second one as hard as we can. Who's the next one we're really going to go for and do we have a chance to get him?' It makes recruiting meetings a little different in terms of how they make those type decisions."

One drawback to an earlier signing date is that the college coaching carousel tends to be very active during December and January. A player who signs early could find himself bound to a school with a new coaching staff that he never interacted with. That scenario concerns two Birmingham-area prep coaches.

"I don't think it's what's best for kids," Mountain Brook's Chris Yeager said. "I think that kids can make a better decision after the college season is over because of the nature of college coaches. The kids want to know who they're playing for. If I was a player, especially a highly sought-after player, I would not make a decision until after the bowls. If having an early signing day makes sense, then why don't they have an early NFL Draft? You've got to have all the information."

Thompson coach Mark Freeman is also wary of how college coaching turnover will affect early signees.

"You can preach and preach to the kids, 'Don't go somewhere because of a coach,'" he said, "but there's certain coaches who draw a kid because of their success and character. Those guys are professionals at what they do. The recruiting process with these big schools is a very organized system of knowing what to say and how to say it. I think kids get taken in by it even with the advice your give."

As part of the NCAA proposal, a first window for official visits would run from April of a player's junior year through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June. Under current rules, players cannot take an official visit until their first day of senior classes.

Freeman, who likes the December signing date, said he couldn't fully agree with earlier visitation periods.

"I like the way it used to be when the kids were seniors and colleges could come through and recruit them," he said. "Now you see eighth graders getting offers. It takes a mature kid to handle that exposure. I don't feel good with anything that disrupts the total team. The thing that worries me is it almost feels like we're starting to individualize high school football. I hate that because what I love about coaching is building character and all the cohesiveness of being team that I feel goes a lot further with them in their life."

NCAA eliminates two-a-days

There had also been debate about adding an early signing period in June prior to a player's senior year, but that proposal was voted down.

"The summer date was an issue for all of us," Riley said. "What's to keep a kid from saying, 'Well, I've got my scholarship. I'm not going to play for my high school this year.'? Or they get halfway through the season, the season is going bad and they decide to do what some of these kids have done in college and not play in the bowl game. That was a recipe for disaster."

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Top 2019 DE/OLB jumps Auburn over FSU

AUBURN, Ala. — King Mwikuta, one of the hottest 2019 prospects up for grabs, made a bold statement following his A-Day visit.

“I ain’t going to miss no home games. That’s a promise,” Mwikuta said. “I can’t miss an Auburn game, unless a hurricane comes through, I’m going to be there.”

Mwikuta is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound outside linebacker from Troup County High and Lagrange, Ga. He visited Auburn about 8 times during his recruitment. He knows the Plains well. He wants to know it a bit more, which is why he plans to make his way back to campus “whenever they want me to,” he said.

His appearance for A-Day was his second visit that week. Mwikuta — pronounced mickoota — attended a Tigers practice earlier in the week and was asking plenty of questions to staff and personnel as he focused in primarily on the defensive line group.

Mwikuta is the No. 5 outside linebacker in the 247Sports composite rankings, but Tigers coaches wants him in the Buck defensive line position.

From what he saw in 2 days on campus in the past week, Mwikuta thinks something special is brewing.

“Like I say all the time, Auburn on top. They’re going to have a good season,” Mwikuta said. “They’re going to be on top. They look good.”

He had a huge smile on his face as he spewed compliments after the spring game, but he also put it all into context.

Mwikuta publicly named Alabama as his leader a few weeks ago, and that hasn’t changed. Georgia’s in-state pull has the Bulldogs hotly contesting for his favorite. Auburn leapfrogged Florida State after the 2-visit week to the Plains.

“Auburn, they’re in my top 3 right now. They moved up ahead of Florida State,” he said. “With Alabama and Georgia, I’ve been up there so many times that I’ve basically fell in love. I’m just waiting for Auburn to show me a little bit more and get some more dogs in this year’s recruiting class.”

How competitive is the race to be Mwikuta’s favorite?

“It’s close. They (Auburn) seem to amaze me every time I come here. Something new always amazes me,” Mwikuta said.

There is plenty of time of the Tigers to make a move up Mwikuta’s leaderboard.

As a 2019 prospect, he isn’t in a major hurry, but he’s also has the talent to be a cornerstone for teams to build their recruiting classes. Mwikuta expects to make h is decision by this time next year, which will give him ample opportunity to recruit players to the program he chooses.

If that program ends up being Auburn, it will be for his close relationship with multiple coaching staff members.

“I like coaches, Coach Malzahn. The culture around here is good. Everybody loves you. You feel like you’re at home,” Mwikuta said. “T-Will. Coach Garner. Coach Malzahn. … They’re cool. They’re laid back. They’re father figures. They look like they could take on a big role in my life. I would just have a real father around my life. I could see them as real role models around my life.”

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One hundred sixty-eight (168) evaluation days (216 for U.S. service
academies) (see Bylaw 13.02.7.2) (excluding Memorial Day and
Sundays) selected at the discretion of the member institution and
designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics [as
provided in (1) below]:

(1) An authorized off-campus recruiter may use one evaluation to
assess the prospective student-athlete’s athletics ability and one
evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s academic
qualifications during this evaluation period. If an institution’s
coaching staff member conducts both an athletics and an academic
evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on the same day
during this evaluation period, the institution shall be charged with
the use of an academic evaluation only and shall be permitted to
conduct a second athletics evaluation of the prospective student athlete
on a separate day during this evaluation period.

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