Another day of practices is in the books at the Army Bowl, with the East and West teams joining together for a session that saw plenty of action on the field. But what about on the recruiting trail? Today we look at five more prospects and make predictions about where they will end up signing coming February.
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The contenders: Ohio State, Penn State, Virginia Tech
Breakdown: Walker has already taken visits to College Station and Blacksburg and there was even some buzz that he might sign early with the Nittany Lions. That has come and gone and now there seems to be some momentum for Ohio State. Walker will visit the Buckeyes this month, but is the late interest enough to lure him to Columbus. It will be close but right now Penn State appears to be the favorite.
The pick: Penn State
The contenders: Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State
Breakdown: Every school in the mix here still thinks they have a legitimate shot to land Campbell. He’s having one of the best weeks of any defensive back at the Army Bowl so it’s not a surprise to see the two finalists in the College Football Playoff jockeying to get his attention in January. But despite the love from Georgia and Alabama, Miami has been a steady force in his recruitment and right now the Canes are the safest pick.
The pick: Miami
The contenders: North Carolina, Auburn, Florida
Breakdown: The Tar Heels were the first major offer for Barnes and have remained in the mix throughout his recruitment. But he hasn’t been shy about his love for the Gators and the success of former high school teammate Martez Ivey in Gainesville doesn’t hurt Florida’s chances. Auburn will likely get the last shot at Barnes when he officially visits in February, but will his mind already be made up? In the end the chance to stay close to home and play for Florida will likely be too much to pass up.
The pick: Florida
The contenders: Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Clemson, Georgia
Breakdown: The always unpredictable O’Neal committed to Texas A&M earlier this year, catching many people by surprise at the time, but backed off that pledge last month. Can new head coach Jimbo Fisher convince O’Neal to jump back in the fold, or will Oklahoma finally lure him away for good? Clemson and Georgia are essentially wildcards and if they receive official visits this month could become real threats. In the end it’s likely a battle between the Sooners and Aggies and right now it looks like Texas A&M is still the school to beat.
The pick: Texas A&M
The contenders: Miami, Ohio State, Florida
Breakdown: Silvera is already committed to the Hurricanes and has been for some time, but he didn’t sign in December and is planning on officially visiting both Gainesville and Columbus this month. So do Hurricanes have anything to worry about? At this point it seems like Silvera is just trying to enjoy the process and will likely end up making his pledge official in February.
The pick: Miami
