Army Bowl: Where five uncommitted players might land
The third day at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl didn’t feature any action on the field, but there was plenty of scuttlebutt off it, as some of the players met with the media. Today we take a look at five more uncommitted prospects and try to project where they’ll end up.
MORE FROM THE ARMY BOWL: Five commitment predictions after Day 2 | Five programs that should be pleased with commits' play | Day 2 news and notes
The contenders: Alabama, Texas A&M, Texas, Florida State, Oregon
Breakdown: Waddle is one of the hardest players to project in this class, and he’s done a great job of keeps fans, reporters and even coaches guessing about where he will end up signing. But right now, it appears to be shaping up to be an SEC battle between Alabama and Texas A&M, with Oregon serving as the wild card. A lot will happen in his recruitment over the next month, but his affinity for Jimbo Fisher, combined with the chance to stay close to home and play in the SEC at Texas A&M makes the Aggies the slight favorite.
The pick: Texas A&M
The contenders: Alabama, Oregon, Utah, USC, UCLA
Breakdown: Alabama was my pick for Sewell back in the spring, and that was before he had even secured an offer from the Tide. But Oregon has surfaced as a very real threat, and despite the departure of Willie Taggart, the coaches Sewell knows best, Mario Cristobal and Joe Salave’a are still in place and appear as if they will be for the long term. Sewell is still genuinely undecided and will likely put a lot of emphasis on in-home visits in the coming weeks before deciding. So do I stick with the Tide or flip my pick to the Ducks? Right now, I’m going to stick with my first instinct and say he ends up in Tuscaloosa.
The pick: Alabama.
The contenders: USC, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee
Breakdown: Despite his lofty ranking, Taylor-Stuart has taken the process slowly and will still have at least three official visits in January. Those trips to USC, Tennessee and Georgia will play a major part in his decision-making process, making it even tough to project. But despite his love for the Aggies, the fact that he isn’t as familiar with the new staff could open the door for USC to keep him close to home. I’m going to make the safe pick and say the Trojans end up winning out in the end.
The pick: USC
The contenders: USC, Missouri, Nebraska
Breakdown: Nebraska is late to the party, and the Huskers are trying to become a factor in Thompson's recruitment, but is he too far down the road with the Tigers and Trojans? Missouri has been a constant presence in his recruitment since the beginning, and despite his flirtations with other programs and his relationship with USC commit Trevor Trout, it’s likely the Tigers end up keeping him close to home.
The pick: Missouri
The contenders: Syracuse, Indiana, Kentucky, Ole Miss
Breakdown: Sampson had been a longtime commit to Syracuse, but he backed off that pledge in December and is now reevaluating his options. Ole Miss seems to be the most likely destination and the Rebels are hosting him for an official visit later this month. It’s always possible that other schools enter the mix when the dead period ends, but right now it appears like Ole Miss is the team to beat.
The pick: Ole Miss
