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Around the Mid-Atlantic: Duke keeps rolling

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Shane Simmons
Penn State has dominated the other teams in the Mid-Atlantic over the past couple years, which feels a little odd to say considering everything that program has endured. James Franklin has the hype machine rolling in 2016 and the Nittany Lions are holding down the No. 10 spot in the Rivals team rankings.
Having five four-star prospects, including Rivals100 running back Miles Sanders and Rivals100 defensive end Shane Simmons, committed before the end of March will do wonders for a team's overall recruiting ranking. Since then, the Nittany Lions have added Rivals100 offensive tackle Michal Menet and four-stars Will Fries and Ellison Jordan.
Penn State has clearly focused on recruiting offensive and defensive linemen. Five defensive linemen have pledged to the Nittany Lions and four offensive linemen are looking to add depth to a depleted front line.
Step it up
Rutgers
Virginia and New Jersey are two of the most talented states in the Mid-Atlantic region, but Rutgers and Virginia Tech are missing out on much of their state's top talent. The situation with the top prospects in New Jersey has been written about time and time again. As of right now, it looks like no more than six of the top 20 players in the state of New Jersey will play college football for their home state team.
The last time Virginia Tech lost to Virginia was in 2003 and the Hokies have finished higher than the Cavs in the team rankings every year since 2012. Even more proof of Virginia Tech's in-state dominance, the Hokies have signed 10 more Virginians since 2013 than the University of Virginia, but the 2016 recruiting cycle looks like it could be a little different.
Virginia is currently ranked fifth in the ACC team rankings while Virginia Tech sits at No. 11. The Cavaliers hold verbal commitments from seven Virginians while the Hokies have six. Keep an eye on this battle that will surely go all the way until National Signing Day.
Biggest get
DE Ron Johnson, Camden, N.J.
Ron Johnson
Recently there have been a lot of commitments in the Mid-Atlantic but the ripple effects of this one could extend very far. There has been so much talk about this highly rated group of players from New Jersey and Pennsylvania potentially ending up at Michigan and the first piece of the puzzle was Johnson, a Rivals250 defensive end.
Johnson is connected to a number of highly rated players in the region. The first and most obvious one is Rivals250 wide receiver Brad Hawkins. Johnson's teammate at Camden, N.J., is scheduled to announce his commitment July 3 and Michigan is one of the favorites along with South Carolina.
Five-star defensive tackle Rashan Gary from Paramus (N.J.) Paramus Catholic has expressed interest in playing with this group at the next level and Michigan is considered one of his top schools. Rivals100 tight end Naseir Upshur could end up going to college with the other players in this group. Also keep an eye on highly rated 2017 prospects Cesar Ruiz, Drew Singleton and Corey Bolds. There are plenty of other suitors for these players but Michigan is a top contender for all of them.
Let's not forget
QB Dwayne Haskins Jr., Potomac (Md.) Bullis School
Dwayne Haskins Jr.
The commitment of Haskins, a Rivals100 quarterback, to Maryland is one of the most impactful commitments that will happen in the 2016 recruiting cycle. One of the most popular players in the nation, Haskins already has four-star athlete Darryl Turner, running back Lorenzo Harrison, Rivals100 linebacker Keandre Jones set to join him next season, but he is working on attracting more top talent to College Park.
Maryland has put an emphasis on improving the offensive and defensive lines. Its top priority right now is Rivals250 offensive lineman Terrance Davis. With all the departures at wide receiver, the Terps need to reload and Rivals250 wide receiver Tino Ellis is high on their wish list. Also high on their wish list is four-star linebacker Keith Simms. Haskins and other players in Maryland's recruiting class have a lot of connection to these players.
Surprise commitment
TE Cary Angeline, Exton (Pa.) Downington East
Cary Angeline
The recruiting process for Angeline looked like it would go further into the offseason but he sprung an unexpected commitment to USC on everyone. Many people viewed Angeline as a lean to either Penn State or Notre Dame. After taking a few visits to Los Angeles, Angeline decided he had found the place for him.
Angeline will be a great receiving tight end for the Trojans. He needs to add a significant amount of good weight before he sees much meaningful playing time. He has been dominating the subpar competition in southeast Pennsylvania for the last few years but it's nothing like what he will face at USC. Angeline's success as a collegiate player depends largely on how he adjusts to that level of competition.
Shaky ground
RB Kareem Walker, Wayne (N.J.) De Paul Catholic
Kareem Walker
Five-star running back Kareem Walker made a surprise commitment to Ohio State during the national championship game in January, but since then the Buckeyes have taken two commitments from players that could play running back in college. This has caught Walker's eye and he is considering re-evaluating his decision.
Walker has visited Rutgers multiple times, but also visited Auburn and Alabama in late May. More unofficial visits are unlikely, but don't be surprised if he takes a couple of official visits.
Coming up next
WR Brad Hawkins, Camden, N.J. | WR Trevon Diggs, Gaithersburg (Md.) The Avalon School
Brad Hawkins
Hawkins is announcing his commitment on July 3 and has named Michigan, South Carolina, Temple, Rutgers and Oregon as his finalists. Many people expect him to join his teammate Ron Johnson and commit to Michigan. The biggest threat to Michigan is South Carolina. The Gamecocks have a lot of connections to southern New Jersey and Hawkins has visited the Columbia campus a few times.
Diggs was scheduled to announce a commitment on July 4, but has decided to push it back. The smart money says he still commits in July, but look for him to take a few visits. LSU and Clemson are likely destinations for a visit but Maryland and Alabama are still the top contenders for Diggs.
Adam Friedman
Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
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