Breakdown: Predictions on five heated SEC recruiting battles
Teams from across the Southeast are always going head-to-head in recruiting battles, but at this point in the cycle there are several prospects being heavily wooed by SEC programs. In this week’s SEC Breakdown we take a look at which prospects are the most sought-after by conference rivals.
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The schools: Alabama, LSU
The breakdown: Moses continues to flirt with several programs both inside and outside of the SEC, but most expect it to be a battle between the Tide and the Tigers down the stretch.
The pick: LSU. Moses was a longtime LSU commit and has taken time to test the market over the past few months. But it’s hard to see him turning down the chance to play for the Tigers, the school he grew up rooting for as a Louisiana native.
The schools: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia
The breakdown: McBride was nearly a commit during the final days of the Mark Richt era in Athens and remains a top priority to the new staff as well. It’s long been considered an Alabama-Georgia battle, but a recent trip to Auburn also has the Tigers heavily in the mix.
The pick: Georgia. McBride may also flirt with West Coast options such as Oregon and Stanford but his affinity for Georgia combined with his relationship with Kirby Smart makes the Bulldogs the safe pick.
The schools: Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama
The breakdown: The five-star offensive lineman recently narrowed his list to 10 schools, but it’s likely to be a few SEC programs, along with Notre Dame, in it until the end.
The pick: Kentucky. Wills has been a priority for the Kentucky staff for years and already has former teammate Landon Young on the roster with the Wildcats. Assuming the team has a good season on the field in 2016, Wills is likely to stay in his hometown.
The schools: Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn
The breakdown: Of all the players on this list, Akers might be the one with which each school feels legitimately confident. Akers has recently taken a ton of visits and raved about each trip. He doesn’t appear to be tipping his hand about which school truly leads anytime soon.
The pick: LSU. The smart money here is on Ole Miss but with the recent problems in Oxford, it could open the door for LSU to land Akers.
The schools: LSU, Tennessee, Georgia
The breakdown: The one-time LSU commit has always referred to Louisiana as “home” but unlike past offseasons, he hasn’t been a regular visitor in Baton Rouge this spring. He has made trips to Tennessee and Georgia, who both have him high on their lists as well.
The pick: Georgia. Stevens appears to be narrowing down his decision and the Bulldogs have been trending for quite a while. The race won’t end when he commits, but it would be a surprise to see him stay on the market for much longer.