Breakdown: Rivals100 West recruits who are headed out of state
Once again, the state of California is loaded with exceptional prospects and many national programs try to recruit the talent-rich state every recruiting cycle. This year is no different and many schools have had success. Here is a look at five Rivals100 prospects in the West who have decided to take their talents out of state.
Who Alabama beat: Harris committed to Alabama early but Cal, USC, UCLA and many national programs are trying to get involved.
Gorney’s take: Harris is the most talented running back to come out of California in some years and he has a tremendous array of physical and natural abilities. The five-star and top-rated prospect in the state can run between the tackles, he has great speed to the outside, he’s difficult to bring down and he can also split out and be a pass-catching threat. It doesn’t matter who Alabama has at RB, when Harris gets there he can compete for playing time. And that’s saying something.
Who Alabama beat: USC was considered the clear frontrunner until Tagovailoa visited Alabama. Then everything changed and the Crimson Tide landed his pledge.
Gorney’s take: USC possibly had its quarterback of the future until it didn’t. When the four-star visited Alabama, he fell in love. The lefty is impressively accurate, he’s calm in the pocket and can make all the throws. He also adds a running ability that could be interesting in the Crimson Tide’s offense. Tagovailoa has been compared to former Honolulu St. Louis QB Marcus Mariota and while he’s not as physically impressive, the Alabama commit does have the athletic ability to add another wrinkle to that offense.
Who Nebraska beat: Gebbia picked Nebraska over Ole Miss in April after multiple visits to Lincoln. His father played for the Rebels, but Gebbia found what he wanted with coach Mike Riley’s club.
Gorney’s take: The knock on Gebbia is that he’s too lean, but that was the same criticism of former Cal quarterback Jared Goff and look how that turned out. No one is making that comparison yet, but he has as strong an arm as any quarterback in this class as he zips it all over the field. Nebraska won out because the four-star can come to Lincoln, learn the offense and compete for playing time. If any receiver has an inch, Gebbia can get them the ball and he’s been coached well at Calabasas by former SEC QBs Casey and Rick Clausen.
Who Arizona beat: Tilford was once a silent commitment to USC and there was a whole lot of talk about his interest in Michigan as his recruitment went on as well.
Gorney’s take: Tilford is one of the more intriguing prospects in California this recruiting cycle because he doesn’t show up to a lot of events, but when he does, he dominates. The four-star prospect can be utilized as a straight running back, he can split out and catch passes and some people believe his best long-term position is linebacker. At Arizona, Tilford’s athleticism and physical prowess could make him a Day 1 contributor. At which position is another question, but it’s a good one to figure out.
Who Arizona beat: Almost everybody. Johnson had offers from across the Pac-12, many in the Big Ten and SEC, but he decided to commit early after a visit to Tucson. Since that time more offers have arrived –- major offers –- and it’s expected he will take visits.
Gorney’s take: There were some questions where Johnson would play, whether it was running back or cornerback, but this offseason the four-star has established himself as one of the best corners in the West. That’s probably where the Wildcats see him, but he can also be utilized on offense and special teams. Johnson is a physical kid who’s tough and wants to prove he’s the best each second he’s on the field. That bodes well for a young player trying to make a name for himself. Many other programs are coming hard after Johnson, but Arizona has established that early connection and the Wildcats aren’t going to give up easily.