Buzz Worthy: Five Southeast prospects that are heating up
Prospects are on the road and offers are flying out left and right. Here is a look at five prospects from the Southeast who have a lot of buzz heading into the spring.
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Armella is a 2022 prospect and one of the top offensive linemen in that class and he proved it earlier this offseason at the Rivals Camp Series. The Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas standout manhandles defensive ends, he’s tough and he liked to play with a mean streak. And the buzz around Armella, a Florida State legacy, is that he could be one of coach Mike Norvell’s first major commitments. There is not a group at FSU that needs more help than the offensive line and locking up the 2022 prospect would be huge even if he wouldn’t get to Tallahassee for a few years.
Farrell’s take: While Armella says all the right things and maintains that he isn’t a lock for Florida State, it’s hard to imagine him anyplace else right now. The Seminoles have a new coach, are headed in an exciting direction and there will be pressure on him to be a leader in the 2022 class. Armella has five-star potential.
Fairchild had been slogging through the recruiting process in recent months with a healthy list of offers but in recent weeks the three-star offensive guard has seen his recruitment explode with new offers and a whole lot more to consider.
Auburn, Louisville, North Carolina, Penn State and others offered recently and then LSU and Georgia came through in the last few days. Also a standout wrestler with an undefeated record this season, Fairchild has been busy landing major offers and his recruitment has just gotten a lot more hectic.
Farrell’s take: Georgia was a big in-state offer for Fairchild and many think he’ll end up there, but he says he’s wide open and taking things as they come. He’s a talented kid whose film is just starting to make the rounds.
Not many prospects in the South have been busier than Lassiter in recent weeks as he’s landed new offers from Florida State, Oklahoma, Virginia and Arkansas and he’s also taken big visits to Ole Miss and to see the Seminoles. Lassiter now has more than a dozen offers, more schools are getting interested all the time and he’s seeing schools regionally to get a better sense of what he likes. Alabama might be tough to beat since Lassiter is from Tuscaloosa, but Auburn should also be watched early on among others.
Farrell’s take: Lassiter has blown up and he can play many positions but he’s best as a big corner. And you know Nick Saban won’t want to let a big corner leave the state. I have to think ‘Bama has the edge here.
Randall was a non-descript 2022 wide receiver at Myrtle Beach, S.C., until the last few days when he landed new offers from Duke, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi State over two days earlier this month. Things should continue to pick up for him especially since a lot of programs will be stopping by Myrtle Beach for three-star WR JJ Jones, who has also seen his recruitment take off recently and he’s up to 22 offers. Jones recently released a top 14 and it will be interesting to see how many of those programs try to double-dip at that high school by going after Jones in 2021 and Randall in 2022.
Farrell’s take: This one will be interesting as the in-state programs get in on him and he gets more and more big offers. Right now it’s too early to guess who his leader is but this is a talented kid with really good size for a 2022 and he will become a national recruit.
What a busy early March for Singletary, who has landed offers from USC, Oklahoma, Florida State and Texas A&M in only the last few days and he announced his commitment to playing in the Under Armour game as well. LSU offered in mid-February and the 2022 defensive back is now well over a dozen offers. Florida is believed to be the early frontrunner and the Gators can recruit defensive backs with anybody, but Singletary will be a national recruit with probably every option available.
Farrell’s take: Singletary will take his time and he has a long way to go, but the Gators appear to be in good shape for the Jacksonville star. Singletary is one of the best cover corners in all of high school football regardless of class.