East Spotlight: Storylines to watch in October

Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman takes a look at some of the most intriguing storylines in the East region as the calendar flips to October. Will there be major shake ups in the rankings? Which committed player will create drama? What about the last two uncommitted Rivals250 prospects in the region? These are important questions to track as the Early Signing Period gets closer.

RELATED: October storylines to watch in the Southeast | Mid-South storylines | Midwest storylines

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The East region is stocked with talent across the offensive line and there could be a number of changes when the postseason rankings update is published. South Carolina commit Kam Pringle as the highest-ranked offensive lineman in the region right now but there are many others pushing to overtake him.

Notre Dame commit Guerby Lambert is one of those players we're keeping a close eye on along with South Carolina commit Josiah Thompson. Penn State commit Cooper Cousins has had a great season so far and the athleticism LSU commit Ethan Calloway brings to the table has really come through on his senior film.

Look for potential risers such as Wisconsin commit Ryan Cory to potentially shake up the order near the top of the rankings in the East.

The defensive linemen in the East have been the highest-ranked position group pretty much since day one of the 2024 ranking cycle, but the receivers in this class have had really impressive senior seasons so far. It wouldn't be surprising to see some of these guys move up in the rankings after the season and potentially tip the balance in the region.

NC State commit Jonathan Paylor, Florida State commit Elijah Moore, North Carolina commits Alex Taylor, Jordan Shipp and Keenan Jackson, along with four-stars such as Notre Dame commit Micah Gilbert, Tennessee commit Braylon Staley, Alabama commit Rico Scott, and a few others have been turning heads.

We might even count four-star Rutgers commit Korey Duff, who is currently listed as a tight end, among the standout receivers in the East when all is said and done.

Rivals100 defensive end Ernest Willor hit the reset button on his recruitment when he moved back to Baltimore after spending his junior season at IMG Academy in Florida. One constant in his recruitment has been Penn State. The Nittany Lions made him a priority early and he's already made it back to campus for a visit this season.

The same can be said about Maryland. The Terps really want to add more talent on the defensive line and Willor fits exactly what they're looking for. The in-state prospect made it back to campus earlier this season as well but it remains to be seen what other schools he'll take trips to before the Early Signing Period.

There are currently 110 prospects rated a high three-star or better in the East region, and only three of them remain uncommitted, so which players will end up flipping before signing day? There are a few candidates emerging, but so far it's been relatively drama free this fall.

Rivals100 Florida defensive line commit Amaris Williams is looking at taking a visit to Ohio State after picking up an offer from the Buckeyes earlier this week. When Tennessee offered four-star Rutgers tight end commit Korey Duff a few weeks ago, he did not rule out a potential visit to Knoxville. There were a number of teams keeping an eye on West Virginia commits since head coach Neal Brown was on the hot seat entering the season, but that seems to have faded now that the Mountaineers are playing better than expected this fall.

Historically, additional flip candidates emerge in late October so keep an eye out for more names to surface.

Rivals250 defensive lineman Jaylen Harvey has provided plenty of updates on his decision timeframe but he continues to push it back. The longer his recruitment goes, the more time teams have to close the gap between themselves and presumed leader Penn State. Maryland and USC have made attempts to pick up momentum throughout the offseason and the early part of this fall season.

Head coach Mike Locksley and his staff at Maryland have made a habit of creating fireworks late in the recruiting cycle with flips or pulling off upset wins, especially with in-state prospects.

USC already surprised Penn State by landing a commitment from defensive tackle Deyvid Palepale back in July. The Nittany Lions were the heavy favorite for Palepale until the Trojans got a chance to host the Pennsylvania native for a visit. While Penn State is still the favorite for Harvey, it has to make the Nittany Lions a bit uneasy that he hasn't announced his commitment yet.