Rivals National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney along with Jason Suchomel of Orangebloods.com, Blair Sanderson of HawkeyeReport.com and Andrew Bone of BamaInsider.com tackle three topics in recruiting and determine whether they believe each statement or not.
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1. Alabama can shoot to the top for No. 1 tight end Oscar Delp now that he's visiting.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Betting against Alabama is foolish especially since Oscar Delp just figured out the date for his visit there but I still think Georgia is the leader in his recruitment. I don’t know if the Bulldogs can be beaten either as Kirby Smart and his staff have shown an outstanding ability to recruit – and win some battles against the Crimson Tide as well. Getting Delp to Tuscaloosa is definitely big and Alabama could surge if he loves it there but my understanding is that Georgia is still at the top.
Bone’s take: FACT. Alabama’s biggest hurdle with Delp has been getting him on campus. He will take his first ever visit with the Crimson Tide on Tuesday. He has developed a connection with new tight ends Drew Svoboda during his short stint at Alabama. Nick Saban has also been very active in recruiting Delp. Alabama is on the outside, but the visit can open the door for the Tide to become a major contender in his recruitment.
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2. Xavier Nwankpa scheduling a visit to Iowa in June is a big deal and he can still land with the Hawkeyes.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Xavier Nwankpa has been to Iowa before and he will get back there in June. That’s important but will it sway where his recruitment is headed? I doubt it right now. Ohio State has made him a major priority in this class and some believe it would be shocking if he didn’t end up with the Buckeyes. Others might have an outside shot and that includes Iowa but there are a lot of roadblocks in the way. Getting Nwankpa back on campus is a good step but I’m not sure he ends up there.
Sanderson’s take: FACT. I tend to think it's a big deal any time you can get a recruit on campus, especially this year. That will be the same weekend the Hawkeyes have their commits and other top targets in town, so he'll get to meet with them and the coaches in person for the first time in over a year. It gives them a puncher's chance.
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3. Texas is now the team to beat for in-state speedster Brenen Thompson.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Texas is definitely making positive strides in Brenen Thompson's recruitment and the Longhorns have moved way up but the team to beat? That might be a step too far right now as I’m not sure even Thompson has a No. 1 on his list right now. Clemson is interesting, Texas A&M is another one to watch and I wouldn’t be surprised if Oklahoma is involved until the end. There is a good chance the speedy four-star ends up in Austin. But I’m not sure he has a team to beat right now.
Suchomel’s take: FACT. Thompson's a tough recruit to predict because he very rarely speaks publicly but if you dig deep and read the tea leaves on social media over recent months, there is a sense that the Longhorns have been surging in this race. The speedster receiver was on the Texas campus recently for the state track meet and there's a strong chance he'll return in June for a visit. The projected leaders for Thompson have bounced around from Oklahoma and more recently, Clemson, but Texas seems to be pushing all the right buttons on this one of late. I'm not sure there's a specific team I'd put ahead of the Longhorns at this point.
