Fact or Fiction: Gators can flip FSU QB commit Tramell Jones
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson along with Jason Higdon of 1standTenFlorida.com and Jefferson Powell of DeathValleyInsider.com tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. TCU should be really concerned that Ty Hawkins will flip to SMU or Oregon.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I don’t necessarily buy the Oregon stuff mainly because after this season with Dillon Gabriel, it certainly looks like former five-star Dante Moore is being groomed to take over the offense next season and then the Ducks could go to Luke Moga, Akili Smith Jr. or take another shot in the portal after that. It seems like a stretch that Hawkins wants to wade into those waters but SMU is definitely an intriguing proposition.
Both TCU coach Sonny Dykes and SMU coach Rhett Lashlee are going to throw the football a ton. Both have wide-open offenses that fit Hawkins’ playing style perfectly. SMU is now in the ACC while TCU remains in the Big 12 so the Mustangs actually have more of an argument in terms of playing better competition in better environments. But Hawkins has been committed to the Horned Frogs for nearly a year so there is a major comfort level there. While TCU should be really concerned about a flip I don’t think it’s a guarantee at all.
Levenson’s take: FACT. TCU may not act worried, but it should be. It was very clear from the moment that Keelon Russell flipped away from SMU that the clear-cut target to replace him was Ty Hawkins. Not only is he a Texas kid, but he has been nearly stride for stride with Russell in his development this offseason. Landing Hawkins is certainly not "settling" for a second-tier option, so Rhett Lashlee and his staff are going all out to flip him. We know SMU can compete in a big way with NIL and whatever Russell was set to get in Dallas can essentially be assigned to Hawkins, if not more to assure they can flip him. For a program that is now in a power conference with resources being poured in, while coming off an 11-win season, you can argue SMU as a program in a better place for the future than TCU.
With Oregon, outside of being able to stay close to home, there are generally not many things the Horned Frogs could sell to Hawkins that would make them a clear-cut favorite for him to stay. Dan Lanning has the Ducks trending as one of the premier programs in America and Hawkins' playing style and demeanor would fit right in with Oregon's offense. Like SMU, Oregon will surely be among the top contenders in the NIL department and it has an array of offensive weapons for Hawkins to feel excited about. SMU should be considered the bigger threat, but if it turns up the heat and gets him in for a visit, there may not be much TCU can do to stop Oregon either.
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2. LSU has a good chance to get five-star WR Dakorien Moore back in its recruiting class.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Jefferson Powell talked about getting ex-girlfriend vibes about this situation but after talking to Moore’s mom about the visit to Baton Rouge, I get the feeling that maybe this was a situation where he didn’t necessarily want to dump the girl, did anyway and now might be really regretting it. LSU wants him back and the five-star receiver might want back in as well. It’s going to be a tough obstacle to overcome Texas because he visits there this weekend and there is a strong contingent that believes the Longhorns are going to win out but I’m not counting LSU out here. With its receiver tradition, putting two in the first round this past season and some serious renewed interest, the Tigers are very much back in this.
Powell’s take: FICTION. Things just feel different now. LSU has a chance, the X-factor here is Bryce Underwood. The five-star QB can sway things if he really puts his recruiting hat on, but I'm just not sure it's going to be enough. Getting Moore back on campus was huge for the Tigers and he is saying all the right things regarding LSU, but it has ex-girlfriend vibes to me. Where you don't want to break her heart so maybe you string things along, so you don't have to be the bad guy today. There's only a finite amount of time that this can be drawn out. I'm not ready to rule them out completely, but for the sake of the exercise if I'm making the call today, I just don't feel like he's going to be a part of LSU's 2025 class right now.
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3. Florida can still flip Florida State QB commit Tramell Jones.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Anything is conceivably possible and while this seemed to have some legs a few months ago, I just don’t see it happening at this point. Florida had been going after Ryan Montgomery but he picked Georgia. The Gators are in a 50/50 battle with Memphis for four-star QB Antwann Hill and they just offered Duke commit Dan Mahan in recent days. Would all of that be going on if Florida was confident that Jones was going to flip to them? There was some interest awhile back but Jones has solidified himself with the Seminoles. He’s recruiting hard for the class and there is just too many moving parts right now in Gainesville.
Higdon’s take: FACT. In today's recruiting world, nothing is off limits, and what most people think is impossible has become possible because of how recruiting is structured. Florida can flip Tramell Jones, and a big reason is the decision of wide receiver and good friend Vernell Brown III.