Fact or Fiction: Georgia has a real shot at five-star Arch Manning
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman along with Gary Ferman of CaneSport.com and Corey Bender of GatorsTerritory.com tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement.
*****
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Texas commit J'Mond Tapp won't sign with the Longhorns
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
RIVALS TRANSFER TRACKER: Stories/coverage | Message board
RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info/coverage on 2021 camp series
*****
1. Arch Manning visiting Georgia this weekend is a big deal and the Bulldogs have a very real shot of landing his commitment.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I do think Texas and Clemson could have the edge in his recruitment post-summer but these upcoming visits are going to play a crucial role in Arch Manning’s thinking and how things shape up heading into the offseason. Georgia has some room to make up but an impressive offensive performance against South Carolina would not hurt. The Bulldogs have almost everything in place to make a major run at Manning and so this weekend’s visit is definitely a big deal to convince him the offense is going in the right direction for his strengths.
Spiegelman’s take: FACT. Georgia is the first visit for Manning this fall and one of several marquee game-day trips he'll be taking along with Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas and Clemson. Manning has a strong connection to Athens in offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who boasts a strong NFL resume, as well as New Orleans area recruiter Cortez Hankton. He visited in the summer and will be back for an SEC tilt, not to mention it'll give Manning an opportunity to check in on friend Stetson Bennett. Georgia is in with the aforementioned teams and these visits loom large toward his eventual decision.
*****
2. Florida should feel confident it can flip five-star DL Mykel Williams from USC.
Gorney’s take: FACT. The word I’m getting is that Georgia is trying very hard to flip Mykel Williams and there’s no doubt the Bulldogs are well-positioned to do it but Florida does have a decent shot at getting him to join the class. That all starts on Saturday. If the Gators can upset Alabama, or even make the game really interesting late in the fourth quarter, that environment in The Swamp is one of the best in the country and it could plant a seed in Williams’ head. The five-star told me this week that until he says something, his commitment to USC stands. And Georgia is right there to pick up the pieces if he decommits. But Florida is a real player here that could emerge even stronger with a huge showing on Saturday.
Bender’s take: FICTION. Although the Gators are scheduled to get the first shot following Clay Helton's dismissal, it's safe to say they still have a significant amount of work to do. Georgia is the school that has been linked to Williams' recruitment for quite some time, and those rumors will only increase now that USC is without a head coach. UF's Dan Mullen, David Turner and Kelvin Bolden are actively recruiting the five-star prospect, and there is no doubt they are making a strong case, but it's worth noting UF didn't even make Williams' top 10 in January, although that was nearly a year ago. UF must make a strong impression on Saturday and then hopefully lock in an official visit for later this year, but until then, I believe Georgia is positioned best to flip him, while Florida is likely in the top five.
*****
3. Nyjalik Kelly and Wesley Bissainthe are expected back at Miami this weekend and Shemar Stewart recently visited. That's a big deal because the Hurricanes could still land all three.
Gorney's take: FACT. There is a very real possibility that all three of those South Florida prospects could end up someplace else especially since Miami’s schedule is not a cakewalk in the coming weeks but there is a good chance, too, that Shemar Stewart, Nyjalik Kelly and Wesley Bissainthe can see major progress over that time and move the Hurricanes even higher up their list. Stewart will be the most difficult one to get onboard but my understanding is that Bissainthe is high on Miami and I’m not certain Kelly is all that adamant to leave home. Beating Texas A&M, Ohio State and others for Stewart will be tough but I’m not counting out Miami’s chances. It looks like Stewart won't make the trip to Miami's game this weekend but I still think the Hurricanes are a major contender.
Ferman’s take: FICTION. This trio is without question the priority for Miami moving forward and having them together at Hard Rock Stadium this weekend is certainly a massive positive. But landing all three of them in this recruiting class is probably a pipe dream at this point. Stewart spent a lot of time at Miami in June, but since has seemed focused on Ohio State and Texas A&M. Kelly remains interested in Miami, but is also believed to be strongly considering Florida State and Oregon as well. Bissainthe would seem the most likely of the three to end up at Miami considering what a strong area of need linebacker remains for the Hurricanes. But he is also strongly considering FSU, Florida, Penn State and West Virginia. So notice that none of the three seems ready to pull the trigger on a Miami commitment. Landing all three of these top South Florida prospects would be a huge win for Manny Diaz. But right now, it doesn't seem as if their recruitments are headed toward that conclusion.