Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman is joined by national recruiting analyst John Garcia, UGASports.com's Jed May and JacketsOnline.com's Kelly Quinlan to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: K-State's addition of Linkon Cure was biggest July splash
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1. Na'eem Offord will finish as the top-ranked 2025 prospect in the state of Alabama.
Garcia: FICTION. As per usual, the state of Alabama is quite loaded in the class of 2025, currently paced by Na'eem Offord as its only five-star. That situation will remain fluid as the group of blue-chippers work to begin the most important evaluation stretch of them all -- their senior seasons. So we'll take the field, especially following an offseason in which Offord has not worked against fellow elite recruits, leaving the door slightly open for those with a heavier resume to contend.
Not only does the state boast four-year starters who will challenge the record books before the year comes to a close like running back Alvin Henderson or defensive back Anquon Fegans, but it also has a slew of linemen who have been upping their stock over time. From the mammoth inside presence that is Malik Autry to edge rushers Zion Grady and Jared Smith, the race for No. 1 could just be getting started. If one is searching for a wildcard or dark horse to contend at the top, seldom seen two-way star Derick Smith could be the pick.
Spiegelman: FACT. There are a lot of prospects that might push Offord for this spot. Jared Smith, Logan Anderson, Malik Autry, Derick Smith and Zion Grady are a few candidates that come to mind, but Offord is the favorite to maintain his post atop this group. The five-star Ohio State cornerback commit is elite physical traits like frame (6-foot-1, 181 pounds) and speed (11.09 in the 100M, 21.97 in the 200M), and is an even better prospect on the field. Offord plays with instincts and is a difference-maker in coverage and a natural ballhawk. He also makes big plays in spot duty on offense and special teams.
I like Offord's chances of staying at No. 1 before what should be a competitive race with those other blue-chippers this fall.
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2. Georgia is set to go on a roll on the recruiting trail in the month of August.
May: FACT. Georgia is well-positioned to land a couple of in-state targets in the coming days. The Bulldogs are in good shape with Rivals250 offensive lineman Juan Gaston Jr. (Friday) and Rivals250 safety Jontae Gilbert (Aug. 10). I’m picking the Bulldogs in both of those recruitments right now. Five-star defensive linemen Justus Terry and Elijah Griffin, both considered Georgia leans, could also pop at any time. With all of that still out there, it looks like the next couple of months will be very kind to Kirby Smart and company
Spiegelman: FACT. Georgia is already positioned with a top-five haul in the Rivals Team Rankings for 2025, and the Dawgs are poised to make even more noise before the end of the month and beyond.
Georgia is cleaning up with blue-chippers in the trenches on both sides of the ball. That is a theme expected to continue when Rivals250 offensive tackle Juan Gaston Jr. comes off the board on Aug. 2. Georgia has also started to surge in the right direction with Rivals250 safety Jontae Gilbert, who is set to come off the board on Aug. 10. Five-star defensive tackle Justus Terry likely to have a decision made this month and the Dawgs are trending as the team to beat. Georgia has been rolling on the trail this summer and that does not appear to be ending anytime soon.
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3. Georgia Tech has become the biggest threat to Florida State for Rival250 OL Josh Petty.
Quinlan: FACT. Josh Petty has had one of the more eventful recruitments this summer. Florida State sat in the prime position after the summer official visit season getting the last official visit coupled with the enrollment of his older sister Olivia there that coincided with his official visit.
Georgia Tech took a very personal approach with Petty hosting him on a midweek official visit the first week of June. Brent Key and his staff focused on tailoring their recruiting pitch to making Petty a big fish in a smaller pond and used Tech’s staff which features five former FBS offensive linemen and three former Power Four offensive line coaches to push a different angle from the Seminoles or Ohio State or Tennessee. Key was the first coach to offer Petty and the Jackets have hosted him on campus many times throughout the last few years. It is the staff he has the closest relationship with and the school is 30 minutes from his house so his family is right there and able to watch him play every week.
Key and offensive line coach Geep Wade both have strong pedigrees in developing offensive linemen for the next level and that coupled with his comfort level at Tech has put the Jackets in a position to potentially land Petty’s commitment. Petty even echoed Tech’s recruiting pitch of a 40-year decision to FSU media following his visit to Tallahassee last week.
Petty made a point to visit both schools last week and Tech is making a strong push for his teammate Evan Haynes a talented receiver in the 2025 class and his high school quarterback Jonathan Granby also from Fellowship Christian School.
Next week both teams should find out where they stand with Petty, but in the meantime, Florida State went from hands-down favorite to co-leader for one of the top linemen in the country. Tech has made things interesting.
Spiegelman: FACT. Rivals250 offensive lineman Josh Petty is set to reveal his college choice on Aug. 12. Both Georgia Tech and Florida State each hosted the highly athletic Peach State offensive lineman for official visits in June and then again over the final weekend of July.
The Yellow Jackets have made a strong effort to close the gap with the Seminoles in recent weeks, and heading into this month's decision this has morphed into a two-team race between Georgia Tech and Florida State. I like where the Seminoles sit, but this is a way-closer battle than it was this time a month ago.
