National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Tennessee is the surprise of the SEC
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CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
1. Kamar Wilcoxson has made his final commitment.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Kamar Wilcoxson, the talented defensive back from Florida, has now committed to Florida three times. Throw in a commitment to Tennessee and you have four commitments and it’s not even July. So most people think this is just the beginning or at least the middle of Wilcoxson's recruitment.
But I think it’s over. Maybe I’m naive, but I can’t imagine Wilcoxson decommitting from his dream school for a third time. He and head coach Dan Mullen had an issue that has apparently since been squashed and it’s smooth sailing ahead.
Gorney’s take: FACT. When a player makes four commitments before his senior season it’s nearly impossible to predict what’s going to happen in the future or where that player is going to end up months from now, but my feeling is that Wilcoxson is now done with the recruiting process. He’s now been committed to Florida three times, which just points to the fact that no matter whatever second thoughts he has he keeps coming back to the Gators. Is it a red flag that his commitments carry such little weight? Absolutely. But Wilcoxson wants to be at Florida and this is probably it for him.
2. The Big Ten is killing Arizona State and Arizona recruiting.
Farrell’s take: FACT. The state of Arizona isn’t exactly loaded with talent — at least when it comes to depth of talent. So when Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota combine to steal away five four-stars from the state like they have the last two cycles, it’s not good for the Sun Devils, Wildcats and the Pac-12. It’s clear that many prospect in the state feel they are a better fit and have a better chance for exposure and to win a national title in the Big Ten.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Big Ten programs are certainly making a dent in Arizona, but I’m choosing fiction here because so is everyone else. Arizona and Arizona State continue to have a significant problem in recruiting and that’s the fact that top talent just does not want to stay home and play for those programs. Oregon has commitments from three of the top five prospects in the state right now. Last recruiting cycle, none of the top 18 players in Arizona picked an in-state program. This has been an ongoing issue for the Sun Devils and Wildcats and it’s not just Big Ten programs coming into the state.
3. Positive tests around college football are alarming for the season ahead.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The rise in positive tests it’s certainly not good to see and can lead to some pessimism but, when you think about it, this was expected. Players testing positive at schools all over the country just a few months removed from a national shutdown is normal and we have to remember that these are student-athletes who aren’t as susceptible to the most serious effects of COVID-19.
The key is the protocols put in place to avoid the spread from those who test positive and it appears those protocols are in place and being enforced. When students return to school, the same thing has to be expected. Those who think this signals the beginning of the end of college football for this season should just wait and see.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. This is a difficult and convoluted topic to talk about because there are more questions than answers and some view positive COVID-19 results as a major problem while others think it’s no big deal.
Here are some questions I have: Does a positive test at LSU or Clemson or any other school mean the player is currently sick and showing symptoms, does it mean he tested positive for antibodies, does it mean he’s asymptomatic and doesn’t even know he has coronavirus?
Reading social media only makes things trickier because there are some who argue the point one way and others who argue it another way. I continue to return to this opinion after talking to coaches and listening to their points: It is far better to have every athlete on campus, in that setting, surrounded by world-class medical professionals than everyone spread out and meeting up with people outside the campus environment.
