Fact or Fiction: Sooner Summit will be key in recruiting
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: Thomas Fidone will pledge to Nebraska
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
1. The Sooner Summit will be key in recruiting.
Farrell’s take: FACT. A group of players, some committed and some not, met up and took a visit to Oklahoma to check out the campus without the coaches present and without any of the typical pomp and circumstance of a visit. And it will work. Offensive lineman Tristan Leigh got to see OU with commitments like Caleb Williams and Jalil Farooq from his area and other big targets like Camar Wheaton. This is a big deal and, if Leigh, Farooq, Wheaton and others end up at Oklahoma, this could be a huge reason. This Summit might be a difference maker for the Sooners.
Gorney’s take: FACT. It was a major recruiting move orchestrated by Williams and it should pay off in a big way. First, because Oklahoma has a lot to offer and lots of top recruits are highly interested anyway and also because this was a one-of-a-kind special event with lots of top kids on campus.
Wheaton is down to Oklahoma, Alabama and LSU and this was the kind of event that could have sold him on playing with this recruiting class. Four-star OL Savion Byrd was there and while SMU might lead, this Oklahoma trip will give him something to think about. Oklahoma is making a move for Leigh even though LSU and others charging hard. It will be interesting if commits at other schools try to do something like this, but there’s no doubt it was huge for Oklahoma recruiting.
2. Georgia has taken the lead for Maason Smith and Korey Foreman.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. This may be an unpopular opinion but I still think Maason Smith ends up at LSU. However, Korey Foreman could be leaning towards Georgia. Both visited UGA this past weekend and have talked about playing together, so this is a really good sign for UGA especially since coaches couldn’t be involved and they still traveled so far. But Smith will be hard to pull from Louisiana.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Pulling Smith away from LSU could be near impossible, especially since every No. 1 prospect from the state dating back to Landon Collins ended up at LSU but there is a very good shot for Georgia here.
Foreman recently said he probably would not attend a school he hasn’t visited and so this weekend trip to Athens was huge for that reason. Being there together with Smith - the two have a strong friendship dating back to last summer at The Opening - could be a major selling point for both. Foreman is sick of double- and triple-teams on the high school level. Being in a recruiting class with his friend Smith at Georgia could be another big reason why the Bulldogs have a great shot with both.
3. Mack Brown is right, players are safer on campus without students.
Farrell’s take: FACT. North Carolina coach Mack Brown recently said that football players are safer on campus without students after UNC went to online instruction for students after a couple of weeks of COVID-19 breakouts with students on campus. Essentially this puts players in a “bubble” of sorts and will help keep them free of COVID. College students can’t be expected to socially distance and follow mask guidelines when so many are on campus, so now the UNC players can feel safer and keep their hopes for a season alive.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Brown is definitely right. This creates something of a bubble for the football team at North Carolina and further limits interaction with other students. There is still risk of spread from the players being in Chapel Hill, living in town, going places and just living life, but this is a better situation and more ideal for the Tar Heels to continue down the road of starting their season. If you’re in the camp that we must start moving forward with life and learning lessons through this situation instead of hiding in our homes waiting for a medical miracle, then what North Carolina is doing is a smart move and Brown is correct.