National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. Steve Sarkisian should have taken the Colorado job.
Farrell’s take: FACT. It’s hard to rehab your image and get a second chance, so Sarkisian should have jumped up and down for the Colorado job after the debacle at USC the last time he was a head coach. I know he probably doesn’t want to go back into the Pac-12 in a tough geographical recruiting territory at a program that will be hard to win at, but if he thinks a better job is coming, he might end up waiting too long.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. This job would have helped rehab his reputation, but he has already done that to a large extent over the last few years with the Atlanta Falcons and Alabama. It’s tough to turn down a Power Five job that has potential to be strong again in the Pac-12, but there will be more jobs opening after next season and Sarkisian will have his chances. Turning down Colorado had to be difficult because it’s a Power Five job with potential, but Sarkisian is serving himself well by returning to Alabama for another year.
2. Ohio State will land the No. 1 class in 2021
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The Buckeyes are currently No. 1 in the 2021 recruiting rankings and are off to an amazing start with 10 big commitments. Their average ranking of 4.0 stars per recruit is excellent as well, and I have zero doubt they will finish in the top five, but winning the recruiting title over an SEC program? That’s tough to do, as Alabama and Georgia have dominated the top spot in recent years and have much more leeway in taking bigger classes with a decided geographical recruiting advantage. Ryan Day is an elite recruiter, but even Urban Meyer couldn’t land OSU at No 1.
Gorney’s take: FACT. It is difficult to pick FACT here because we all know SEC teams will be toward the top and Clemson is off to a phenomenal start as well, but if things fall into place the Buckeyes could load up, especially with prospects out of region, and many of them are highly rated. That’s no guarantee, but it’s certainly possible, and I’m not betting against Ryan Day.
JT Tuimoloau is a real candidate, especially since former high school teammate Gee Scott is on the team. Emeka Egbuka is very much in play. The Buckeyes have gone into Texas and into the Southeast for elite players before and they’ll do it again. There’s no telling what will happen heading to signing day, but Ohio State has a great chance of finishing No. 1.
3. North Carolina will land an elite RB in the 2021 class.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. TreVeyon Henderson, Evan Pryor and others are all interested in UNC, and Mack Brown has done a great job recruiting so far, but the competition is tough out there for backs in the ACC and SEC landscape. With Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, USC and many others targeting running backs in the Southeast, it will take a special season for Mack and company to land a Rivals250 running back.
Gorney’s take: FACT. If we’re counting all-purpose backs in this discussion then I do believe North Carolina will land an elite one in DeAndre Boykins out of Concord (N.C.) Central Cabarrus. There are a lot of elite programs chasing Boykins, but I’d say the Tar Heels are in great shape. UNC will probably not get elite all-purpose back Will Shipley and some of the best running backs are looking elsewhere more, but my bet is that the Heels could get Boykins in the 2021 class.
