Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman is joined by national recruiting analysts Marshall Levenson, Greg Smith and John Garcia Jr. to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. One or more of Texas' top 10 in-state prospects will sign with an in-state program.
Levenson: FACT. There are a few options available for this to happen, but the primary reason I am saying that one of them will sign with an in-state program is because of how odd it would be for one to not. For all of the top-10 prospects in the state to leave the state for college would be quite the anomaly and I don't envision that playing out.
Five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi is certainly a candidate to stay close to home. His recruitment is seemingly a battle between Texas and Oklahoma, both of which have felt better than the other at times. The current state of the program in Austin along with its coaching prowess and NIL opportunities make the Horns more than capable of reeling him in later this month.
Next up in available options is five-star defender Jonah Williams. Williams has both Texas and Texas A&M in his top five and while the Longhorns haven't appeared like a primary option, the Aggies are in the thick of it. They would have to battle LSU, Oregon and USC, but Mike Elko and his staff are in a fairly good position to land him.
Beyond those two, it is tough to predict any flips that may come later in the cycle, but another aspect to pay attention to is prospects that could rise into the top 10 of the state rankings. There are certainly some of those prospects who are already committed to in-state programs in primary contention. Whichever way it plays out, I expect a top-10 prospect in Texas to stay in-state when it's all said and done.
Spiegelman: FACT. It's a unique cycle to see the majority of the top-10 prospects in the state of Texas be committed out of state. That's the trend, however, in 2025 – at least heading into the season. Texas is right in the thick of the race for five-star offensive lineman Michael Fasusi and Texas A&M is continuing to swing away at five-star defender Jonah Williams.
Additionally, top-100 prospects receiver Kaliq Lockett and defensive lineman Lance Jackson are both in-state commitments to the Longhorns and should challenge to crack the top-10 in-state sooner rather than later. So it feels like a strong bet to say that Texas and Texas A&M will make noise with multiple players inside the top 10.
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2. Tennessee's quarterback room is the best in the country.
Smith: FICTION. This is a fascinating question that is pretty difficult to answer. Tennessee has a great argument for this. The Volunteers are the talk of college football right now but I’m going to go with someone else. What Ohio State has done with quarterback recruiting is very impressive.
The battle between transfers Will Howard and Julian Sayin is raging right now in fall camp. Both could start for 90 percent of teams in America this season and perform at a high level. The “forgotten” players in Ohio State’s quarterback room are former four-stars Lincoln Keinholz and Air Noland. Keinholz had many opportunities to get in the portal this offseason and has held off so far.
Then in the 2025 class Ohio State might have the best prospect in the country committed with Tavien St. Clair. So it’s well positioned both now and into the future. I would take Ohio State’s quarterback room and recruits over anyone else in America.
Spiegelman: FICTION. Tennessee has a fantastic QB room with one of college football's best young quarterbacks Nico Iamaleava headlining the group with several talented young arms along with George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon in the 2025 and 2026 classes, respectively. In terms of rooms as a whole, however, I lean toward Texas, Ohio State and Oregon.
Quinn Ewers is back to lead one of the most explosive offenses in the country and the former five-star is being projected as a first-round pick. Behind him is another former No. 1 overall player in Arch Manning, who this analyst believes will start turning heads even more later this fall.
Will Howard is the guy in Columbus, but behind him is really talented former five-stars Julian Sayin and Air Noland, and looking ahead has five-star QB Tavien St. Clair on the way. Also look at Oregon, where Dillon Gabriel is taking over for Bo Nix and former five-star Dante Moore is waiting on deck.
If we're looking at current rooms and the future, let's not sleep on what's brewing at LSU. Garrett Nussmeier, a former top-100 passer, is getting his shot with Rickie Collins and Colin Hurley behind him. Five-star QB Bryce Underwood will add even more talent to that room when he arrives in January.
RELATED: Spiegelman and Smith discuss the Vols' QB room on the Respect My Decision podcast
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3. Auburn is the hottest program on the recruiting trail right now.
Garcia: FACT. The numbers from July into August tell a tangible story, with the program adding a dozen recruits between the class of 2025 and 2026, but there is almost a guarantee more are on the way in short order. Not only is Auburn gunning for flips of other programs' top talent after flipping a pair from rival Alabama in late July, but Hugh Freeze and company now seem poised to answer its biggest recruiting question of all. Two top-five classes at the end of the summer are great, and perhaps unprecedented on the Plains, but Freeze was brought in to flip the offense and that banner quarterback recruit has eluded him.
By all accounts, Auburn is in the driver's seat to flip longtime Notre Dame commitment and current No. 1 dual-threat quarterback Deuce Knight before the season begins. Should it complete the theft, the combination of numbers and perception will equally have helped crown AU the winners of the offseason from a recruiting standpoint.
Spiegelman: FACT. There has been a changing of the guards in the state of Alabama, which has been fully on display this summer beginning with a fruitful official visit season in June followed by a massive run during and following Big Cat Weekend in late July.
Auburn landed key in-state targets Eric Winters, Anquon Fegans, Jared Smith and flipped top-100 running back Alvin Henderson away from Penn State and Derick Smith and Antonio Coleman (again) from Alabama.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have fended off Ohio State and others for prized defensive tackle commit Malik Autry in the process.
The Tigers don't intend to slow down either. Freeze's program is making a serious run at longtime Notre Dame quarterback commit Deuce Knight as well as four-star receiver Sam Turner currently committed to Georgia Tech. Auburn is making noise inside the state with a top-five class entering the season.
RELATED: Spiegelman and Smith discuss Auburn recruiting on the Respect My Decision podcast | Auburn-Alabama has become fun off the field as well
