Fact or Fiction: Thomas Fidone will pledge to Nebraska
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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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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1. Thomas Fidone will pick Nebraska.
Farrell’s take: FACT. This is the week Thomas Fidone picks his school and while Iowa, LSU and others have made a nice push I don’t see any reason to change my FutureCast from Nebraska. He grew up a Huskers fan, he lives close to Lincoln and he could be a star in their offense as a flex option who could also play outside. I’d be shocked if he picked anyone else on Wednesday and this has to be target No. 1 for the Huskers in the 2021 class.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Every indication is that Nebraska is by far the front-runner in his recruitment and I don’t think Fidone is going to make any surprise moves with Wednesday's commitment. The Huskers have definitely put in the work, he’s made it no secret he grew up a Nebraska fan and he lives just an hour from campus. If Fidone is ready to make his commitment during this coronavirus shutdown, Nebraska definitely looks like the pick. And it’s a major pledge for the Huskers since Fidone is in the discussion as the best tight end in this class and he’s definitely the most athletic one up top in the rankings.
RELATED: Making the Case for Thomas Fidone
2. Michigan State crushed Rutgers with commitment of Geno VanDeMark.
Farrell’s take: FACT. This one hurts even though it’s not a sexy recruiting battle. The Rivals250 offensive lineman hails from a school in New Jersey where current Rutgers coach Augie Hoffman used to be the head man and Greg Schiano and company counted on him being a part of this class. So for Michigan State to come into Jersey and steal Geno VanDeMark away is a huge win in the Big Ten East for the Spartans but an even bigger loss for Rutgers.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. It is a big recruiting win for Michigan State and a major miss for Rutgers but - I can’t believe I’m saying this - the Scarlet Knights have a really impressive recruiting class under Schiano and if they can show any semblance of competitiveness on the field, then recruiting should continue to go well. VanDeMark had a tough decision and he picked the surer thing in Michigan State over the familiar one down the road. It’s not great news for Rutgers but it’s not the end of the world especially since it has the sixth-best class in the Big Ten.
3. Sooners are most national brand in Big 12.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Sorry, Longhorns, but no one in the Big 12 recruits better on a national scale than the Sooners. From Mario Williams in Florida to success in California, now the Sooners are making strides in Virginia with two big commitments led by defensive lineman Kevin Gilliam. Oklahoma doesn’t have a ton of talent in state, so it needs to recruit all over and it’s clear the Sooners not only do a great job in Texas but all over the country as well. Texas has tried to recruit elsewhere and do a solid job, but it’s not even close to what OU does.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Oklahoma is more of a national recruiting brand but that’s because the Sooners have to be. Texas does not. The Longhorns have a tremendous in-state recruiting advantage over Oklahoma and so going regionally for some key prospects and then nationally for others is a luxury, not a necessity.
For Oklahoma, the Sooners have to battle lots of teams in Texas for top prospects (many they win) but getting into Florida, the Mid-Atlantic and the West also has to be a priority to continue its runs to the College Football Playoff. The good news is elite recruits are attracted to the program and to playing for coach Lincoln Riley, so it’s not a difficult sell.