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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FACT OR FICTION: Shaun Wade opting out is hypocritical
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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1. UGA has lost the lead for DE Korey Foreman.
Farrell’s take: FACT. But keep in mind this changes a lot. Korey Foreman was a near lock for Georgia after his visit there a few weeks back but now the No. 1 player in the nation is trending to LSU after visiting Baton Rouge. Will he be that guy who commits to his last visit? Maybe. DT Maason Smith is a key here and that favors LSU because it’s his home state, but I still have a feeling Georgia will win this one in the end.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Georgia is still very much involved with Foreman but after talking to the five-star defensive end, I got the sense that he absolutely loved LSU and was just blown away by the experience – and he didn’t even get the pitch from coach Ed Orgeron and his staff. I also got the sense that playing with Smith is really important to Foreman since the two are really close friends. Playing on the same defensive line could be a real draw. It feels to me that USC is still hanging around because of some connections there, but this really looks like a two-team battle between LSU and Georgia. I’d say the Tigers hold a slight edge right now.
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2. Michigan will still land RB Donovan Edwards.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Michigan landed talented Texas running back Tavierre Dunlap, which led to this question — are they still in the race for Edwards? The answer is yes and he’s still its top target. Edwards is a quiet kid and has Michigan State, Georgia, Texas A&M, Penn State in pursuit, but I still project him to the Wolverines based on his relationship with the coaches and proximity to home.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Michigan makes a lot of sense and the Wolverines could definitely land the West Bloomfield, Mich., standout, but my bet is that he heads to the SEC. Georgia has made Edwards a top priority and there’s no arguing against the Bulldogs’ success at developing players at that position. Plus, at Georgia, he would be squarely in the hunt for a national championship and he’d play in the SEC. I don’t think Dunlap’s commitment would scare off Edwards, but it could be an indication that Michigan wanted to lock in a running back pledge because it might not be as confident on Edwards anymore.
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3. Tom Herman made the right decision on BJ Foster.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I’m all for sending messages and if a player quit on me during a game, I’d hesitate to give him another chance, but Herman did the right thing by allowing him back on the team with disciplinary action. Everyone makes mistakes and sometimes young players react emotionally and they deserve the chance to pull it back. If it was a pattern, then toss him off the team, but this is a first-time incident and Herman could use his talent down the line.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Kicking Foster off the team does nobody any good – not Foster, not the Texas team and not Herman and his coaching staff. Keeping the former high four-star on the team with disciplinary action is the way to go – and then finding ways for Foster to contribute more could actually help the Longhorns over the long term. Emotions got the best of Foster, but there is obviously an issue as to why he would even consider quitting the team. He’s too talented to not figure out a bigger role for him and keeping him on the squad was absolutely the right move.
