Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney along with Jed May of UGASports.com, Ben Golan of RedRaiderSports.com and Scott Reed from DuckSportsAuthority.com tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. Georgia has a very real chance of landing five-star DE Williams Nwaneri when he announces next month.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Could the five-star defensive end land at Georgia? Sure. I’m never counting out Kirby Smart and that staff for any recruit in the country but “very real chance” seems like a stretch. Oklahoma has been the major favorite for such a long time, the Sooners still look so strong and at the end of July they’re having a big end-of-summer event like so many other schools so I’d be surprised right now if Williams Nwaneri doesn’t end up in Norman. If he decides to hold off, that could be great news for Georgia but Oklahoma looks really strong here.
May’s take: FACT. While Oklahoma has been around longer and Missouri is the home state program, Georgia is a very real contender for the top defensive prospect in the country. Nwaneri took an official visit to Athens in June, and then he returned for an unofficial visit just before the dead period. Georgia desperately wants a player of his talent and versatility in this class, and it is selling the recent NFL development of players such as Travon Walker. While this recruitment is far from over, Georgia has a good chance of landing Nwaneri's commitment.
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2. Texas Tech should be concerned that five-star WR Micah Hudson has not committed yet.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. In a perfect world for Texas Tech, Micah Hudson would have already been committed and there have been numerous times where it was rumored it was going to happen. It has not yet but I’ve gotten no indication that he’s re-thinking that the Red Raiders are the front-runner in his recruitment and that he is thinking about going anywhere else but Lubbock. The longer this goes, sure, maybe Texas gets right back in this especially if the Longhorns have an elite season but still Texas Tech has done such a phenomenal job recruiting him, it remains the lead school in his recruitment.
Golan’s take: FICTION. There was a lot of noise around Micah Hudson potentially pulling the trigger for Texas Tech after his official visit to Lubbock. The volume was turned up even more after he canceled his official visit to Texas. However, here we are in mid-July and Hudson remains uncommitted. Should Texas Tech (and its fans) be concerned? I wouldn’t say that yet. By all accounts the Red Raiders have a very significant lead for Hudson, and this is just a guy wanting to take his time with his decision. Hudson has always said he plans to wait until December before making his commitment, though if you’re Texas Tech obviously the earlier the better. This is going to be a battle to signing day whether he announces tomorrow or in December, but no other school has put themselves in a better position to land Hudson than Texas Tech.
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3. Oregon is still very much in the driver’s seat for five-star LB Justin Williams.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Georgia has dramatically helped itself in the last couple months with Justin Williams by really coming harder after him and landing a commitment from teammate Joseph Jonah-Ajonye could be crucial. But from a source, the Bulldogs still know Oregon is going to be very difficult in this recruitment. The five-star linebacker has such a phenomenal and comfortable relationship with that coaching staff and what’s going on in Eugene that the Ducks will still be tough to beat. Georgia is Georgia and the Bulldogs usually get whichever elite prospect they want so Williams is still very much in play for both teams.
Reed’s take: FICTION. Prior to the offer from Georgia, this would have been closer to fact, but the Bulldogs' offer in May changed a lot for Williams. He talks with Georgia linebackers coach Glenn Schumann every day and has really built a strong relationship with Kirby Smart. He loves the family atmosphere there and the Bulldogs just reeled in his high school teammate Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. Oregon has been recruiting Williams for longer and offers the same kind of atmosphere that he loves with Georgia, calling it a family culture that he really loves. Former Oak Ridge High School assistant Josh Robison is a special teams analyst with Oregon and that familiarity helps. He has been to Oregon five times and has a long relationship with the entire staff. I think Oregon is in a better spot than some others believe, but I would not call the Ducks "in the driver’s seat" at this point.
