With less than a month to go before Signing Day, there are a handful of big names who haven’t committed to a school in our current Rivals100. Rivals.com National Recruiting Director takes his best shot at predicting where some of them will end up.
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The situation: Wilson, who has named a top five of LSU, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma and South Florida, told me at Under Armour the Tigers and Seminoles would be high on his list until the end. Ohio State will also be in there and Oklahoma is a local option, but his favorite has always been LSU. With a former defensive line coach like Ed Orgeron as the lead man in Baton Rouge now, it will take something special for others to beat the Tigers.
The prediction: LSU. The Orgeron factor is too much to overcome, despite two friends heading to Ohio State in Baron Browning and Jeffrey Okudah and how much he liked Florida State.
The situation: Nebraska and USC are tops for Lewis as it looks today. He will also visit Arizona State. Nebraska is likely recruiting him the hardest and the Huskers really need Lewis to head to Lincoln to keep the Calibraska movement humming along. USC is the local and comfortable option.
The prediction: USC. The proximity to home will be too much to overcome and Lewis will star in state and play just miles down the road from his high school. West Coast kids don’t always stay home, but the lure of replacing Ju Ju Smith-Schuster will be tempting.
The situation: Solomon, a one-time Michigan commitment, came out with Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and USC as his final four. Who knows where he stands? He loved his official to Alabama, is still very high on Michigan and has been to Georgia a ton of times. USC seems like a longshot.
The prediction: Alabama. Georgia has a chance thanks to the week he just spent around so many Georgia commits in San Antonio along with the push he’s getting to stay in-state. But his visit to Alabama seemed to change things for him. Solomon has said he wants to get away from home and the lure of the Crimson Tide is strong. A re-commitment to Michigan is a dark horse.
The situation: Lindsey just decommitted from Ohio State, which came as a bit of a surprise. There have been rumors of many schools jumping to get involved. You know USC, Arizona State and Oregon will make a push, but keep an eye out for Oklahoma, a team that recruits California well, and especially Nebraska. The Huskers were his runner-up when he picked the Buckeyes.
The prediction: Nebraska. The Huskers were second in Lindsey’s recruitment when he committed to Ohio State, he’s been to Lincoln enough to feel comfortable and he had a great relationship with the Nebraska staff. Some might think he’s decommitting to stay out West but I don't think he’s afraid to leave home.
The situation: Parks is down to Alabama, Florida State, Auburn and Florida but he has also mentioned USC and Notre Dame. His leader has changed often. The four-star prospect is a quiet kid, so most of what you get is rumor and from sources aside from Parks himself. Florida State and Alabama have already received an official visit while Florida and Auburn will get their chances in January. This is a tough one to call for many reasons.
The prediction: Alabama. The Seminoles have a shot and Florida and Auburn will impress on visits. Maybe the Crimson Tide fill up before he is ready to decide? In the end, I think the Tide lands him if they want him.
The situation: Smith has always been thought to be headed to either LSU or Alabama, but Miami is now in there and will get the last official visit. He’ll take visits the last three weekends of January and those will determine where he lands. Smith has been to Alabama and LSU many times.
The prediction: Alabama. He was set to commit to Alabama a long time ago and I don’t think enough has changed to sway my pick. LSU is selling a new offense and he’s buying in a bit and Miami is selling an Ahmmon Richards-like freshman year, but Alabama is selling the success of others who have left Louisiana to head to Tuscaloosa and its need at wide receiver. That wins out in the end.
The situation: Ole Miss got a visit, while Tennessee, Alabama and Florida will get visits in January. This one doesn’t seem to have much drama. Ray has been linked to the Crimson Tide since the beginning and it would be a stunner if they didn’t land him.
The prediction: Alabama. Someone would need to shock the world to pull an upset here.
The situation: Virginia Tech and Florida have been the mainstays here for Hunter with Auburn, Alabama and Florida expected to get officials in January. But now Ole Miss is making a push and could make this more interesting with the hire of Wesley McGriff from Auburn. North Carolina also got an official and impressed. Hunter was supposed to commit before Christmas but delayed that. The feeling is that he knows where he wants to go and is checking out other options to make sure.
The prediction: Virginia Tech. The Hokies have been recruiting as hard as anyone and he likes the role he would play in Bud Foster’s defense. It doesn’t hurt than they are close to home.
The situation: Michigan has long been thought to be the leader while LSU and Florida State are in the mix. Alabama is also involved and will get a visit in January. Georgia will get Collins' last official visit. There are a lot of rumors that he could end up in Athens, so this will be a tough one to call.
The prediction: Georgia. I know, I know – Michigan has been the leader forever, but his visit to Ann Arbor was a long time ago. Georgia is hot on the recruiting trail and are closer to home. I just have a gut feeling that Kirby Smart pulls his one out.
The situation: It’s down to Arizona State, USC and Washington for the talented offensive lineman and he’s already taken his official visits to all three programs.
The prediction: USC. This has been trending for the Trojans for some time now, and while Arizona State has made a nice run here, Clay Helton should add to his class with Jackson sooner than later.
The situation: Thomas showed up at the Under Armour All-America Game with few options and now more and more schools are getting involved. Illinois is the local option while Louisville and Miami will both get official visits in the coming weeks. Tennessee offered recently and others could jump in the mix as well which makes this a tough call. I felt Illinois would hang onto him as recently as a couple of weeks ago, but that was before the big push from some others.
The prediction: Miami. Call this a hunch but Mark Richt’s offense is alluring to Thomas. He would be a great fit in that system and the Hurricanes could use a speedy slot receiver to compliment Ahmmon Richards. That visit could cement things.
