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First and 10: Out-of-state grabs

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Over the years, LSU has been able to grab players here and there from the state of Florida, from Patrick Peterson to Rashard Robinson and Travonte Valentine. Toliver is a bit of a different story though. He has strong ties to Louisiana and when LSU offered him before his sophomore season, the Tigers immediately became a player. In November of his sophomore year, he pledged and LSU had a bell cow for the 2015 recruiting class. He has taken other visits, but he has always been clear about his LSU commitment. Toliver's decision is a big deal for the Tigers, since he is a highly sought prospect at a priority position and it certainly does not hurt that he continues a line of top players from Florida headed to Baton Rouge. -- Jason Howell, Midlands region analyst
DT
Kahlil McKenzie
Concord (Calif.) Clayon Valley
McKenzie is a bit of a special case when it comes to his journey from California to Tennessee, especially considering his father Reggie starred for the Vols in the past. McKenzie briefly flirted with Pac-12 schools, including Arizona, but seemed destined for the Vols once they turned up the heat. Regardless of how it happens, for Tennessee to get back to where it was in its heyday, recruiting battles like the one for McKenzie are the ones that need to be won. The hulking defensive tackle is built for the SEC and could be the cornerstone of the Vols defense for years to come, especially if he continues to get better as he's shown at various camps and combines. I don't know if California commits will be a regular occurrence for Tennessee, but one of McKenzie's stature is a good place to start.
WR
Calvin Ridley
Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch
Alabama had to work doubly hard to land the five-star Ridley, because he wasn't going anywhere without his best friend and Monarch teammate Shawn Burgess-Becker. Ridley has stated plans to graduate in December and arrive in Tuscaloosa early, all in hopes of making an immediate impact as a receiver. With the possibility -- most would characterize it as a likelihood -- that Amari Cooper forgo his senior season with the Tide to enter the NFL draft, chances are high that Ridley will get that opportunity. And with four-star quarterback Blake Barnett set to join the Tide next year, a serious talent reload could be in full effect. -- Adam Krohn
DB
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Jersey City (N.J.) St Peter's Prep
Fitzpatrick was someone Alabama targeted early in the recruiting process and did not let up. Alabama and Nick Saban are loading up on talented defensive backs and Fitzpatrick certainly fills a need there. Penn State and Florida State are coming after Fitzpatrick, so the Tide will have a fight on their hands if they want to keep him in the fold. -- Adam Friedman, Mid-Atlantic region analyst
LB
Jerome Baker
Cleveland Benedictine
Ohio State led for a long time in Baker's recruitment, but Florida rallied in the weeks leading up to his July 11 announcement and came away with his commitment. Midwest teams regularly try to go into Florida and take the Sunshine State's top players away from the Gators and other "Big Three" schools, but Will Muschamp has flipped the script in 2015, grabbing Rivals250 offensive tackle George Brown of Cincinnati to go along with Baker. The final chapter in Baker's recruitment has yet to be written, however. He took an unofficial visit to Ohio State this past weekend and plans to return for an official visit at a later date. Tennessee and Michigan State could also host him for official visits before he signs his letter of intent. -- Josh Helmholdt, Midwest region analyst
ATH
Ray-Ray McCloud III
Tampa Sickles
As it stands, McCloud is perhaps the most important class of 2015 out-of-state grab for Clemson. With McCloud, the Tigers have plucked two five-star recruits -- Mitch Hyatt of Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett being the other -- out of their respective native states to come and play for them. With McCloud's versatility, it's not clear how the Tigers plan on using him. He is capable of making an immediate impact in all phases of the game, whether it be on offense at running back or receiver, on defense in the backfield or on special teams in the return game. What remains to be seen is if his commitment sticks, as Florida -- a program once thought to be his favorite -- remains hot on his trail, along with UCLA, Alabama, USC and Ole Miss. -- Krohn
WR
Deon Cain
Tampa Tampa Bay Tech
Cain -- like McCloud -- is another highly coveted prospect from Tampa whom the Tigers were successful in getting to commit. And also like McCloud, Cain is one whom Florida is not giving up on. Notre Dame and Auburn remain in contact with the four-star receiver as well. It's no surprise colleges are looking to flip Cain, because the more that is seen from him, the more evident it is he's a difference-maker. He made a jump in the overall national rankings earlier this year to No. 151, then more recently jumped to No. 34. With the Tigers and dynamic quarterback Deshaun Watson, Cain has a chance to follow in the footsteps of Sammy Watkins in becoming an elite NFL prospect. -- Krohn
RB
Taj Griffin
Powder Springs (Fla.) McEachern
It seems like every year the top recruits in the Southeast mention Oregon as a possible destination. The Ducks are thrown around as a "must-visit" program and some players even keep the Ducks in their top five all the way until a decision comes. But generally, the idea of leaving the Southeast to go to school nearly 3,000 miles away ends up keeping the Ducks from stealing talent from SEC country. But when it came to Griffin, that wasn't the case. He grew up idolizing players like LaMichael James and dreamed of suiting up for the Ducks. When the program showed interest early, Griffin and his family flew out on their own dime to get a look at the Ducks state-of-the-art facilities. Oregon wrapped up Griffin early and while some thought he might change his mind, the transfer of his older brother Ty Griffin from Georgia Tech to Oregon pretty much put to bed any of those rumors. Griffin is out for the year with a torn ACL, but will enroll early in January. Oregon is hoping that Griffin's arrival and success will lead to more fruitful recruiting efforts in SEC country. -- Wommack
DT
Darian Roseboro
Lincolnton, N.C.
UPDATE: Roseboro tweeted that he de-committed from Michigan on Monday night.
The question throughout Roseboro's recruitment was whether he would stay in-state and go to N.C. State or leave the state and go to Michigan. Brady Hoke, Roy Manning and the Wolverine staff landed a big time prospect the can play defensive tackle or defensive end. Roseboro has played most of his football career at defensive end, but at Michigan he will play primarily defensive tackle, where he will use his quickness to his advantage. Roseboro could be a cornerstone for the Wolverines as they look to improve their defensive line. -- Friedman
Woody Womack
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
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