Here we are nearly at the midpoint of the football season and some important storylines on the recruiting trail are playing out. Players that have been committed for sometime are now seriously considering switching to another school while others continue to build suspense leading up to their commitment. Let’s take a look at the five most interesting recruitments by position. Yesterday we put the quarterbacks under the microscope and today we take a closer look at the running backs.
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Contenders: Penn State, Ohio State, Rutgers, LSU, Syracuse
Recruiting outlook: Berger is in a bit of an unusual situation. His list of options isn’t very long right now but that should change once he starts focusing on planning visits. Berger doesn’t plan on committing until early January, but it appears likely official visits will play a major role in where he ends up.
Penn State already has two backs in Keyvone Lee and Caziah Holmes. Rutgers has a chance to pick up more momentum with Berger once he learns the future of the current coaching staff. Ohio State continues to stay in contact with Berger and will get him on campus. LSU and Syracuse are also keeping Berger warm.
Farrell’s take: Ohio State wins this one after it struck out on its top two choices at running back. Penn State has a chance as well especially with the success of Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders, but if the Buckeyes press, they should be able to land him and make him one of two backs in this class. But he's not focused on recruiting right now and a lot can change between now and February.
Committed to: Auburn
Recruiting outlook: Auburn landed Bigsby’s commitment in early August, but he took a visit to Georgia this past weekend for the Notre Dame game. Now that it seems like the Dawgs are losing momentum with Evans, it appears Kirby Smart and his staff have shifted their focus to flipping Bigsby. Prior to his commitment to Auburn, Georgia was considered a major player for Bigsby and now it seems like the two are reconnecting. This will absolutely be something to keep an eye on as the end of the recruiting cycle draws closer.
Farrell’s take: I still think Auburn wins this one as the Tigers have made him a top priority from the beginning and he might not want to go into a class with five-star Kendall Milton, although Georgia does a great job using multiple running backs. A lot will depend on what Evans does and how Auburn continues to look but the Tigers are in good shape here.
Contenders: LSU, Georgia, Kansas
Recruiting outlook: Clayton was rumored to be a heavy LSU lean but the Tigers seemed to distance themselves from Clayton earlier in the recruiting process. Now that Clayton has had an impressive start to his senior season, Georgia, Kansas and LSU have begun to increase their contact with Clayton. There’s a chance Clayton’s recruitment could speed up over the next couple weeks, so keep an eye out for more visits to get scheduled.
Farrell’s take: Unless they pull an upset for Zachary Evans, Clayton ends up in the LSU class. He's an in-state kid who is emerging as a senior and LSU doesn't want to lose the next Travis Etienne if he ends up becoming a star.
Contenders: Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama
Recruiting outlook: Evans’ recruitment has been a wild ride. A few weeks ago he was thought to be ready to commit to Georgia but that obviously didn’t come to fruition. Then there was a problem at the school between Evans and his coaches. Last week Evans tweeted that he had decided and showed up at Texas A&M this past weekend for the Aggies' matchup with Auburn. It appears Texas A&M five-star wide receiver commit Demond Demas is the lead recruiter for Evans and he is clearly making a big difference. Georgia, Alabama and LSU are still in the mix here but the writing is, as they say, on the wall.
Farrell’s take: This one can still take many turns but right now it seems the Aggies have the edge and he has cooled on Georgia (or the Bulldogs have cooled on him). You can't count out anyone with Evans and who knows when he will make his final decision, but the momentum here has apparently turned to Texas A&M.
Contenders: Arizona State, Utah, Oklahoma State,Texas A&M, Clemson, Washington
Recruiting outlook: Ngata, whose brothers play for Clemson and Washington, just finished up a visit to Arizona State and the Sun Devils want him badly. Utah and Oklahoma State are also pushing to get Ngata. Texas A&M has stayed in contact with Ngata but the Aggies' interest in him appears to be tied to the outcome of Evans’ recruitment. Watch to see how Ngata’s eventual visits to Utah and Oklahoma State turn out.
Farrell’s take: Arizona State can sell Eno Benjamin, which is a big deal to Ngata because the Sun Devils use Benjamin so often and well while Oklahoma State can sell Chuba Hubbard. Utah will be interesting to watch with Zack Moss having so much success as well. If Clemson or Washington turned up the heat they could land him but right now Arizona State is the team to beat.
