Florida spotlight: Forecasting the recruitment of four top prospects
With the year’s first signing day roughly three months away and traditional Signing Day awaiting everyone in early Feb., Rivals.com takes the temperature of some of the most important recruiting battles unfolding in Florida. Below, we have a look at where four of the state’s most highly regarded prospects may land when it comes time for them to sign letters of intent.
The situation: Surtain has long named LSU as his leader but says the gap isn’t quite as wide as it once was. The fact that the Tigers are off to a decent start in 2018 will likely help solidify that position. That said, holding off an in-state power like Florida State and a couple of national contenders in Alabama and Clemson won’t be a simple task.
The Frontrunner: LSU
This is old news. The Tigers have been the team to beat for some time and that hasn’t changed. And while LSU fans would feel better if Surtain was already in the fold instead of shopping around, Ed Orgeron and company have to like where they stand. Letting Surtain get away down the stretch would be a bad look at this point.
The Other Option: Florida State
Florida State has a lot to sell when it comes to landing Surtain and some people in Tallahassee are quietly confident about the situation despite Surtain naming LSU the leader. Then, most coaching staffs are confident right up until they’re not.
But Don’t Count Out: Clemson and Alabama
LSU and Florida State are the most likely landing spots for Surtain, but it’s unwise to totally dismiss a pair of recruiting powerhouses with recent national titles. Both programs have been involved for months and each is likely to receive a late-season visit.
The situation: There’s a lot of posturing going on here, as some schools claim to not be as interested as Johnson as they once were. Some of that, obviously, is damage control in case things go in a different direction. Johnson’s recruitment has been difficult to track because of how little he says and how quickly things seem to change on both Johnson’s end and with certain program’s recruiting boards.
The Frontrunner: Georgia
Georgia and Johnson seem to have mutual interest and some believe that the Bulldogs are the heavy favorite to land his commitment. Johnson declines to publicly name the Bulldogs as his leader, however, and that could be for a number of reasons.
The Other School: Florida
Where Johnson sits on the Gators’ recruiting board seems to depend on whom you ask. It also seems to change by the week. Is he a high priority? Is he not? Who knows, but it’s clear that Johnson has had a strong interest in UF for some time. His close personal friend and current Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner is also a factor working in UF’s favor.
But Don’t Count Out: The West Coast
Johnson spent much of last year talking about UCLA. USC briefly crept into the conversation as well. It’s unclear how involved the Bruins and Trojans are to this point, but Oregon’s new push into Florida needs to be considered as well. It’s unlikely that Johnson will land in the Pac-12, but you never know. There’s reason to believe the conversation could shift this way down the road.
The Frontrunner: Georgia
Cook is on record saying the Bulldogs lead, so it’s impossible to put any other school in this slot. The five-star running back has been high on UGA since he visited in the summer and has, at times, seemed close to a commitment. The longer this drags out, however, the more likely he is to change his mind.
The Other School: Florida State
Cook has been fickle when it comes to his recruitment. Even he won’t dispute that. Cook recently said things “could go either way” with Florida State and left that statement open to interpretation. His family legacy at FSU is hard to ignore as is the fact that he was committed there for a long time. The Seminoles shouldn’t be counted out until a letter of intent is signed.
But Don’t Count Out: Louisville
Cook has legitimate interest in Louisville and the fact that he has a pair of high school teammates committed there is helping grow it. The Cardinals are likely to get an official visit, after which anything is possible. Cook is the kind of prospect that could pull a stunner, as his opinions on schools and, well, everything else seem to change with the wind.
The Situation: Unije attends Florida’s IMG Academy and is originally from Georgia. He narrowed his list long ago, but some things about his recruitment remain in flux. He’s cooled on schools while others have cooled on him, but there’s still plenty of interest in his services. Unije has a top seven – or whatever – in place, but it’s safe to ignore most of the schools that comprise it.
The Frontrunner: Oklahoma
Unije will take an official visit to OU and could easily commit on said trip. He has a longstanding relationship with the Sooner coaching staff and is seen as a heavy Oklahoma lean. There’s not much else to say here.
The Other School: Florida
This is another case where Florida has cooled on a prospect late. Whether it’s because they weren’t going to land Unije or they truly don’t think he could help the program is up for debate. Point is, the Gators haven’t pushed all that hard in recent weeks. Now, that could change quickly. If it does, the Gators will reinsert themselves provided it isn’t too late.
But Don’t Count out: Ummmmm
In this case, you can count out everyone else. It’s fine.
