Florida Spotlight: Predictions on Surtain, Petit-Frere, more
The early signing period certainly sucked some depth out of the player pool, but there are plenty of top-flight prospects still on the board as we head toward traditional Signing Day in February. Today, we focus on the available talent in the Sunshine State and make predictions on where five of the top uncommitted prospects in Florida may land.
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LSU is confident that it will land the five-star cornerback, but Nick Saban has turned up the heat here. Beating out Alabama isn’t easy, so the Tigers have their work cut out for them. Saban recently visited Surtain’s school in a helicopter, and it seems like college football’s most successful coach is prepared to pull out all the stops to land the Florida product. That said, the bond between LSU and Surtain is an old on, so breaking it isn’t going to be easy. The Tigers are still the slight favorite to land Surtain’s signature on Signing Day. That said, his Jan. 19 visit to Tuscaloosa could change things.
The prediction: LSU
Your guess is probably as good as ours here. Could be Florida. Could be Notre Dame. Could be Alabama. Ohio State will get the last visit, so throw the Buckeyes in, too. Petit-Frere doesn’t say much and when he does, the massive tackle doesn’t exactly tip his hand. Projecting his landing spot has to be done through backchannels and those don’t seem particularly confident, either. Logic would dictate that Florida in the slight frontrunner simply because the Gators have been involved the longest and UF can boast the allure of proximity. The Gators are the pick, but we wouldn’t bet our carts on it.
The prediction: Florida … maybe?
Thompson recently visited Tennessee and things went well. The Vols are certainly a player here and could steal the four-star wide receiver if things break their way. That said, Florida State is looming. Thompson chose Oregon, then led by Willie Taggart, over the Seminoles month ago and now that the coach to which he committed resides in Tallahassee, logic dictates the Seminoles are the team to beat. Thompson will take visits to South Carolina and North Carolina in the coming weeks, but FSU is still the safe bet.
The prediction: Florida State
Barnes was high on Florida before the Gators’ coaching change and continues to be now. His official visit to Gainesville is set for Jan 26, and that should make all the difference in his recruitment. Barnes will visit Auburn on the cycle’s final visit weekend, but North Carolina – not the Tigers – is the biggest threat to upset UF. The Tar Heels have been a constant in Barnes’ recruitment for more than a year and the allure at work there is real.
The prediction: Florida
Campbell’s recruitment has turned into a head-to-head battle between Miami and Georgia. That could change after the cornerback’s upcoming visit to Alabama, but the Hurricanes and Bulldogs have been mainstays in the process and need to be viewed as the favorites. Georgia may have gained a bit of an edge following Campbell’s campus visit on Jan. 12. But while things seem to be trending Kirby Smart’s way, this one could have a plot twist left in it.
The prediction: Georgia
