Four-star DB Khari Gee trims list

Over 30 schools have offered Khari Gee, a versatile defensive back out of College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy, but over the last few weeks, with the extra time to think about recruiting, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound athlete has trimmed his list down.

Half a dozen schools are still in contention, and four are at the top of his list.

"LSU, Georgia, Clemson and Oregon are the top four schools, then Florida and Oklahoma are still in the mix too," said Gee. "I have not visited Florida or Oklahoma yet, so I do not know as much about them, but I like how Florida always produces top defensive backs and Oklahoma always has a good team with good players.

"I have visited the top four schools this year and I feel good about each of those schools. I know a lot about the schools, the coaches and I know I feel good at each school."

By trimming his list down considerably, it has made day-to-day life much easier for Gee. He is handling school online each day, and now, instead of trying to talk to 10-15 schools every couple days, he is focused on six.

"It was tough to handle all at first, there was many coaches calling every day, but I have dialed it down, and it is much better. I am focused on five to six schools, so with it down to that number, it is easier to talk to those schools."

With Gee attending a private school, they go on spring break earlier than most public schools, and that paid off for Gee with the Coronavirus halting visits in mid March and going at least through the end of May.

"I got to go visit LSU and Oregon on spring break that first week or March and I had great visits to both schools.

"I received a lot of love on both visits, I felt welcome at both places and I really like the coaches at both schools.

"I talk to coach Bush and coach O (Ed Orgeron) a lot and have really steady relationships with both LSU coaches. I really like LSU as a school too, and it is a great environment there.

"At Oregon, I love the whole staff. I talk to coach Heyward the most, but I talk to coach Cristobal too. It is farther from home, but I do not see distance playing a role in my decision. I like Oregon, I like the coaches and I like what is there and around the school."

Clemson and Georgia are the schools on Gee's list that are closest to home. Both offered around the same time early in 2020, and both remain in the race.

"With Georgia, it is the home-state school, and it is like it almost has to be on the list. It is a great school, I love the atmosphere and they have great fans.

"Clemson is just different. They do things different. Coach Swinney is a great coach and he is very deep spiritually. Coach Conn is great too, and we have talks about stuff that is not related to football. Clemson is great overall."

The plan moving forward is to continue to communicate with these schools around school, and a decision could come by the summer. There is no timeline for Gee's decision, but with his list trimmed to six schools, he knows he is progressing.

"I could see myself committing to a school without taking anymore visits, but I really do not know when I will be ready," said Gee. "I have dialed it down, I have found a group of schools I could see myself at, and I feel I have the needed info on each of the schools to make a decision.

"I am just going to slow it down some now, keep doing what I am doing and commit when I feel ready. I will probably try to get it down to two or three schools, think on that some, then make a decision from there.

"It will probably be more of a gut feeling for me when I commit."