One of the nation's top safeties can see the finish line in his recruitment just ahead.
CJ Jimcoily, the No. 20-ranked safety in the Rivals250 for the 2025 recruiting cycle out of Tennessee, has locked in a date to reveal his college commitment.
The talented four-star safety from Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy is set to come off the board on August 8, he tells Rivals. Jimcoily will choose from his four finalists of Alabama, LSU, Stanford and Tennessee.
Jimcoily took official visits out to Stanford and LSU in June following unofficial visits to Tennessee and Alabama earlier on in the spring, including picking up an offer from the Crimson Tide in May.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound safety and his family relished their time out West seeing Stanford in June.
"The academics speak for itself," Jimcoily told Rivals this summer. "It's such a prestigious school with so many opportunities to take from it. I went into it (the January visit) to investigate the academics and what more I could go out of it, from what they're providing to speaking with the coaches and also academic advisors, and talk a lot of business. I really valued that, and for Stanford, football would be the cherry on top of the academics, because that's probably the thing that interests me the most."
Jimcoily has some strong connections to the LSU coaching staff and also has family in and around Louisiana.
The official visit was an eye-opener for the RIvals250 safety.
"It was phenomenal ... I can't even put it into words," Jimcoily previously told Rivals.
"One of the biggest things was the communication with all of the different coaches on the staff," Jimcoily continued. "The biggest thing was that family vibe. I had a family connection in Louisiana and this visit solidified that feeling overall."
Jimcoily is the No. 5-ranked prospect from Tennessee in this 2025 cycle.
The Volunteers are catching momentum this summer and are aiming to keep the four-star defender close to home.
"They're making it very hard to leave," he said of Tennessee. "I like their coaching style and they're very personable, which catches my eye. I have a lot of teammates there and it's the home state, so they're showing great interest. Guys like Edwin Spillman, Nate Spillman, Kaleb Beasley ... There are so many players who vouch for Rocky Top, and when it comes down to the real deal of it, players are the best to go to. It's the home state with teammates and coaches who love you, with a program that's up-and-coming, and I recognize what they've accomplished under coach (Josh) Heupel. I value the change and the standard he's provided."
The Crimson Tide entered the race for Jimcoily in May after getting the big-framed defender on campus. Alabama wasted little time making noise in this recruitment.
"The new staff at 'Bama has been non-stop. In my eyes, Alabama is the pinnacle of college football, the most decorated program in history, so having the offer to play for them is once in a lifetime opportunity. That immediately drew me in, and beyond the name and the program, coach Hitsch is a really nice guy, personable, and I've been impressed by the switch from the Big Ten to the SEC.
