Unprecedented changes to the recruiting calendar by the NCAA due to the coronavirus pandemic has turned the recruiting world on its head. Recruits and college coaches now have to navigate a recruiting dead period, meaning college coaches cannot have any on-campus or in-person contact with prospects, until at least April 15.
There is no telling how this change will affect the 2021 recruiting cycle, but here is a look at where the recruitment of the top five uncommitted players at each position stands. Yesterday, we looked at the tight ends. Today, we look at the offensive linemen.
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RELATED: How things stand with top uncommitted 2021 QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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1. Amarius Mims
Top contenders: Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Clemson, LSU, Oregon
Recruiting outlook: Mims is one of the most coveted prospects in the nation and the elite tackle’s recruitment isn’t close to being finished. The recruiting dead period forced Mims to cancel visits to Florida State and Alabama, but an official visit to Oregon is possible during the summer. He just set a decision date for Oct. 14, and the top contenders remain Georgia and Alabama.
Farrell's take: Mims will take his time with the process, but this appears to be a battle between Alabama and Georgia, a battle that the Bulldogs will likely win.
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2. Bryce FosterÂ
Top contenders: LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M
Recruiting outlook: Over the last couple months, Foster has visited Oklahoma twice. The Sooners are in great position right now, but Texas and Texas A&M aren’t letting up. An early commitment from Foster would be surprising but not out of the question. Still, expect Foster to try to take more visits before committing.
Farrell's take: The Sooners have made a nice move here, but Texas A&M is still the team to beat, based on his early favorite and comfort level. Texas is a dark horse and anyone else would be a surprise.
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3. Tommy Brockermeyer
Top contenders: Alabama, Texas, LSU, Auburn, Clemson
Recruiting outlook: Brockermeyer was going to take an official visit to Alabama in April, but that appears to be canceled now. The Tide are in a great spot with him, but Texas is right there, too. The Longhorns have a lot of connections to the in-state prospect and should be a serious contender until the very end. Brockermeyer’s brother, James, is also a 2021 prospect, and where he goes will also play a role in his recruitment.
Farrell's take: Alabama has made a strong move for Tommy and his brother James, but this is a Texas legacy situation, and it would take a lot to pull them away from the Longhorns.
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4. Tristan LeighÂ
Top contenders: Penn State, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, Virginia, Alabama
Recruiting outlook: A visit to Virginia and Clemson capped Leigh’s shortened spring visit window. Leigh is a Virginia legacy, but Clemson actually came out of these visits with the most momentum. Previously, Leigh had taken a lot of visits but the teams that made the biggest impact on him were LSU and Clemson. Penn State and Ohio State, along with Virginia, appear to be in the next tier down. No commitment date is on the horizon for Leigh because he wants to take more visits before shutting things down.
Farrell's take: Leigh is a Virginia legacy, but Clemson is going to be very hard to beat here and others will jump in the mix. UVA will be there until the end, but I’m picking Clemson for now.
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5. Landon TengwallÂ
Top contenders: Penn State and Notre Dame
Recruiting outlook: Tengwall was going to visit Notre Dame and Penn State again before committing, but now his whole timeline is up in the air. Penn State was one of Tengwall’s first offers and the Nittany Lions quickly built strong relationships with him and his family. The allure of Notre Dame’s tradition and history of producing top offensive linemen is a big draw for Tengwall, too. An updated commitment time frame should be coming in the next few weeks.
Farrell's take: It’s down to Penn State and Notre Dame, and the Nittany Lions have the edge based on comfort level and how many times he’s been there. He’s going to Penn State - barring a surprise.
