Making the Case: OL Armon Bethea
Armon Bethea says his recruitment is still open, but the three-star offensive guard recently narrowed his list to four schools.
Arizona State, Arkansas, Louisville and Ole Miss made the cut for the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall standout and he’s expected to make his commitment in January at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
He is rated as the third-best player in the New York state rankings behind four-star Texas A&M commit and Erasmus Hall teammate Jahzion Harris, and Oregon pledge Seven McGee.
During the Coronavirus shutdown, Bethea has also been trimming weight and getting faster, which could make him a very nice addition to any of those four recruiting classes as some of those programs look to rebuild.
Analysts and publishers from the Rivals network take a closer look at where the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder will land.
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MORE: Mike Farrell's Three-Point Stance
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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ARIZONA STATE
"Even though ASU entered the Bethea sweepstakes later than the rest of his final four, I don't think that should matter much when you talk about a prospect who is a late bloomer. Furthermore, he has been extremely impressed by all the NFL experience on the Sun Devils' coaching staff, and even shortly after he was offered he already knew that ASU was going to be on this short list. His final four validates that statement.
"Being from New York, none of his final four schools are exactly in his backyard so I don't see distance being an issue here. He has expressed his desire to take unofficial and non-hosted visits to those four schools, so if he does follow through and visits ASU just like he does with the other three suitors then I'd like to think the Sun Devils have a good chance to land this offensive lineman." – Hod Rabino, DevilsDigest.com
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ARKANSAS
"Arkansas has a pretty fair shot to get Bethea when he announces in January but they're facing some competitors that may need him from a numbers standpoint even more. Bethea says he'll visit Fayetteville this month and recruits always walk away more impressed with Arkansas, the campus and facilities than they thought they'd be.
"Arkansas offered after Louisville but before Ole Miss or Arizona State so perhaps the earlier buy-in could make a difference. Sam Pittman always makes it hard for offensive linemen to say no and they've clearly made Bethea a top remaining target for the class." – Nikki Chavanelle, HawgBeat.com
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LOUISVILLE
"Bethea was offered by Louisville on July 7. Arkansas followed suit a week later on July 14 followed by Ole Miss on July 23 and then Arizona State came knocking in late August. I don't think Louisville gets a lot of points for offering a few days before the other schools.
"What Louisville does have going in its favor is an immediate need for offensive linemen who can compete right away. They have also been in communication with him since July. A source close to the program told me Louisville is still very active in their pursuit of the Brooklynite but there isn't a clear indication that he is leaning toward a particular school at the moment." – Dave Lackford, CardinalSports.com
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OLE MISS
"Ole Miss has been after Bethea pretty hard since the summer when it extended an offer. Offensive line coach Randy Clements and co-defensive coordinator and Northeast recruiting specialist Chris Partridge like the All-American Bowl participant's game and seem to have zeroed in on him in recent weeks. Sources around the program seem to think they have a really good shot at the Brooklyn native." – Zach Berry, RebelGrove.com
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THE VERDICT
“It’s still very early to predict anything with Bethea because schools that strike out on offensive linemen could swoop in and show more attention. For now, I like the chances for Ole Miss because they are pushing the hardest according to some sources and Partridge is an excellent recruiter with ties to New York.” — Mike Farrell, Rivals.com National Recruiting Director