Making the Case: Where will Jaydon Hill go?
The Early Signing Period for 2019 is now less than four months away, so there will be many decisions made in the coming months.
Today, experts from the Rivals.com network examine where three-star cornerback Jaydon Hill of Madison (Ala.) Bob Jones might end up playing his college football. The candidates are Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
THE SITUATION
Hill at one time had a top two of Mississippi State and South Carolina. That was early in the spring. Tennessee made a move late in the spring to make it a three-school race. Florida then offered late in the spring and that pushed the Bulldogs out.
Hill announced in August that he was down to Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee and he is now set to commit on Thursday. Florida was the last to offer, and the Gators had him on campus the last weekend in July before the dead period in August. He has visited Knoxville the most since the spring and the Gamecocks have been in it the longest.
We know it will be an SEC school, but which one?
With a decision coming into focus we asked our team experts to state the case for their respective programs and let National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell issue a verdict.
THE CASE FOR FLORIDA
“Hill has journeyed down to the Swamp on just one occasion, which was for Friday Night Lights, but Dan Mullen's staff made a strong impression from multiple angles. Cornerbacks coach Charlton Warren has been providing a home-like feel, and also impresses Hill with his football IQ and knowledge of the game.
"The Gators are in hot pursuit of some top-tier cornerbacks and Hill continues to get the full-court press from the staff, which continues to sell early playing time. Hill has also stated that he and Dan Mullen used to text about every other day while Mississippi State was recruiting him. The Gators jumped into the race just a couple of months ago, but are a true contender here.” — Corey Bender, GatorTerritory.com
THE CASE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
“Hill's relationship with South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and their career track record developing defensive backs like Hill are the two factors that most seem to play in the Gamecocks' favor here. Muschamp and Robinson have been on the talented cornerback for as long as anyone -- offering before either of his other two finalists -- and their consistent, thorough effort in making him feel wanted has not been lost on Hill.
"Hill also cites the fact that both coaches were DBs themselves when they played. But will it be enough for the Gamecocks to land Hill? Carolina seems to have the longevity factor going for it in this recruitment, but both Tennessee and Florida have created more buzz as of late. Throw in the fact that Hill is tough to predict and has done a strong job of keeping people guessing, and this one can be tough to predict.” — Wes Mitchell, GamecockCentral.com
THE CASE FOR TENNESSEE
"At various points in the last three months, Tennessee has been the favorite to land the rangy Alabama cornerback. With both Jeremy Pruitt and cornerbacks coach Terry Fair making Hill an early priority, the Vols have seemingly been able to withstand several momentum swings in Hill’s recruitment. First it was South Carolina. Then Florida. Ultimately, the Bob Jones defensive back is going to pick where he’s most comfortable and feels like he has the quickest path to the field. Tennessee provides both opportunities.” — Jesse Simonton, VolQuest.com
THE VERDICT
“I’ll go with Florida for Hill even though Tennessee led for some time. The Gators impressed on his visit this summer and have seemed to take a bit of the momentum away. It could be either the Vols or Gators so this is a toss-up but I’ll guess Florida here.” – Mike Farrell, Rivals.com National Director of Recruiting