Friedman on the road: Predictions on North Jersey/NYC prospects
The first half of the season has come to an end, and Mid-Atlantic recruiting analyst Adam Friedman spent a significant amount of time in New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York City taking a closer look at the top seniors and juniors while also finding new, unknown talent in the freshman and sophomore classes.
He is ready to roll out his findings, starting with predictions for uncommitted northern New Jersey and New York City stars in the 2019 and 2020 classes.
MORE: Five Midwest prospects on the rise | Southeast prospects on the rise
If you’ve followed all the news coming out about Isaac, you know that Penn State holds a significant lead. The only threats to the Nittany Lions here are LSU and possibly Florida and Miami. The Tigers are hoping to get him on campus for an official visit at some point and the Gators are doing their best to stay in the race. Miami’s best recruiter, in Isaac’s case, may be his friend and recent Canes commit Jason Blissett. A commitment from Isaac could come in early November.
If he committed today, he would pick: Penn State
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Most people believed DiCosmo would have already announced his commitment by now. He maintains a top five of Clemson, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Stanford, but it is really coming down to Notre Dame and Stanford.
If he committed today, he would pick: Stanford
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Vilbert is just coming on to the scene, and the senior’s offer sheet seems to expand by two or three every week. Rutgers was his first major offer, and the Scarlet Knights hold a slight advantage because they are close to home. Keep an eye on Boston College, Oregon, North Carolina and a few others as the process moves forward but, unless something changes, expect Vilbert to stay close to home.
If he committed today, he would pick: Rutgers
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Earlier in the recruiting process it looked like Rutgers or NC State would be possible landing spots for Toure. His numerous connections to the Scarlet Knights gave some the idea that he could end up choosing the in-state program. Toledo and Cincinnati remain key figures in Toure’s recruitment, but keep an eye on UCLA and Pittsburgh. Both of those teams are poking around to see if Toure would be a fit. In the meantime, a commitment doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.
If he committed today, he would pick: Cincinnati
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Berger is struggling through this season in an offense that doesn’t suit his strengths, but that hasn’t stopped the nation’s top programs from pursuing him. Penn State, Michigan and many others remain in touch with Berger, but the two that he is feeling the love from most are Ohio State and Florida. There is a long way to go before Berger commits, so keep an eye out for visits toward the end of this season and into the spring.
If he committed today, he would pick: Ohio State
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A commitment from Ungar could be coming in the next three months or so. Stanford, Michigan and Wisconsin are out front for him, but potential visits to Clemson, Ohio State, and Penn State could change that. There is still a lot of time for things to change but, at this point, Stanford is the favorite.
If he committed today, he would pick: Stanford
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Alaimo has a long list of offers and is still looking for a few other schools to jump into the race. Of the schools he holds offers from, Boston College, North Carolina, Rutgers and Purdue are in good position, but an offer from Penn State, Alabama or Ohio State would immediately put that program at the top of his list. Alaimo likely doesn’t currently hold the offer from the school he will end up at. But …
If he committed today, he would pick: Purdue
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Massoud is an intriguing prospect that all the major programs in the country are tracking as they try to figure out which position - whether it be quarterback, wide receiver, or defensive back - will give him the best chance at success. Virginia, Boston College, Rutgers, Temple and Dartmouth are his only offers so far, but keep an eye out for Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern and many others to pull the trigger toward the end of this season or in the coming offseason. While it is unlikely Massoud ends up at any of the schools that have already offered him …
If he committed today, he would pick: Virginia
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A long way from announcing a commitment, Constant’s lengthy offer sheet will get narrowed down as we get closer to the spring. As of now, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, Texas A&M and Rutgers are doing the best job recruiting him. If everything continues the way they are right now, South Carolina and Texas A&M would end up as his top two contenders.
If he committed today, he would pick: South Carolina
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Morant’s recruitment changed in a big way when Alabama and Stanford offered just a couple weeks ago. Most of the momentum with Morant resided with Penn State, but now his recruitment has slowed down while he does a little more research on his new offers. This spring will likely be a busy time for Morant, and a commitment will probably follow that eventful time of year.
If he committed today, he would pick: Penn State
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There is a lot more in store when it comes to Murphy’s recruitment. Many more visits, twists and turns will show up between now and when he signs his National Letter of Intent. Schools such as Notre Dame, Tennessee and Rutgers have endeared themselves with Murphy, but the two schools doing the best are Michigan and Penn State. As it stands right now, Murphy’s commitment is way off in the distance, so there is still plenty left to play out.
If he committed today, he would pick: Michigan
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Simon's recruitment is in the middle of hitting its next gear. Stanford and Pittsburgh have added their names to his growing offer sheet that already features big-time programs such as Notre Dame, Nebraska, Penn State and others. Don't expect Simon to take any visits in the coming weeks, but later this winter and into the spring should be a busy time for him. With a brother and multiple former teammates at Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish are the team to beat here.
If he committed today, he would pick: Notre Dame
