Mid-South Rumor Mill: Latest buzz from big recruiting weekend
Today's Rumor Mill is packed with information from several big recruiting weekends involving Mid-South prospects. National recruiting analyst Cole Patterson shares the latest recruiting buzz.
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TEXAS TECH LEADING FOR FIVE-STAR RECEIVER
Texas Tech just completed its most important official visit weekend of the 2024 cycle. Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders played host to commitments such as rising quarterback Will Hammond and some priority targets, a few of which joined the class before leaving Lubbock.
But the biggest visitor of the weekend was none other than five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson. Hudson is no stranger to Lubbock or the football staff, but the latest trip to West Texas allowed the Red Raiders to roll out the red carpet and pitch the do-it-all wideout on making Texas Tech his home.
The smoke coming out of the visit is that Texas Tech is not only in the driver's set, but that the Red Raiders might even hold a commanding lead for his eventual commitment. Hudson was initially scheduled to take an official visit to Texas this upcoming weekend, but that has since been called off.
Confidence is high in Lubbock. And the possibility of landing the program's highest-rated recruit just became that much more of a reality over the last 72 hours.
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TROJANS HOST MULTIPLE TOP TEXAS TARGETS
USC has made Texas a point of emphasis since Lincoln Riley took over. Which makes sense, given the staff's familiarity with the region due to its time at Oklahoma, and the amount of talent that can be found all over the state. The Trojans have had success pulling Texans to the West Coast. Four-star back Bryan Jackson is just one example.
This past weekend, the Trojans played host to multiple top targets from the Lone Star State. That included wide receiver Dre'lon Miller, linebacker Tyanthony Smith and offensive tackle Makai Saina. Both Miller and Smith described the visit as "amazing" and said that their eyes were opened to what USC could provide outside of football.
It's clear that the Trojans have put themselves in position to make a splash in Texas during this cycle.
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CHAMP-U BBQ WAS A HIT
Oklahoma just completed its Champ-U BBQ official visit weekend, which gave head coach Brent Venables and staff the platform to sell the program to their priority targets on campus. Among the players on campus were four-star athlete Terry Bussey and four-star running backs Taylor Tatum and Caden Durham, who are all Rivals100 prospects.
Naturally, the buzz is that the Sooners made a strong impression on the three. All are in the middle of recruiting battles - Bussey with Texas and Texas A&M, Tatum with USC and Michigan and Durham with LSU - but Oklahoma put a strong foot forward for each of those three.
In addition, four-star Rivals250 offensive tackle Bennett Warren left impressed with what Oklahoma had to offer, too, telling Rivals.com that his trip to Norman went "amazing." Although a flurry of commitments have not happened just yet, the weekend went very well for Venables and the Sooners.
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TEXAS IS RIDING MOMENTUM
Texas landed a commitment from four-star wide receiver Freddie Dubose on Sunday, securing the pledge from a pass catcher that has been on the board for well over a year.
And the Longhorns have a real chance to carry that momentum forward. Buzz indicates that Texas made a move for high three-star tight end Jordan Washington, who has seen his stock rise in a big way this offseason. Washington released a top three on Sunday that also features Alabama and Texas A&M.
Texas also seemingly caught the attention of four-star athlete Aeryn Hampton, a prior commitment who was back on campus. Texas is battling Alabama in that recruitment, and Hampton spoke highly of the Longhorns.
Up next, Steve Sarkisian and company will host its biggest recruiting weekend of the cycle. Key targets such as defensive backs Jordon Johnson-Rubell, Corian Gipson and Kobe Black are all set to be in town. Running back Jerrick Gibson, linebacker Tyanthony Smith and offensive lineman Daniel Cruz also make up a loaded group.
But the biggest headliner is the top-ranked player in the state: defensive end Colin Simmons. The Longhorns will get their chance to pitch the five-star on playing in Austin.
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SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND FOR THE HORNED FROGS
TCU had a successful weekend. The Horned Frogs landed a pair of running back commitments in Nathaniel Palmer and Jeremy Payne, the latter of which is a Rivals250 prospect that Sonny Dykes and staff were able to convince that Fort Worth is the place to be.
Palmer chose TCU over nearly 40 scholarship offers, while Payne was being pursued by the likes of Baylor, Michigan State and Oklahoma during his recruitment. The two join four-star quarterback Hauss Hejny and four-star offensive tackle Tobias Steppes and they form an intriguing foundation for the Horned Frogs moving forward.