Official visits are being scheduled and taken by the few remaining top uncommitted prospects in the Midwest, and that means the picture on many of those recruitments is starting to take shape. Here we break down four of the hottest recruitments in the region.
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The situation: Johnson is listing Virginia Tech and Penn State as his top two, but a decision is not likely until after his senior season is complete. An official visit was taken to Virginia Tech the weekend of Sept. 16. He has not scheduled an official visit with Penn State, but due to his team’s schedule does not have a weekend open until his season is over. No other official visits have been scheduled.
The frontrunner: Virginia Tech
Johnson listed Virginia Tech in his first top three that he announced last spring even though he had never visited the school. In fact, his official visit to Blacksburg earlier this month was his first time on campus. The fact that his experience matched his expectations puts the Hokies as the team to beat right now, but future official visit hosts now know the bar they have to reach.
The other option: Penn State
The Nittany Lions have quietly recruited the state of Michigan very well over the last decade, landing standouts like Allen Robinson and Anthony Zettel from the Great Lakes State. With Johnson, Penn State has been atop his list from the very beginning and his past visits to State College were positive. If Penn State gets his last official visit, they will be dangerous.
But don’t count out: Michigan/Michigan State
I was asked last week by a member of another fan base whether an offer from Michigan or Michigan State would alter the direction of this recruitment. My response was that I do not see either of those schools offering if they have not done so already. Johnson has already shown what he is going to show, and the in-state Big Ten schools have passed thus far. But if they did come around on the Detroit native, you could not count either of those programs out.
The situation: Robinson spurned more than a dozen Power Five schools that had offered to commit to Memphis this past June. He now is one of three four-star commitments in the Tigers' 2017 class. However, Robinson took an unofficial visit to UCF the weekend of Sept. 17 and has one scheduled to Houston for the weekend of Oct. 28.
The frontrunner: Memphis
Any time a prospect is taking additional official visits to schools other than the one he is committed to, that commitment is soft. For his part, though, Robinson said he is just as excited about his decision now as when he made it at the end of the spring. He is also impressed with how Memphis has continued to recruit after he made the pledge and expects to take his official visit for the Tiger’s home finale.
The other option: Houston
Robinson will take his Oct. 28 official visit to Houston with fellow Memphis commit Gervarrius Owens and fellow Oklahoman Evan Fields. Obviously Houston head coach Tom Herman has built up a lot of buzz around his program, which is the only non-Power Five team recruiting on Memphis’ level right now. This official visit should be the key moment in Robinson’s recruitment going forward.
But don’t count out: Nebraska
There are at least two official visit spots left for Robinson, should he decide to take them. He has not decided if he will, or where they would go. One candidate, though, is Nebraska. According to Robinson, he was unaware the Cornhuskers had offered him, but was told they had earlier in the process when a coach recently stopped by his school.
The situation: The No. 4 ranked tight end and a Rivals100 prospect in the 2018 class, Gillison boasts an offer list that consists of 15 schools representing four of the Power Five conferences. He has said in the past he may decide on his college future as soon as the winter following his junior season or as late as his senior year.
The frontrunner: Michigan State
The Spartans have already hosted Gillison four times during the recruiting process, and he is looking to get a fifth visit in for a game this fall. He has a close connection with Michigan State tight ends coach Jim Bollman and feels comfortable in East Lansing. The Spartans further bolstered their position in Gillison’s recruitment when they landed a commitment from his teammate and classmate, four-star cornerback Xavier Henderson.
The other option: Pittsburgh
Gillison had a whole list of schools he wanted to visit for games this season, but the first team to get a visit from the four-star tight end was Pitt. The Panthers hosted Gillison for the weekend of their in-state showdown against Penn State, and the central Ohio native came away impressed with the people, the fans and the way the offense utilizes the tight end position.
But don’t count out: Ohio State
How can you count out the hometown team which is ranked No. 2 in the country, has sent a whole mess of prospects to the NFL over the last few years and is in close contact with the Rivals100 prospect? You obviously cannot, and the only reason the Buckeyes do not register higher in this examination is because they have not yet offered Gillison.
The situation: Fields announced a top four last week that consisted of Arizona State, Houston, Kansas State and Memphis. Although not a final four, those schools represent his favorites among the programs that have offered. Additional schools like Clemson and Mississippi State are showing interest but have yet to offer. Fields would be open to adding more programs to his top group if new offers come through.
The frontrunner: Arizona State
Fields laughs when explaining how he became an Arizona State fan as a kid, admitting that some of it had to do with their uniforms and team colors. As that interest has matured, though, Arizona State’s position as a top contender in this recruitment has been solidified. It appears that the Sun Devils will get one of Fields’ final official visits, likely to take place in the month of December.
The other option: Kansas State
Even before he released his top four, Fields announced that Kansas State would definitely get one of his official visits. That trip has now been planned for the weekend of Nov. 4. Fields made a junior day visit to Kansas State last winter and came away impressed with Manhattan as a college town. He is looking forward to experiencing it on game day.
But don’t count out: Houston
Fields will be on his Houston official visit with fellow Oklahoma natives Gervarrius Owens and Nick Robinson the weekend of Oct. 28. The Cougars are a top-four team for Fields and will certainly have their say in the stretch run of his recruitment. If they start building momentum with a few commitments from the Sooner State, Fields could get caught up in that wave.
