Midwest Spotlight: Five prospects on flip watch
Rivals national recruiting analyst Clint Cosgrove takes a look at a handful of prospects in the Midwest Region that could be at risk to flip their commitments down the stretch of the 2024 recruiting cycle.
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The four-star receiver committed to Ohio State in August and while he hasn't outwardly said his pledge to Ohio State is on shaky ground, a recent visit to Missouri along with Oregon's continued pursuit of the elite receiver make you wonder if he will sign with the Buckeyes in December.
Missouri's strong start and Oregon's push for McClellan make him a flip candidate, especially if Ohio State receivers coach Brian Hartline were to receive a head coaching opportunity come season's end.
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The longer Michigan State goes without naming a new head coach the more unstable its 2024 recruiting class becomes. Offensive lineman Andrew Dennis was the latest to defect when he announced his decommitment from Michigan State on Monday afternoon opening the door for questions about who could be next.
Marsh is the crown jewel of the Spartans' 2024 class and when you look at the limited amount of elite receiver talent left on the board coupled with his recent game day visit to Colorado, one has to wonder if Marsh ends up at Michigan State when it comes time to sign on the dotted line. While I do feel Marsh has his heart set on East Lansing, anything can happen here and his recruitment will be one to closely monitor in the coming months.
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The Ohio four-star chose Washington over a final group that also included Pitt, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Nebraska on June 30, and while Kirks had long seemed solid with the Huskies, this has not stopped some of the nation's elite from continuing to recruit one of the Midwest's best defensive players.
Kirks recently took a visit to Ohio State and even though he could have merely been trying to enjoy himself on a Saturday, the trip does open up some questions as to how solid he is with the Huskies. Washington appears to be a national championship contender which should only help it keep Kirks in its class, but this is a recruitment to keep a close eye on as we approach the early signing day.
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Nwaneri shocked many when he opted for the in-state Tigers over college football bluebloods Georgia and Oklahoma on Aug. 14. The nation's top defensive player appears solid with his pledge to Missouri, but there is little question that Oklahoma, Georgia and others will be working their hardest to flip Nwaneri prior to signing day.
Missouri's vast improvement only helps the Tigers' cause here, but this could very well be a recruitment that keeps everyone guessing until Nwaneri signs on the dotted line come early signing day.
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The state of Nebraska celebrated when one of the nation's freakiest athletes chose to stay home and play for the Huskers in June. Typically when a homegrown recruit commits to Nebraska their recruitment ends and they begin recruiting others to join them.
While Nelson could very well end up signing with Nebraska, Notre Dame doesn't seem to be going away and Nelson was in South Bend for the Irish's signature win over USC on Saturday, leaving many questions as to whether the four-star could flip prior to signing.