Published Aug 2, 2023
Midwest Spotlight: Predictions for top uncommitted recruits
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Clint Cosgrove  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
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Commitment season is winding down but several elite recruits remain undeclared in the Midwest. With that being said, Rivals takes a late-summer stab at where the best available talent from the region may be trending to play at the next level.

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The five-star's recruitment has taken plenty of twists and turns, with little insight coming from Nwaneri himself, so we don't know for sure how this recruitment will play out. Oklahoma has long been considered a favorite, with Georgia right behind and Oregon and Missouri having an outside shot. But, the tides seem to be turning, and recent happenings are pointing toward Missouri as being Nwaneri's destination. Georgia, while still in the mix, is likely looking in from the outside, and it is rumored that Oregon is too far from home. The Georgia staff reportedly thinks it is down to the Bulldogs and Missouri, while the Oklahoma staff believes it is down to them and Missouri. I believe this has become a two-team battle between the Tigers and Sooners. While the Sooners had the lead up until recently there are recent developments which lead me to believe Nwaneri will ultimately commit to the Tigers. I have put in a FutureCast accordingly, and will stick with it until I hear otherwise.

Prediction: Missouri

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The five-star out of St. Louis University High's recruitment has seen a new favorite on a weekly basis. Tennessee was considered the favorite at one time, then Georgia, Texas and now Missouri have all been considered leaders. I saw Texas as the leader up until a few days ago, but my intel now has Missouri coming on strong and likely being the landing spot for Wingo in the end.

Prediction: Missouri

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Robinson is a physical freak who has shown promise for a long time and has developed into the player we once hoped he could be. He has visited Michigan a bunch, but the in-state Buckeyes never offered. Still, he has limitless options across the country. I know a number of schools have him as a priority target, but Robinson has been very mum about his intentions and eventual destination. I would consider Michigan the favorite, but he has seen enough of the program without committing, which leads me to believe the high four-star may be going in a different direction. Kentucky has done a great job recruiting Robinson and his connection with the staff seems to be strong. While his recruitment remains largely a mystery, I see Robinson landing with the Wildcats in the end.

Prediction: Kentucky

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Ross has announced a top five of Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee and Oklahoma. So, while we know the finalists there has been little indication of where the four-star will end up aside from naming his top schools. Michigan seems to be running out of room, and I'm not sure if Oklahoma would have room for Ross in the class should Nwaneri decide to become a Sooner. That leaves me with Nebraska and Penn State as the most likely landing spots out of Ross' top five. I could see the Sooners making a push for Ross if Nwaneri doesn't commit to Oklahoma, but that is an "if" for now. This is a toss-up for me, and while I am not ready to put in a Futurecast I see the Huskers as the eventual destination.

Prediction: Nebraska

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Oregon, Ohio State, LSU and Missouri have all made a strong push for the Rivals250 wide receiver. Each remains in play, and there are certain aspects of each program that intrigue McClellan. While Missouri and LSU have made their push, and done a great job with his recruitment, Ohio State seems to be the program McClellan is drawn to most. This could go a number of ways, but I believe McClellan ends up a Buckeye in the end and I've had a Futurecast for him to Ohio State for some time now.

Prediction: Ohio State