Rivals national recruiting analyst Ryan O'Bleness takes a look at four prospects in the Northeast Region that could be at risk to flip their commitments before the end of the 2025 recruiting cycle.
THIS SERIES: Four West Coast prospects on flip watch | Four Midwest prospects on flip watch | Four Southeast prospects on flip watch | Four Mid-South prospects on flip watch | Four Florida prospects on flip watch
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CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
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Byron Baldwin remains solidly committed to Indiana, but the word is that Alabama has been in communication with him and could be making a run at the four-star defensive back.
If the Crimson Tide truly push here, it would certainly give Baldwin a lot to think about. While a new staff led by head coach Kalen DeBoer is now in Tuscaloosa, the history of success and resources available at the Alabama program are enticing for any prospect. Indiana got a big win in Baldwin's recruitment in April, but now the Hoosiers have to fight off Alabama and other suitors to keep him pledged. Baldwin is currently the only four-star commit in Indiana's 2025 class.
Baldwin has around 20 total scholarship offers and ranks as the No. 9 player in the state of Maryland and No. 32 cornerback in the 2025 cycle. He transferred to Saint Frances Academy (Baltimore) for his senior year after previously attending Calvert Hall College High School (Towson, Md.).
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While nothing is likely to happen in the immediate future, there have long been rumors of Zahir Mathis potentially flipping from Ohio State to Penn State by the time he signs with a program. Mathis committed to OSU back in January and remains a part of the Buckeyes' No. 1-ranked 2025 class, but there has been some optimism from PSU's side this summer.
Mathis officially visited Penn State in June. He then returned to Happy Valley for the program's "Lasch Basch" event in July. Of course, Mathis is also an in-state target for the Nittany Lions, as he currently plays in Philadelphia. Earlier this month, Rivals' Happy Valley Insider reported that while there is still work to do, and there is no defined timetable, Penn State is "trending up" with Mathis. There certainly seems to be a lot of evidence to support that, but as of now, Mathis is still pledged to the Buckeyes.
The four-star prospect out of Imhotep Institute Charter High School ranks as the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania, No. 2 weakside defensive end and No. 40 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle.
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Defensive tackles often come at a premium and the 6-foot-3, 268-pound Darrion Smith is one of the more highly sought after interior defensive linemen in the country. So, it shouldn't come as much surprise that Auburn offered Smith just one day after his commitment to Tennessee.
Smith noted that the "family-oriented" coaching staff led by head coach Josh Heupel and what the Volunteers are building toward in the future were some of the reasons he decided to commit to Tennessee. However, Auburn could make a big push here and recent intel seems to indicate that there is at least some mutual interest.
Of note, three of Smith's Saint Frances Academy teammates – class of 2025 four-star cornerback Blake Woodby, 2025 four-star linebacker Bryce Deas and 2026 three-star defensive back Wayne Henry – are all currently committed to the Tigers. For now, however, Smith's pledge stands with Tennessee.
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Out of all the names on the list, I would say Williams is probably the least likely to flip (although, none are guaranteed). He committed to South Carolina in April and nothing seems imminent here.
Still, it's worth pointing out that Williams received an offer from Georgia and posted it to his X account in July. When a program like Georgia comes calling, most are going to listen. Williams has more than 20 scholarship offers in total and is considered by some to be a flip candidate.
However, the latest intel seems to indicate that South Carolina has done a good job of mitigating the risk of Williams looking elsewhere. He is expected to return to Columbia for a visit to see the Gamecocks compete in the season opener versus Old Dominion this weekend.
Also, it appears that Georgia has its sights set on Chase Linton at the defensive end position for the 2025 class as of right now. But the Bulldogs could certainly circle back to Williams and the situation is still worth monitoring. As of now, the Gamecocks should feel pretty safe, though.
