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A five-star prospect and the top-ranked running back in America, Trey Sanders’ services are very much in demand. The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy star hasn’t officially ruled any schools out of the race to land his pledge, but it’s obvious that some coaching staff have better shots than others. Today, Rivals.com ranks the contenders to land Sanders’ letter of intent on Signing Day.
1. ALABAMA
The slight favorite to land Sanders, Alabama is set to receive an official visit from the five-star running back on Nov. 24. That trip, which is set to take place the same weekend as the Tide’s Iron Bowl clash with Auburn, could seal the deal when it comes to landing Sanders’ pledge.
The IMG Academy star was committed to Nick Saban once in the past, but backed off that pledge in early January. Sanders never ruled out Alabama and continued to stay close with the coaching staff even in the wake of his decommitment, so it’s not as though the upcoming official visit needs to be spent mending fences. What Alabama needs to concern itself with now is a hard-charging Florida program that boasts family ties to the tailback as well as an improved on-field product.
2. FLORIDA
The allure of family is strong in the college football world. We know that, in part, because coaches and athletic departments can’t go 15 minutes without saying the word. Sanders’ brother attends Florida, however, and that’s not to be forgotten here. The other perk of UF is that the campus is driving distance from his family’s home in Port St. Joe, Fla.
The Gators are seemingly turning things around on the field under new head coach Dan Mullen, which has to make the program even more attractive to Sanders. Make no mistake, UF is still chasing Alabama for the time being, but it would be unwise to rule the Gators out. Sanders’ recruitment may have a late twist left up its sleeve.
3. TEXAS
Texas isn’t especially likely to land Sanders., but the five-star running back took a spring official visit to Austin, so leaving the Longhorns off this list completely didn’t seem like prudent. There was a time when Sanders was incredibly high on Texas, telling reporters and teammates that he was seriously considering playing for Tom Herman. Some of that buzz seems to have faded in recent weeks, however, as the Longhorns now seems like a long-shot to land his pledge despite this season’s on-field success. Coaches sometime worry that the shine from early official visits fades quickly, and that seems to be the case here.
4. MIAMI
Sanders to Miami isn’t happening. UM will likely end up with Kenny McIntosh instead, and the four-star running back is an incredibly good consolation prize. That’s said, the Hurricanes make the list because Sanders tends to mention the program from time to time and head coach Mark Richt would certainly love to have the five-star back in the fold.
Miami was seen as something resembling a legit contender for Sanders for a month or so this offseason, but those days have passed.
