Quintin Somerville had a whole plan. He was going to take visits, narrow down his schools and then commit on June 20.
Like with many other top prospects in the 2021 class, the coronavirus travel ban changed that idea and now the four-star defensive end from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro could be in a holding pattern until he’s allowed to travel again.
Some top programs have emerged though. Somerville said he does not plan to make a decision until he can take trips and see all his favorites. That means a decision could be pushed off much later than his original date because the NCAA has extended the dead period for recruiting until at least the end of June.
Still, some schools do stand out more than others. We rank the contenders below.
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RELATED: Ranking the contenders for Somerville's teammate, CB Denzel Burke
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1. MICHIGAN
There are many reasons to believe Michigan holds a strong position in Somerville’s recruitment. He loved his visit to Ann Arbor. He has a good relationship with coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Don Brown.
Most of all, Somerville and defensive line coach Shaun Nua have hit it off for years and that’s going to be a major selling point for the Wolverines moving forward.
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2. STANFORD
Stanford has always been a dream school for Somerville, a place that provides the best of both worlds in terms of playing in the Pac-12, getting the opportunity to come back to Arizona to play on occasion and a world-class education.
Some academic fine-tuning would have to take place in terms of specific courses (Somerville has great grades) and so that’s something for the four-star to consider moving forward. Even before Stanford offered, Somerville was high on the Cardinal, so they should remain near the top of his list.
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3. GEORGIA
There is a lot of intrigue about Georgia from Somerville’s growing relationship with defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and others on the coaching staff and then there is a big piece to the puzzle here that could also help the Bulldogs: Former Scottsdale Saguaro teammate and five-star cornerback Kelee Ringo just signed with Georgia in its 2020 class.
Somerville admits having Ringo in Athens is a big bonus. If he wants to be really patient in his recruitment and wait to take another visit to Georgia in the fall, the Bulldogs could emerge even higher on the list.
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4. FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles were not really a frontrunner on Somerville’s list until first-year coach Mike Norvell got to campus and brought with him assistant Kenny Dillingham, who Somerville knew as a high school coach and then as a coach on Arizona State’s staff before moving on. About a month ago, the four-star defensive end said Florida State was the school most actively recruiting him, so getting to Tallahassee seems like a must at this point.
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5. VANDERBILT
Vanderbilt should probably be considered a darkhorse at this point, especially until Somerville actually books a trip to Nashville to see the school. Playing in the SEC is a major draw, especially for a program where he could get on the field early.
Playing for coach Derek Mason and that staff could be a big deal. The academics at Vanderbilt would be something Somerville is looking for, as well. But until a visit happens, the Commodores are probably lower on the list.
