Ranking the Contenders: Smael Mondon
Smael Mondon is one prospect in the 2021 class that has a plan in place from the start. The four-star linebacker out of Dallas (Ga.) Paulding County will not commit early, he is set on taking his official visits before he makes his decision, and that decision is likely to come after the season.
This athlete is not one who seeks attention and he’s not about all the drama that comes with being a top recruit, so he likes to lay low, do his due diligence on each school and he still has a a long list of schools he is considering. We dive into six we feel has the best shot at landing Mondon early in the spring.
1. Georgia
Georgia is the in-state school and Mondon has visited Athens more than any college campus. He and Glenn Schumann has really connected and the two are able to have strong conversations about personel things or UGA’s defensive scheme. Something else that plays into Georgia’s favor is Kirby Smart being a defensive-minded head coach. That has come up multiple times when he’s talked about why he is high on the Bulldogs.
2. Florida
Florida assistant Christian Robinson played high school football in Georgia before playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, so he knows the talent is rich in the Peach State. He is a younger coach that has a great reputation on the recruiting trail, and he is the key to the Gators being where they are on this list. He and Mondon have really connected and Robinson has helped push the Gators into a prime spot at this time on Mondon’s list.
3. Auburn
When Auburn football is going strong, it typically has quite a few key players from the state of Georgia. The Peach State is and always will be important to Auburn, and again in 2021, they are in play for many of the top players in Georgia. Mondon has tripped to the Plains a couple of times and he instantly clicked with Travis “T-Will” Williams. The linebackers coach is one of the top recruiters in the country, and Mondon feels he can talk about anything with Williams. One key in Mondon’s decision will be be how comfortable he is with the staff. Williams has made Mondon feel right at home.
4. Tennessee
The staff overall at Tennessee has done a good job recruiting Mondon, and each time he has visited Knoxville, he has felt comfortable. He has listened to the Tennessee coaches, he has heard their plan for him and he has taken a real liking to the Vols. He has visited Tennessee a handful of times, he likes the vibe on campus, and the comfort level with the coaching staff has made the Vols a very solid contender.
5. Oklahoma
The Sooners could have, and likely would have been higher on this list if the visit to Norman would have been taken three weeks ago. Lincoln Riley and Brian Odom have done an excellent job recruiting Mondon and the Sooners definitely have his attention. They have made him feel like a priority, he is in regular contact with the OU staff, and the Sooners are in this more than some my think.
6. LSU
The reigning national champions would be higher, but with all the changes on the coaching staff, a strong visit to Baton Rouge is very important. He was likely to trip to LSU this spring, but with visits not allowed at this time, this has pushed the Tigers down his list some. If Dave Aranda was still Ed Orgeron’s defensive coordinator, LSU would likely be in top three. LSU’s consistency, Coach O, and even new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini still have the Tigers in the thick of this race.