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RCS Atlanta: Five teams with buzz among top prospects

Derrick McLendon
Derrick McLendon (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

AUSTELL, Ga. — With the Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas now in full swing, we take a look back at Sunday’s Rivals 3 Stripe Camp in the Atlanta area to identify five college programs whose fan bases should be feeling good after the event. Whether it was an impressive performance by a commit on the field, or buzzworthy comments by top targets during the media session, here are the five teams that had some buzz on a rainy, windy morning.

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1. GEORGIA

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The Georgia Bulldogs signed the No. 1 recruiting class in 2018 and the Bulldogs are on their way to another strong class in 2019. Kirby Smart prides himself in keeping the top talent home, so with the camp in Atlanta this weekend, there were plenty of Bulldog targets competing.

Jalen Perry is a four-star defensive back and he is committed to Smart and the Bulldogs. He left with an invite to the Rivals 100 five-star challenge. Staying in the 2019 class, Derrick McLendon was named the Defensive Line MVP and he has the Bulldogs in his top five. A decision for him could come before his senior year. This camp was loaded with top underclassmen, and many are considering UGA. Zykeivous Walker, BJ Ojulari, Myles Murphy, Sergio Allen and Arik Gilbert are five on that list. Perry was the only one committed Sunday, but Georgia will get more from this camp before all is said and done.

If you want to talk about one Georgia may be in with a little more than people think, look at Amari Kight from Alabama. He was back at Georgia for a second time this weekend on Saturday. Those like Kight are very hard to get out of Alabama, but he spoke very highly of the Dawgs on Sunday.

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2. AUBURN

When Auburn has success on the recruiting trail, it usually signs a strong group from Alabama and Georgia. The state of Georgia is key to Auburn and some talent on hand Sunday could end up on the Plains.

Lets start with the 2019 class and wide receiver Ramel Keyton out of Marietta (Ga.). He has a long list of offers, but Auburn and Tennessee may be the favorites at this time. Looking one class younger, Andy Boykin is already committed to the Tigers and Myles Murphy is a top target that has a family connection there.

Staying in state, 2019 offensive linemen Clay Webb and Amari Kight have to be high on the list and 2020 Quandarrious Robinson down too. Robinson plays at Jackson-Olin in Birmingham, the school that sent TD Moultry to Auburn in 2017 and Coynis Miller to Auburn in 2018.

3. FLORIDA

The Florida Gators will definitely recruit their home state first, but they hope to be very active in Georgia under Dan Mullen. They just signed Emory Jones and Trey Dean out of the Peach State in 2018.

Who could they take out of Georgia in 2019 that was at the camp Sunday? There is some chatter around Tyron Hopper and him being a Gator lean, but he has not come out and said that yet. What about Keiondre Jones? His cousin Emory is already there and the two would love to play together. McLendon is another that has the Gators high on his list. They are working on Georgia commit Perry too. He visited the Swamp not that long ago.

What about in the 2020 class? Running back Jordon Simmons was offered by Florida recently when he was on a visit to Gainesville. Jamaal Abrams is a linebacker out of Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin and he is already committed to the Gators. Mullen knows it starts in the Sunshine State, but he is going to look into Alabama, Georgia and surrounding states to see who can help him too.

GATORSTERRITORY.COM: Gators pull ahead for Rivals250 DB

4. ALABAMA

Clay Webb
Clay Webb (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Since Nick Saban took over at Alabama, he has made Georgia a priority in recruiting. He has definitely had his share of success in the Peach State. Kirby Smart has made it a little more difficult for him in Georgia since he took over at his alma mater, but Saban recently picked up a commitment from Rashad Cheney. He is a defensive lineman who worked inside and outside Sunday.

Others in Georgia that Alabama will likely pursue are Myles Murphy, Arik Gilbert, Harrison Bailey and Joquavious Marks. All four are 2020 prospects with offers from the Crimson Tide.

Where is starts for Alabama though is at home and two of the best Sunday were Clay Webb and Amari Kight. Both are top targets for Saban and his staff and Alabama does as good of a job as anyone at keeping top talent home in most years.

BAMAINSIDER.COM: RCS Atlanta recruiting nuggets

5. TENNESSEE

Jeremy Pruitt is working to change the culture at Tennessee and to get the Vols back to where their fans think they should be — competing for SEC titles. With the talent base in Tennessee not too deep, the Vols have to go outside their border to fill the majority of their recruiting class each year. They must have at least some success in the state of Georgia.

At Marietta (Ga.), the Vols have offered a list of prospects and at least three that competed Sunday have become major targets. The one closest to a decision is wide receiver Ramel Keyton. It could come down to Auburn and Tennessee, but he still lists other possibilities. Harrison Bailey and Arik Gilbert are two others at Marietta that have the Vols on their radar. Gilbert actually named Tennessee as his top school Sunday in an interview before the camp started.

Linebacker Kalen Deloach is another one that Tennessee is recruiting. Clemson, South Carolina and Michigan are at least three of the schools the Vols are up against in this race.

VOLQUEST.COM: Tennessee in good standing with 2019's No. 1 player

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