National recruiting director Adam Gorney is back with his Recruiting Rumor Mill, which features recruiting chatter and news from around the country.
*****
MORE: Quinn Ewers unlikely to start trend among high-profile QB prospects
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals100
RIVALS TRANSFER TRACKER: Stories/coverage | Message board
RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info/coverage on 2021 camp series
*****
The 2023 athlete from Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic was very impressed with the energy and the vibe around the Auburn program for the Big Cat Weekend and he was told coaches would be down to see him in games during his junior season. There are no favorites yet but Auburn could make that cut after this visit and Carter could visit Georgia this weekend.
*****
The chatter around Carter is that he had an outstanding visit to Georgia Tech earlier in the week and that the Yellow Jackets are the leader in his recruitment with a commitment expected to the school of his choice sometime in August. Memphis keeps battling and is second on the list with Texas A&M hanging around, too.
*****
It’s too early for the 2024 quarterback to name any favorites especially with new programs getting involved all the time but his visit to Penn State where he got to sit down with coach James Franklin and new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich. The message to Davis was that the Nittany Lions feel they’re one person away from winning a national championship and that’s having that elite quarterback calling the shots. It was definitely a strong pitch but Davis is taking his time and won’t decide soon.
*****
The four-star running back from Newton, Texas committed to USC in late June but there were rumors that Gatson could visit Florida State this past weekend and possibly flip to the Seminoles. But according to a source, Gatson has not heard from any other schools and at this point is not looking to make any other decisions in his recruitment other than staying committed to the Trojans.
*****
The Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine School three-star quarterback has been committed to Auburn since Feb. 1 so he didn’t need the hard recruiting sell at the Big Cat Weekend over the last few days. Instead, he was doing recruiting of his own as Geriner worked hard on receivers Omari Kelly and Kobi Albert, offensive lineman Drew Bobo and defensive lineman Caden Story. The chatter is that it wouldn’t be a shock if Auburn landed all four of those prospects.
*****
Oklahoma is probably the early front-runner for Green but Iowa definitely impressed him and the word is the 2023 four-star loved learning about all the linemen Iowa has put in the NFL and the caliber of offensive linemen the Hawkeyes have been landing in each recruiting class. All the money put into academic facilities is also a big draw for the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) Lee’s Summit North standout. Green will visit LSU this weekend and the Sooners and many others have made an early impression, too.
*****
The four-star cornerback has been committed to Georgia since May 2020 but the chatter is that there will be a full round of visits this fall. The feeling is that the Bulldogs are still in great shape but the Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood standout plans to see LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M during the season.
*****
Joiner goes to school about three miles from Auburn’s campus and a visit for Big Cat Weekend went a long way in him gaining even more interest in the Tigers - although an offer has still not come for the 2023 four-star interior offensive lineman. The Auburn, Ala., standout seems to love the plan coach Bryan Harsin and his staff pitched, he thinks Auburn now has a top-three coaching staff in the country and the facilities blew him away. It was all positive for Joiner and he sees Auburn as a destination school with Harsin and his staff in place. Georgia, Auburn, Clemson and Ole Miss are recruiting him hardest now.
*****
Eastern Kentucky is the only offer for the 2023 prospect so far but Jones has a strange story: He played tight end as a sophomore, will play defensive line this year and Iowa told him this past weekend that it wants him to play on the offensive line. Jones is looking for more film and he hopes an offer from the Hawkeyes comes because he absolutely loves the Iowa coaching staff and their honesty. Purdue and Penn State are also showing interest and Iowa State and Miami (Ohio) are also getting interested.
*****
A visit to Auburn really impressed the three-star defensive end from Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb especially as he looked at the new facilities and what they will look like in the future so the Tigers will remain contenders but the rumor is that Josephs has some other schools higher on the list. Right now, Penn State, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and UCF are the standouts.
*****
Florida State, Iowa and Iowa State are the early offers for the 2023 quarterback from Ankeny, Iowa, who visited with the Hawkeyes last weekend and had an excellent trip mainly because he spent a good deal of time with current QB Spencer Petras. The two watched game film and chatted about the position and it was beneficial to Kohl, who visited Iowa State earlier this week, will be at Missouri this weekend and Wisconsin is trying to get him to visit as well.
*****
The focus from the Florida State coaches on rebuilding the Seminoles into a national contender was the biggest point the 2024 quarterback took away from his recent visit to Tallahassee and while it’s still early it’s safe to say FSU has a big jumpstart in Kromenhoek’s recruitment. The Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School standout also has an offer from Coastal Carolina and worked out at Georgia and Duke this summer so things are just getting started but the Seminoles have left a major impression on him.
*****
The four-star tight end visited Florida State last weekend and what stood out most was just how clearly it was made to him that he’s a major target for the 2023 recruiting class. The chatter is that message really impressed the Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence standout and that he really hit it off with position coach Chris Thomsen. Lockwood is planning to release a top list soon as he narrows down from more than 20 offers.
*****
Throughout his career, Mauigoa has played on both the offensive and defensive lines and after being on defense last season it looks like the 2023 high four-star will mainly focus on being an offensive linemen from here. As for his recruitment, the rumor is that Mauigoa, who is originally from American Samoa, could be leaning toward West Coast schools with Oregon a major contender especially after a big visit this summer but don’t count out USC and others.
*****
The Mississippi State JUCO cornerback commit was at Florida State this past weekend and the chatter is that he “loved” the visit in Tallahassee. He liked everything about the trip, liked the staff a whole lot and the plan for the Perkinston (Miss.) Gulf Coast C.C. is to return in the fall. Baylor and Kentucky are two other schools to watch plus Nicholson remains committed to the Bulldogs.
*****
Now headed to a high school in Knoxville, the rumor is that Tennessee has absolutely emerged as a major player in Nolen’s recruitment but I’ve also been told that things are really unpredictable and many things could still happen. Florida and Michigan are two other schools still to watch very closely and it has been reported that the five-star defensive lineman will visit Texas A&M this weekend.
*****
Texas A&M has emerged as the early frontrunner for the 2023 defensive end from Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt Trussville after he visited in recent days. The chatter is that Osborne loves coach Jimbo Fisher and thinks position coach Terry Price is a “legend” among other things. Words like “felt like home” and “culture he could play for” were also used although it’s still super early in his recruitment.
*****
After Penn State and Auburn filled up at running back, four other schools - West Virginia, Florida State, Arkansas and Marshall - emerged as the front-runners for the four-star running back from Deerfield Beach, Fla. But then seemingly out of the blue Iowa got involved, offered and last weekend Patterson visited - and loved it. The Hawkeyes are now considered the frontrunner in Patterson’s top 10 and the chatter is a pledge would not be a complete shock.
*****
Iowa is battling hard for the 2023 high four-star offensive tackle and another visit there this past weekend continues to keep the Hawkeyes high on the list. The facilities and the coaches stand out most to Proctor and the fact that Iowa is so close, has produced so many elite offensive linemen and continues to make him such a high priority is not being lost on the standout offensive lineman. Can the Hawkeyes beat Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame and others? Hard to say this early but the chatter is Iowa is squarely in this recruitment.
*****
The 2023 offensive lineman from Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child was one of many top prospects at Iowa last weekend and the word is Senda absolutely loved it. The coaching staff absolutely stood out the most and Iowa’s success developing offensive linemen is a huge draw to Senda, who has 16 offers. The rumor is that Iowa is high on the board early on and the Hawkeyes will be a contender throughout his recruitment.
*****
Even though Thomas does not have an Auburn offer yet, the 2023 defensive tackle from Brunswick, Ga., will have the Tigers in his top five. Thomas likes the environment there, his budding relationship with coach Bryan Harsin and position coach Nick Eason which should only help Auburn. So far, South Carolina is his lone Power Five offer but an Auburn offer would make a big impression.
