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Recruiting Rumor Mill: Chatter from Miami Rivals Camp Series

Derrick LeBlanc
Derrick LeBlanc

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The second stop of the Rivals Camp Series is in the books as South Florida was taken by storm on Sunday. There were also a lot of recruiting news and rumors out of the event.

Here is the latest in the Recruiting Rumor Mill.

MORE RCS MIAMI: The Friedman Awards | MVP awards | Players predict commitment decisions | Combine showcase

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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

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Bryant, along with four-stars Payton Kirkland and Derrick LeBlanc, are announcing their commitments on July 23 but before that can happen there are more visits to be taken and research to be done. Miami, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and USC are the main programs for Bryant. Look for Bryant to try to visit Georgia this month and USC could get him for a visit the weekend of April 13.

He is trying to set up an unofficial visit to Miami but the Hurricanes are also likely to get an official visit. Florida's new staff has done a good job connecting with Bryant and recent signee Kamari Wilson is helping to recruit his former teammate. Alabama is pushing hard to get Wilson as well. He highlighted Nick Saban's track record as one of the biggest attractions for the Crimson Tide.

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There seems to be a lot of time left in Singleton's recruitment but that doesn't mean there aren't a few programs already pushing for him. Michigan, Louisville, Penn State and Tennessee are the ones Singleton highlighted but he doesn’t have any visits planned. He's already been to Michigan and Louisville but wants to get to Penn State and Tennessee this spring.

The Vols seem like they're pushing all the right buttons here. Official visits before the season are possible but there is a chance he waits until closer to his commitment, which will likely happen after the season.

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LeBlanc is set to make his decision on July 23 with Kirkland and Bryant but there is still work to be done to figure out where he's heading. Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, Miami, Penn State and UCF are the top contenders and he has taken recent visits to Oklahoma, Miami and Florida. Ohio State, Oklahoma, Miami and Penn State are the schools LeBlanc knows he wants to give official visits.

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The offensive line MVP from Sunday was an unofficial visit coming up and official visits are in the works. Kirkland will be at Oklahoma on April 23 but he is considering a long list of schools that includes Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, and Florida.

The odds are good that Kirkland ends up somewhere in the Southeast when he commits on July 23 with Bryant and LeBlanc.

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Right now it looks like Gaskin's recruitment is an in-state battle between Florida and Miami. The new energy around the Florida program caught his attention and he has seen a lot of improvements in Gainesville.

Gaskin said similar things about Miami and that he wants to visit the Coral Gables campus soon. Alabama is getting Gaskin on campus in April. New defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson is leading his recruitment.

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It's currently a three-team race for Gage's commitment with Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State battling it out. The sheer number of players from IMG Academy that have gone to Alabama has definitely caught his eye and the same thing goes for Tony Alford's track record of developing running backs at Ohio State.

Oklahoma is Gage's dream school and he is in close contact with assistant coach DeMarco Murray. Look for Gage to visit Oklahoma on March 26, Ohio State on April 1, and Alabama at some point in April. Expect a commitment from Gage much closer to his senior year.

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Oregon, Georgia, and Tennessee are the main players for Madison. The Bulldogs have looked like the team to beat early in his recruitment but Madison has a special connection with new Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. The two built a strong bond while Lanning was coaching at Georgia and that remains the case with Lanning now at Oregon. Madison is going to visit Oregon on April 1 and is planning more visits for later this offseason.

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Some of the biggest programs in the nation are pursuing Pickett but the 2024 prospect has plenty of time left in his recruitment. Georgia and USC are two of his biggest offers but the Florida State offer carries a lot of weight with him. Pickett grew up a Seminoles fan and it's been his dream school. Pickett's uncle is Super Bowl champion and former Ohio State first-round NFL Draft pick Ryan Pickett and the Buckeyes are always a topic of conversation when they get together. Pickett is going to take a trip to Columbus later this month. Keep an eye out for Alabama and Miami in Pickett's recruitment as well.

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Flagg's recruitment is coming along nicely and plenty of schools have been in touch. Florida State, Syracuse, Clemson, Oklahoma and Louisville have been doing the best job communicating with Flagg lately but those conversations should intensify later this offseason. Flagg intends to visit Florida State in June but he also wants to get out to Syracuse, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Georgia Tech this offseason.

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Church has a big visit to Pittsburgh coming up this weekend. The Panthers have done a good job getting his attention and this visit could provide a good boost to this stock in his eyes. For now, Louisville and Tennessee are running out front for Church. The Cardinals are showing the most love and will get him on campus for an official visit on June 17. Before then, Tennessee is going to host Church on April 2. Depending on how that visit goes, an official visit is likely the next step for the Vols. Church is hoping to commit at the beginning of the upcoming season.

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Porter's offer sheet is poised to grow this spring and until then, the Seminoles look like they have a solid grip on the lead position in his recruitment. Florida State has been showing the most love and Porter has enjoyed the environment and culture of the program. He is planning on making the trip to Tallahassee again on April 2. NC State and UCF are the other teams in touch with him the most.

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It's early in Gainey's recruitment but Penn State, Florida and Louisville have made the biggest impressions so far. He is hoping to make it to Georgia Tech for another visit and would like to get out to Louisville this offseason but no plans are locked in just yet. Georgia is staying in touch with Gainey and did host him for a visit. Gainey has also visited South Florida.

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Louisville and Ole Miss have been doing a great job recruiting Kelly thus far. The Cardinals have been his dream team and he enjoyed a recent visit to the campus. Clemson, Miami, and Texas A&M are just a few other programs involved in Kelly's recruitment. Kelly's recruitment isn't expect to end anytime soon and more schools are likely to offer as he goes through this offseason.

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It's still early in the recruiting process for Barney but the school he has been a fan of since he was little has already offered. West Virginia holds a special place in Barney's heart and is looking forward to visiting for a game this fall. It left a lasting impression on Barney when Indiana offered so keep an eye on the Hoosiers as his recruitment unfolds. Syracuse could get Barney on campus for a visit this offseason as well.

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Exume is a very promising 2024 defensive lineman and two of the nation's top programs are going to get him on campus in the near future. He has visits to Alabama and Clemson in the works for this spring and he is excited about more face time with both coaching staffs. The opportunity to talk to Nick Saban is something Exume seems particularly excited about. Programs like Florida State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and others are also involved in his recruitment.

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Pierre-Louis sports a lengthy offer sheet but most of those schools are going to have to wait to get him to visit. For now, the only visits Pierre-Louis is planning are to Florida State and UCF. During the summer, expect Pierre-Louis to make stops at schools like Oklahoma, Auburn, Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, LSU and others. The Rivals250 prospect looks like he'll be an in-demand prospect as the offseason rolls on.

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Wilson has yet to really narrow his recruitment down yet but some recent visit should help him start to figure everything out. Trips to Alabama and Florida were great experiences for Wilson and the Gators are supposed to get him on campus again this month. Look for Wilson to travel to Georgia, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Clemson and a few others later this offseason.

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For now, Stephenson's recruitment is focused on the big three in-state schools but his recruitment will go national later this summer. Miami and their new coaching staff recently got Stephenson to make the short trip to campus but Florida State and Florida are scheduled to get him for visits this month. Tennessee and Penn State are in communication with Stephenson and are hard at work building relationships with him. Both are hoping he'll take a visit to campus this summer.

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A string of important visits is ahead for Duffus. Next month, Florida, Miami, Michigan State and Indiana will all play host to Duffus as he works on getting closer to a final decision. Penn State could end up getting him on campus as well. A recent offer from Texas A&M is piquing Duffus' interest as well.

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Aronson is a name to watch in the 2024 class. The 2024 quarterback holds Power Five offers from Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Wake Forest. The relationship with assistant coach Frank Ponce is a big factor in Miami's push for the in-state quarterback. Arkansas, SMU, Alabama and Florida are among the schools Aronson plans on visiting this spring and summer.

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With high-profile names on his offer sheet, Gause, who already ranks inside the top 70 of the 2024 Rivals250, is an in-demand prospect this offseason. Florida State played host to Gause earlier this offseason and he came away from the trip impressed. A visit to Notre Dame is in the works for their spring game as the Fighting Irish look to possibly pair 2023 running back commit Sedirck Irvin with a fellow Florida native in Gause. Georgia, Texas A&M and USC also highlight Gause's offer sheet.

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