Recruiting Rumor Mill: Chatter heats up as summer visits near
The Recruiting Rumor Mill never slows down – even on holidays – and especially with a busy June right around the corner. Here’s all the latest that Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is hearing across the country:
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Now with top running back Justice Haynes at Alabama, it’s time for Baker to shine even more in the Buford, Ga., backfield and recruitment is taking more shape, too. A recent visit to Georgia absolutely stood out a lot as the staff welcomed him and his family and the Bulldogs showed a lot of interest in him and vice versa.
Georgia will always be there for the 2025 four-star with Michigan, Ole Miss, NC State and South Carolina some other top teams.
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Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama will receive official visits in June from the five-star athlete and then Bolden is planning to take one to Auburn in September but the word coming out of Georgia’s Scavenger Hunt is that it would be a stunner at this point if he doesn’t end up in Athens.
The Buford, Ga., standout brought his father to campus for the first time, the five-star had a phenomenal time again and it looks like the Dawgs are extending their lead.
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So many major offers have come in recently - LSU, Auburn, Notre Dame and others - that the 2025 standout is nowhere near narrowing his list down yet and a huge round of summer visits are coming up that could help him figure out some top schools.
The 2025 defensive lineman from Snow Hill (N.C.) Greene Central plans to be at North Carolina, Duke, NC State, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida, Virginia and Virginia Tech this summer. Other trips will have to wait until his junior season.
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Georgia is watching closely - and getting him back to campus last weekend for the Scavenger Hunt was huge to keep the four-star receiver in this class - but the word is Florida State is doing everything possible to try to flip Carr especially since teammate Landen Thomas is committed there.
A source close to the Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County standout said he doesn’t feel Carr will flip to the Seminoles but Georgia is working to make sure that doesn’t happen.
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Clemson, Florida and Florida State are absolutely three schools to watch in Hampton’s recruitment but a new offer from LSU is huge because that was his dream school growing up.
If the Tigers continue to pursue the Tallahassee (Fla.) Florida State University School then they could be the team to beat especially because of their history with defensive backs but location could be a major edge for the Seminoles.
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Ole Miss has emerged as the front-runner for the three-star tight end from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain and his first visit in June will be to Oxford, setting the bar for all his other trips.
Hipp will also see Arizona State, TCU and Baylor before the end of the month but the heavy interest Ole Miss is showing especially from position coach John David Baker and others is pushing the Rebels to the top.
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Oklahoma recently offered James and the Sooners could be tough - if not nearly impossible - to beat since the 2025 linebacker from Midwest City (Okla.) Carl Albert grew up watching that team and had season tickets his whole life.
The Sooners definitely have the edge from a historical perspective but James doesn’t want to rush anything yet especially since Kansas State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas Tech and Miami are interested.
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Alabama and LSU are the two programs showing the most early involvement with the 2025 four-star quarterback from Brentwood (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy and it sounds like the majority of MacIntyre’s interest is in those two schools right now.
Tennessee is another one to watch clearly and then he’s a Vanderbilt legacy since his grandfather coached there but it would be a long shot at this point to see him end up there
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Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Miami are the five front-runners for the 2025 four-star tight end who’s now playing at Los Alamitos, Calif., but it seems unlikely that he will stay West for college.
The word is that the Sooners are in fantastic shape with Mitchell especially since his former teammate at Allen, Texas is four-star Oklahoma QB commit Michael Hawkins and there could be a reunion in Norman.
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If Georgia is going to be able to land the high three-star defensive end with nearly 40 offers, it’s going to be because Nichols has developed a really strong relationship with position coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and that could go a long way in his decision.
Michigan probably has the edge for the Ijamsville (Md.) Oakdale standout with Kentucky, Wisconsin and the Bulldogs also standing out at this point.
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South Carolina landed a commitment from the high four-star offensive lineman in January and it was another big recruiting victory for coach Shane Beamer and his staff but there is going to be some competition heading toward signing day.
The chatter is that Georgia is not giving up on the Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland standout as the Bulldogs along with Clemson, Florida, NC State and Tennessee were the other finalists.
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If the decision was entirely up to the five-star wide receiver then this could be a battle between Ohio State and Florida State for the Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna standout but some close to Trader are pushing MIami hard and so the Hurricanes are definitely a contender here.
Trader also likes Miami since that coaching staff has paid him so much attention but in his eyes the Buckeyes and the Seminoles stand out most.
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The Alabama offer “sealed a lot” for the Cypress (Texas) Langham Creek tight end and while the Crimson Tide made significant strides in his recruitment, Texas and Texas A&M among others are still going to play a significant role in his recruitment.
The feeling is that the Longhorns have definitely made an impression but Alabama has moved way up after offering.