Recruiting Rumor Mill: Chatter not slowing down as July begins
The month of June is in the books but there is still an abundance of recruiting rumors Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is hearing heading into July. Here is the latest in this week’s Recruiting Rumor Mill:
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STING FACTOR: The biggest recruiting flips and decommitments in June
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The 2025 offensive tackle from Sumner (Fla.) Riverview has nearly 20 offers already and no favorites but Florida State has been recruiting him the hardest and Addison has definitely taken notice. Miami and many others have already offered and it will be interesting if Florida gets involved but the Seminoles definitely have the edge at this point.
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Alabama made its push, Clemson has been intriguing for some time and Auburn has really made a serious late push but the feeling is that Georgia is still - maybe by far - the team to beat as he’s announced a decision date of Aug. 5. Every time the five-star safety from Buford, Ga., visits someplace he’s highly complimentary of the visit but Bolden keeps returning to Georgia and is so comfortable there and has recently said some telling things about the Bulldogs.
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Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, USC and Oregon have been mentioned as the front-runners for the four-star offensive lineman from Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon but this one should come down to the Longhorns and the Sooners soon. Texas looks like the program to beat for Brooks, who wants to make his decision by the end of July heading into his senior season.
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It could be tough to beat Penn State, in the end, for the 2025 high three-star offensive guard who could be in line for a bump in the rankings in the coming months. Carroll’s father, Mike, played for the Nittany Lions and his mother played basketball at Michigan State so the Spartans should also be watched but the whispers are Penn State has the early edge for the Doylestown (Pa.) Central Bucks East standout.
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A recent visit to Kansas went really well and Chineke hit it off with defensive tackles coach Jim Panagos but the feeling is that Iowa still leads for the Plano (Texas) Plano East three-star defensive end. Kansas has been his dream offer, Oklahoma State is one to watch but after his official visit to Iowa it looks like the Hawkeyes have taken the lead and a commitment could be coming soon.
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Ohio State, Alabama and LSU are the three early front-runners for the 2025 four-star safety from Olney (Md.) Good Counsel but the feeling is that the two SEC powers could have the edge in his recruitment. There’s no doubt the Buckeyes are a main contender here but the Crimson Tide and the Tigers could battle this one out until the end.
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Ole Miss has been the program out front for the talented receiver from Pine Bluff, Ark., and the Rebels are still in very good shape here but Missouri could be making a big push. The Tigers could dip into the state of Arkansas this week for four-star linebacker Brian Huff and that could also help with Dendy although Ole Miss has had a significant lead for some time.
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Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon are the three programs that have made the biggest impression on the 2025 four-star cornerback so far in the recruiting process but it’s still early and USC will be another school to watch. Dixson has a strong relationship with Trojans position coach Donte Williams although the three others have a leg up right now.
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Alabama, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Florida State are the five front-runners for the 2025 high four-star receiver and it looks like the Crimson Tide could be tough to beat with a July 22 commitment planned. From early on, Alabama has made it clear to the Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin standout that he’s a top priority in the class and it would be a surprise now if he ended up elsewhere.
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When four-star running back Chauncey Bowens flipped from Florida to Georgia, the whisper was that on the same day Frazier (who was also on a visit in Athens) was going to commit to the Bulldogs as well. But the four-star running back from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei held off, took a visit to Alabama and then was seen decked out in Oregon gear at a big 7-on-7 tournament on Saturday. Georgia still has a real shot here but the decision has been more convoluted as Frazier has held off.
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There have been whispers for a couple weeks now that Texas Tech has surpassed Texas as the clear leader for the five-star receiver and a commitment could come at any time. Until that happens, the Temple (Texas) Lake Belton recruit remains fair game as a pledge was expected but hasn’t come through yet but the Red Raiders still have to love where they stand here.
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Three programs are making the biggest impression on the 2025 four-star defensive end from College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy with Ohio State, Clemson and Alabama leading the way and then Florida has piqued his interest as well. Merritt could still be in the earlier stages of his recruitment and there is a ton to like with all three of his frontrunners so it’s still too close to call but those are the ones standing out at this point.
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Michigan, Oregon, Georgia and Florida are the four programs that have intrigued the 2025 five-star safety the most so far and the school that lands Pickett will be able to convince him of mainly one thing: They will give him an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball. The Zephyrhills, Fla., standout who is a legit 6-foot-4 is seriously interested in playing safety and receiver in college and some schools are already pitching the idea to him.
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LSU had been considered the favorite for the five-star defensive end for some time but after another recent visit to Austin, the chatter is now that Texas might lead by a wide margin and a commitment might not be too far off. The Duncanville, Texas standout had a great time at Texas, it’s much closer to home if family considerations are involved in his decision and for numerous reasons the Longhorns look like the favorite now.
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There are some floating the idea that USC is making a major move for the high four-star linebacker and behind the scenes that could be happening but the rumor is that it’s still a Notre Dame/Ohio State battle for the Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. After seeing all three again recently, a decision could be coming within weeks and the Irish could have the edge.
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Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and others are still trying to flip the 2025 five-star receiver but Watkins has tremendous loyalty to Colorado coach Deion Sanders and so his commitment still stands. What will become interesting to watch over the next couple years is if Sanders leaves Colorado for one reason or another, whether Watkins follows him to another school or looks for another opportunity at a nationally-recognized program.