12/18/2023 football Edit

Recruiting Rumor Mill: Info flying fast as 2024 cycle enters home stretch

Adam Gorney • Rivals.com

National Recruiting Director

National Signing Day is now only two days away and there are lots of rumors flying around in the final hours. Here’s the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney.

*****

MORE NSD: Announcement Guide | Programs in the biggest spotlight this week | Storylines to follow | Where things stand with the uncommitted prospects in the Rivals250

NSD PREVIEWS: Roundtable | ACC | SEC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12

TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS: ACC | BIG TEN | BIG 12 | PAC-12 | SEC | OVERALL

*****

A decision will not come until February for the four-star receiver from Burley, Idaho, who was committed to Boise State but backed off that pledge after former coach Andy Avalos got fired. Michigan is still in a great spot but Bair is waiting to see if the NCAA hammers the Wolverines or not in the sign-stealing investigation. Oregon is also very much in this and could move up down the stretch.

*****

The three-star receiver who played his senior season at Newbury Park, Calif., had been committed to Arizona since June but both sides parted ways earlier this month and now two teams have emerged. Bell will be choosing between San Diego State and Colorado State and it feels like the Aztecs hold the advantage heading into decision day.

*****

This probably comes as no surprise after recent comments but it looks likely that Miami will flip the five-star defensive lineman from Florida State. Blount’s mother said the Miami (Fla.) Central standout was leaning to the Hurricanes heading into the weekend and it looked like he had a phenomenal time on his trip.

Nothing is official yet and the Seminoles still have him committed but the Hurricanes do look strong as a source said the visit this weekend went “pretty well.”

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FSU FANS AT THEOSCEOLA.COM

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT CANESCOUNTY.COM

*****

The five-star safety was back again at Florida State this weekend and things could have been solidified in his commitment but there are still Auburn rumors floating around and the feeling is if Bolden flips then it would be the Tigers.

Georgia looks to be an even bigger long shot but some things over the weekend make us think he’s even more locked in with the Seminoles. First, he said on Instagram while watching bowl practice that he would be out defending these receivers next season and then on Sunday he declined a last-minute visit back to Auburn.

*****

After being committed to Duke since May, the four-star quarterback from Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove backed off his pledge in recent days and is now focused only on Indiana and Michigan State. Both situations are unique as the Hoosiers have a commitment from three-star Alberto Mendoza and could go to the portal as well and Alessio Milivojevic backed off his Ball State pledge and then committed to the Spartans on Sunday.

*****

An early Arkansas commit, the four-star receiver from Pine Bluff, Ark., backed off that pledge in November and that’s when Missouri started to emerge in his recruitment. The Razorbacks tried to stay involved but after a weekend trip to Columbia it looks like the Tigers are the strong favorite heading into a Tuesday decision.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MISSOURI FANS AT POWERMIZZOU.COM

*****

Over the last few weeks as Gatling was considering what to do in his recruitment, Louisville and South Carolina were the two programs who showed the most interest in him if he were to back off his Texas A&M pledge. That happened in recent days and the word now is that the Gamecocks are very much the front-runner to land the high three-star receiver from Milton, Ga.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA FANS AT GAMECOCKSCOOP.COM

*****

The feeling on the four-star linebacker from Largo, Fla., is that his commitment is a toss-up with Florida still keeping him but Miami had him on campus this past weekend and there is guarded optimism both ways. Hayes has been committed to the Gators since January but the Hurricanes have come on strong late and it’s telling that Hayes visited on the last weekend before signing day.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FLORIDA FANS AT 1ST AND TEN FLORIDA

*****

The move of edge coach Eric Schmidt from Washington to become San Diego State’s defensive coordinator makes things “tough” for Kirks, who has been committed to the Huskies since late June. Others have been involved with the Painesville (Ohio) Riverside four-star and it’s unclear right now if Kirks just signs with Washington on Wednesday or waits to build new relationships.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH WASHINGTON FANS AT DAWGREPORT.COM

*****

Visits from Alabama coach Nick Saban and new Texas A&M coach Mike Elko have been finished and on the final weekend before signing day, Jernigan was back in College Station for one more feel before his final decision. Committed to the Aggies since May 1, the feeling is that Texas A&M is still in good shape in the final hours even though Alabama is tempting.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT AGGIEYELL.COM

*****

Following a weekend visit to Miami, the feeling is that the four-star running back from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas is close to flipping from Ohio State to the Hurricanes. That move has been trending for a while now but the weekend visit could have sealed it for Miami. The Buckeyes aren’t giving up but it could be tough to keep him.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT DOTTINGTHEEYES.COM

*****

Over the last few months there have been multiple iterations of top lists for Mitchell and a few dates to make a commitment but it looks like things could be coming to an end. The four-star defensive back who played only half the season because of transfer rules has San Diego State and Florida as his two front-runners but he was at SDSU last weekend so watch out for the Aztecs.

*****

Oklahoma State has to like its position in landing the three-star safety from St. Louis (Mo.) University especially after he spent the final weekend before signing day in Stillwater. Wyoming, Colorado State, Ohio and Arkansas State round out his top five with a decision coming Thursday.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OKLAHOMA STATE FANS AT OSTATEILLUSTRATED.COM

*****

Although he’s a 2025 five-star prospect who won’t be signing for a while, Pickett took a really important visit to Alabama this weekend and now the Crimson Tide could be right at the top of his recruitment. He loved how seriously the coaches take the DB positions and Pickett said Alabama is everything he’s looking for in a program.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT TIDEILLUSTRATED.COM

*****

Following a three-month commitment to Utah that didn’t work out, Radcliffe is back on the market and talking to USC, UNLV, San Diego State and is even considering some junior college options. The Sacramento, Calif., four-star running back carried the ball 158 times for 1,467 yards and 16 touchdowns so the production is there.

*****

Georgia can never be counted out for anyone but the strong feeling heading into the back half of the weekend is that Nebraska is looking very good for the five-star quarterback. There has been some chatter that a decision has already been reached by the Huskers’ legacy since his dad played there and his uncle coaches there but nothing is official yet.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT UGASPORTS.COM

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT INSIDENEBRASKA.COM

*****

Nebraska was considered one of the front-runners for the three-star safety from Miami (Fla.) Gulliver Prep but after waiting this long to make his commitment the Huskers have targeted others and now it looks like Virginia could be the spot for Sanders. With nearly 30 offers, that would be a huge win for the Cavaliers and while others are involved, UVa does look best.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH VIRGINIA FANS AT CAVSCORNER.COM

*****

North Carolina and NC State are the final two for the Scooba (Miss.) East Mississippi CC cornerback and a signing day decision is coming. Stewart landed an offer from the Tar Heels earlier this month but he was just in Raleigh this past weekend and things went well so the Wolfpack could have the edge here.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH UNC FANS AT TARHEELILLUSTRATED.COM

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NC STATE FANS AT THEWOLFPACKCENTRAL.COM

*****

Maybe things changed dramatically over the weekend when Williams took a surprise visit to Nebraska but according to a source, the four-star linebacker is still very locked in with Oregon and it’s been the only program he’s been talking about in recent weeks.

It’s unclear why the Long Beach (Calif.) Poly standout took a late trip to Lincoln but the Ducks still look very strong unless something has seriously changed in recent days.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OREGON FANS AT DUCKSPORTSAUTHORITY.COM

*****

FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking

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

CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100

*****