Recruiting Rumor Mill: Signing Day inches closer for 2024 standouts
It was another busy week of news and rumors, and there is a lot to absorb with signing day getting closer for the 2024 class. Here’s the latest in this week’s Recruiting Rumor Mill:
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Florida State is going to be a main contender throughout Buchanan’s recruitment especially after he just visited recently again and loves it every time in Tallahassee. He’s super familiar with the Seminoles and that’s going to go a long way with the 2025 offensive tackle from Sanford (Fla.) Seminole but Ole Miss, Auburn, LSU and Clemson are some others to watch.
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The word coming out of College Station over the weekend is that the entire Texas A&M staff made Bussey a massive priority over the weekend - and wanted to make it abundantly clear that he’s the top priority in the class. The Timpson, Texas high four-star standout has been committed to the Aggies since late September but LSU and Oklahoma have not given up and visits to those places are still possible.
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There is chatter that Oklahoma could be really tough to beat but now Alabama is making a move with the 2026 five-star offensive tackle whose recruitment is “still very wide open.” The tough season at Arkansas probably drops the Razorbacks a little and Cantwell has not clicked much with Missouri yet, either. The environment in Tuscaloosa along with his budding relationship with coach Nick Saban and especially position coach Eric Wolford along with the development at Alabama stand out most.
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A visit to Alabama went really well and could have moved the Crimson Tide even higher up his list because the environment “just felt right” to the 2025 four-star defensive end from Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley. Alabama is right there but Georgia still might have an edge for Davis with Duke and Clemson being the other two high on his list.
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The sign-stealing scandal at Michigan does not have the 2025 four-star commit too worried - yet - but the Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna standout has been looking at some other programs through the fall with two standing out the most. Auburn has made a significant push for Ewald but the word is that Florida State and Miami have been the most aggressive with the Michigan commit so far.
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During a recent visit to Auburn, Fox called it the “most exciting game-day experience since I’ve been a recruit,” and the four-star tight end UCF commit is planning to return for the Iron Bowl in late November. The Tigers are trying very hard to flip him and there is some chatter that the Loganville (Ga.) Grayson standout is considering it. Georgia Tech should also be watched as well as he was expected there over the weekend in its upset over North Carolina.
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One of the best-looking prospect at the NextGen Challenge in Atlanta last summer, Gilbert was recently back at Ohio State and the Buckeyes continue to be the massive favorite in his recruitment. If he doesn’t end up with the Buckeyes, it would be a shocker as the 2025 four-star tight end from West Chest (Ohio) Lakota West has shown the most interest in Ohio State through his recruitment. It might be a while, though, as the word is Gilbert wants to wait until the late spring or early summer to make his choice.
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The three-star quarterback from Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal committed to UNLV in mid-April but UCLA has stepped up recruiting him hard for months and he was at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. The Bruins are a major player here as Gordon loved the environment for the Rose Bowl and said it was the best he’s seen on homecoming even more than other visits to SEC and Pac-12 programs.
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Florida State, Clemson and others are still very much in the running for the top-ranked player in the 2025 class but the word is that Georgia might become very tough to beat for the five-star defensive lineman. Others definitely still have a chance but as the Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian standout works through his recruitment it’s becoming clearer he’s probably not leaving the Southeast and the Bulldogs have made him a top priority.
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Florida is making Grimsley a top priority to flip from Alabama and while the word is that he’s “not looking to flip,” the Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic four-star athlete is taking a much closer look at the Gators recently. Grimsley was expected at the Florida-Georgia game over the weekend and position coach Corey Raymond is coming after the four-star with renewed purpose.
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Hampton committed to Texas early in his recruitment only to decommit and then pick the Longhorns again over Alabama and others in July. Now Oregon is making a major push for the four-star athlete from Daingerfield, Texas but the word is that Hampton remains 100 percent committed to the Longhorns and the plan is to enroll early.
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An imminent flip is not in the cards for Helton and his twin brother, Brent, two offensive linemen from Corona (Calif.) Centennial but after a recent offer from Cal, the Iowa State pledges will have to be watched closely. The chatter is that the Helton Bros. plan to visit Berkeley and then gauge where they see their recruitments going - as it’s fully expected they will stick together and play for the Cyclones or possibly flip to Cal.
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An LSU commit since November, Hurley is trying to put the finishing touches on the Tigers’ recruiting class and the biggest target left is four-star receiver Dre’lon Miller. The Silsbee, Texas standout backed off his pledge to Texas A&M recently as LSU looks like the team to beat although he did return to College Station this past weekend and Colorado among others are trying to get involved. It would be very surprising at this point if he doesn’t end up in Baton Rouge though.
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The high three-star linebacker committed to Texas A&M on May 1 and was back in College Station this past weekend. It was made clear to the Tupelo, Miss., standout how badly he was wanted at Texas A&M and he had a great time but the plan is for Jernigan to still take his official visit to Alabama this weekend. After that visit, the Tupelo prospect should be able to determine the end of his recruitment.
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Tennessee, Alabama and LSU are the three SEC contenders in MacIntyre’s recruitment but he’s not coming to Los Angeles just for a good time. The 2025 high four-star quarterback from Brentwood (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy has loved UCLA since visiting in May and he absolutely loves the offense and proven track record of coach Chip Kelly. MacIntyre also believes UCLA has the nicest campus he’s been on as well.
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A new offer from Texas A&M is definitely one to watch for the 2025 four-star offensive tackle from Boerne, Texas after the Aggies offered over the weekend. The word is that Texas A&M will be “a top choice” but Tennessee could be the team to watch for the 2025 standout and Schramm also likes Oklahoma a lot as well.