Recruiting Rumor Mill: Sooners make impression with ChampU BBQ event

National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney is back with his Recruiting Rumor Mill, which features recruiting chatter and news from around the country as a big month of visits continues this week.

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Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Auburn are the three finalists for the four-star cornerback from Marietta (Ga.) Walton and the Tigers had their opportunity to impress him this past weekend. It went really well. From the family atmosphere to Allen hitting it off with position coach Zac Etheridge (it helps big-time that he played at Auburn) and Allen’s relationship with Bryan Harison and Derek Mason, Auburn is squarely in the hunt. An official visit to North Carolina happens this weekend.

The 2023 four-star safety from Denton (Texas) Guyer is not saying much about which visits have impressed him the most so far this month - he’s had Florida State, Notre Dame, TCU, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and South Carolina on his list - but the word is that the Sooners blew him and many other prospects away last weekend. From the atmosphere, to meeting some former players and the message that a speedy defense is the focus there, Bowen should have Oklahoma high throughout his recruitment.

There are not many hints as to which schools stand out most for Bradley yet but the 2023 four-star defensive end from Platte City (Mo.) Platte County loved his recent visit to Oklahoma. From seeing the list of players drafted to the NFL, to the schooling, the word is “everything” stood out to him but it’s still early and Bradley is keeping nis frontrunners quiet. Plus, Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee are showing new interest.

There is a decent chance the 2023 athlete could play with his brother, Zion, who’s a 2022 recruit and that’s why some of the same teams are on Branch’s top list of USC, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama, Washington and Clemson. The 2023 standout receiver was at the Oklahoma ChampU BBQ this past weekend and especially loved two things: The genuineness of the coaching staff and seeing all the pro receivers back on campus. Ohio State and USC could have the edge for Zion Branch so that’s something to watch but Oklahoma definitely impressed the 2023 Branch as well.

Georgia is the early standout in Cunningham’s recruitment because it’s close to home and he has an outstanding relationship with Tray Scott but he’s building closer bonds with Georgia Tech and especially Clemson after a recent unofficial there as well. The closeness of the staff made a big impression on the 2024 defensive end and he hit it off with assistants Todd Bates and Lemanski Hall while there. If an offer comes from Clemson, it could join Georgia at the top.

The chatter in recent weeks is that Oklahoma has emerged as a front-runner for Davillier and it will be interesting to see where the Sooners have the four-star defensive end on their board coming out of the summer. If he’s high, then Oklahoma could be the team to beat because a recent visit to Norman went really well and Davillier loved the atmosphere there. But there is also talk that the Maumelle, Ark., standout could stay close to home and that would favor Arkansas. Nebraska cannot be counted out, either, yet.

There seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to Easter’s recruitment. One is that if and when Clemson offers, the 2023 four-star tight end could be ready to commit to the Tigers and lock down his recruitment early. The other is that the Ashdown, Ark., standout could lean heavily to Arkansas and that the Razorbacks have a real shot in his recruitment. Easter is one of the top tight ends in his class and will have plenty of options but those look like the two scenarios at the moment.

The 2023 four-star offensive tackle from Lee’s Summit (Mo.) Lee’s Summit North was at Oklahoma’s ChampU BBQ last weekend and loved the facilities, the atmosphere, the feeling that it was a winning program and the message from the coaching staff that everything is earned but if you put in the work championships could be won in Norman. Oklahoma is definitely an early front-runner for Green along with Missouri, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas A&M but that list could change with new teams getting involved all the time.

The rumor on the four-star offensive lineman from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco is that his visit to Ohio State was a game-changer and that the Buckeyes could be tough to beat in his recruitment. Can anyone say Wyatt Davis 2.0? The two are very similar in playing style and interest in the Buckeyes but other visits will happen. Greene is at Oklahoma on Thursday and others should happen before a commitment is made but Ohio State is definitely high.

In recent days, the 2023 high four-star receiver has visited Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Texas and the chatter is that he liked the trip to Norman most. The coaching staff stood out most and the message from them is to keep doing what he’s doing and they’d love to have him be a part of the program. That’s no surprise since the Longview, Texas, standout has favored Oklahoma for some time but it’s big that he’s visited the Big Three and still likes the Sooners most. A visit to LSU will happen Friday.

The 2023 five-star receiver already had Oklahoma high on his list - and the Sooners might have gone even higher after the ChampU BBQ weekend, if that’s possible. Not only was 2023 five-star QB Malachi Nelson there but Inniss was surrounded by former star receivers including Marquise Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Sterling Shepard and Dede Westbrook and the rumor is it left a massive impression. Inniss was at Ohio State Tuesday and will see Alabama on Friday but Oklahoma set the bar super high.

Florida State, Alabama, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Michigan and Notre Dame are the schools that stand out most to Joseph, who recently visited both Clemson and Alabama and got offered at both places. The 2023 wide receiver now has nearly 30 offers but there are a handful of standouts moving forward heading into his junior year.

Committed to Miami since late May, Lee took a weekend visit to UCF but the chatter is the Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz three-star receiver is not thinking at all about flipping his pledge. That is especially important because new coach Gus Malzahn and his staff have been getting some big-time prospects to visit and Lee is one of them but for now he’s completely solid with his Miami decision.

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Florida could be a sneaky favorite for the four-star defensive tackle from Owasso, Okla., because of the atmosphere there but also because he was blown away by strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage. A big visit to Ohio State is coming up and McClellan is well-versed in position coach Larry Johnson’s success over the years. USC is another major contender and he loved his visit there and then Missouri and Alabama are up there as well. But more visits could be coming as McClellan considers trips to Auburn, Georgia and LSU. There’s a rumor that the four-star might not be thrilled Oklahoma waited so long to offer but they’re still the Sooners and the in-state school so they’re absolutely a contender as well.

There are a bunch of Big Ten teams and ones from the Southeast involved with Monds but Nebraska has set the bar high and the Huskers could be the front-runner right now. The word “amazing” and phrase “felt like home” was thrown around, he loved the staff and the players and the Fort Pierce (Fla.) Westwood three-star corner especially hit it off with position coach Travis Fisher.

Myers is taking visits all over the country like so many other prospects this month and not saying too much about front-runners yet but Oklahoma is going to be pretty high after the 2023 four-star cornerback visited for the ChampU BBQ. What stood out for the Coppell, Texas prospect was the winning culture in Norman and how the coaches are focused on getting guys to build on the success of the past. Visits to Baylor, Washington and Arkansas happened in recent days as well.

The rumor on Singleton is that he’s torn between Notre Dame and Penn State especially after his visit to South Bend went really well and the Irish coaching staff said he was the main priority for them. Penn State showed the Shillington (Pa.) Governor Mifflin four-star running back a great time on a recent visit, he’s an in-state kid and there’s a lot to like about the Nittany Lions. But Notre Dame definitely has him thinking a lot. Visits to Texas A&M and Alabama will happen before it’s time to decide.

Florida has been considered the front-runner for the four-star athlete from Niceville, Fla., but the chatter is that his visit to LSU last weekend could have changed things dramatically. Thomas loved the players in Baton Rouge and the love he received from the coaches and now LSU is definitely one of the top schools along with Florida and Georgia Tech for now. If Florida still holds an edge, that gap has been closed considerably.

Georgia is a major contender for the four-star safety from Orlando Boone and the Bulldogs are making him a priority in this class. Miami and Florida are the other two schools under the most serious consideration but watch Georgia if the coaching staff continues to pursue Thomas. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they did after seeing him work out recently.

Narrowing his list to Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, the rumor has been that the Buckeyes are definitely the frontrunner in his recruitment. But the Sooners blew the Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian standout away and they’re “definitely pushing” according to a source. Still, this feels like the Buckeyes are out front with Webb planning to commit next month.

Oklahoma is considered a front-runner for the four-star defensive back from Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington but USC made a major impression this past weekend especially as Williams and position coach Donte Williams majorly hit it off. The Sooners, the Trojans and Florida are the three top schools and while Oklahoma could still land him there’s no question USC is playing a major role right now. There is a belief that Williams could commit soon but we’re hearing he could be patient with a visit to Arkansas coming up this week and a trip to LSU possible.