Redmond releases top 6, has leader
Defensive back Will Redmond of Memphis (Tenn.) East, who burst onto the scene this spring, apparently has hit the home stretch of his recruitment.
Sunday night, he made two significant announcements.
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First, he released his top six. It includes the following schools, in alphabetical order: Alabama, Clemson, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Then, Redmond called one of the six his leader.
"UNC is probably the team to beat," Redmond said.
If all goes as planned, the 6-foot, 179-pound cornerback/safety may be ready to announce his destination in a matter of weeks.
"I'd like to have a decision by the end of July," Redmond said.
Redmond gave a brief comment about each of his finalists.
Alabama: "They're a powerhouse. You know they come to play football."
Clemson: "I like their demeanor, Coach [Dabo] Swinney, the family attitude and also their uniforms."
Mississippi State: "I love the coaches down there, and how everything is. I like how [head coach] Dan Mullen built the program. They've got a chance to compete for a national title."
North Carolina: "When I went over there, it felt like family. I hung out with a lot of the players and they were cool. I could see myself around those people."
Tennessee: "It's close to home and they have a lot of history with players from Memphis."
Vanderbilt: "I know that after college, with a degree from Vanderbilt I could probably work anywhere. If I go there, I can be one of the people who help turn Vanderbilt around."
Of Redmond's favorites, all but Alabama have offered, but Redmond plans to camp there in July and has been told his chances of earning an offer are good. That visit might be his last before making a commitment.
All told, Redmond claims 17 offers.
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at kneebs01@aol.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.