Rivals Camp Series N.J.: Forecasting where elite prospects will land
SOMERSET, N.J. -- The Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas hit New Jersey last weekend and welcomed in a number of touted prospects. With the camp and the interviews that preceded it now in the past, Rivals.com’s analyst Adam Friedman tried his hand at predicting where some of the event’s most notable players will land on National Signing Day.
MORE RCS N.J.: Players predict where peers will commit | Prospects now on the radar | Players who earned their stripes | Five teams that should be pleased | The Friedman awards | Thoughts from the sideline
Michigan and Ohio State are once again going head to head for a big time prospect out of Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco. Last time it was 2018 Rivals100 defensive lineman Tyler Friday and he ended up signing with the Buckeyes. Berger has the same decision to make, but the landscape is a little different. He is going to announce his decision at the All-American Bowl in January so it’s not like he’s going to commit any time soon.
MORE: Berger sets commitment date
Oregon, Alabama, and LSU will get visits from Berger and official visits will be taken so there is a lot still to play out. Syracuse and Rutgers will continue to stay in the conversation because of their ties to Berger and his camp. At this point, it’s a toss up between Michigan and Ohio State. I’ll go with Michigan for now but that could certainly change.
Prediction: Michigan
Versatile tight ends are pretty much a requirement now in college football and that makes Large a coveted prospect. LSU, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Duke, and Georgia are doing the best job with Large at the moment. The Badgers and Buckeyes appear to be in slightly better position than the rest of the schools but this is a really tightly contested recruitment.
Georgia will host Large next weekend and then he is planning on putting together his official visits. A commitment will come before the season but after his official visits. It’s hard to pick a leader for Large at this point but it feels like Ohio State is in the best position. That could change after his upcoming unofficial visit to Georgia but, for now, I’ll go with the Buckeyes.
Prediction: Ohio State
Raikes has seen his stock rise this offseason and it was easy to see why after his performance on Sunday. Much like recent Texas A&M commit Fadil Diggs, the Aggies have made Raikes a priority. Raikes’ most recent visit was to College Station and he wants to go back for an official visit. Defensive line coach Elijah Robinson has strong ties to southern New Jersey and that is a big factor for Raikes. Oregon, Penn State, West Virginia, and Temple are the other schools that Raikes stays in touch with. Look for Raikes to take a few more visits before committing towards the end of next month.
Prediction: Texas A&M
Simon was outstanding at Sunday’s Rivals Camp and it’s easy to see why so many schools are pursuing him. He has been recruited for a long time and went through the process with his brother, former 2018 Rivals250 and current Notre Dame linebacker Shayne Simon, so he has taken dozens of unofficial visits.
Official visits are coming up with Penn State, Notre Dame, and Nebraska as likely destinations. Virginia and Kentucky seem to be in the mix as well. Notre Dame has been the favorite to land Simon’s commitment from day one but Penn State is positioned as their biggest challenger. With Simon’s commitment set to come prior to the start of this season, Penn State doesn’t have a huge window to build momentum and overtake Notre Dame.
Prediction: Notre Dame
There are a lot of schools pursuing Still and he hasn’t closed the door on anybody yet. West Virginia, Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech are the big players for him but a recent visit to West Virginia really wowed him. More visits are on deck but nothing is locked in right now.
Expect Maryland, North Carolina, and a few others to get additional visits this offseason. With no commitment date in sight, there is plenty of room for another school to jump in and grab Still’s attention. Look for Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia Tech to hang around in Still’s recruitment for a long time. If Still had to sign today, he’d probably pick West Virginia but it’s pretty much a toss up.
Prediction: West Virginia
