Published Oct 9, 2016
Rivals.com Five-Star Club: 2018 Five-star updates, predictions
Rivals.com
Staff

National Signing Day for the Class of 2018 is still about 16 months away, but plenty of the nation’s top prospects in the class are already on the way toward making a college decision.

As part of Five-Star Week, the Rivals.com national analyst team takes a look at the uncommitted five-stars and projects where they might land.

RELATED: 2017 five-star predictions | Rivals Five-Star Club

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The Latest: Lawrence was on hand to watch Clemson’s big win over Louisville and the nation’s No. 1 player was very impressed with the win and the atmosphere on campus. The Tigers have been going head-to-head with Georgia for quite some time, and while he was expected to announce in August, Lawrence is now taking his time before making a decision.

The Early Favorite: Georgia. This is a clear two-school battle between Georgia and Clemson, and it’s almost too hard to pick a clear leader here. Despite his recent visit to the Tigers I still think Georgia wins out in the end. - Woody Wommack, Southeast recruiting analyst

Others Schools to Watch: Clemson

Farrell’s Prediction: Clemson

The Latest: Hall is really in the early stages of his recruitment and has taken a number of visits, whether with his 7-on-7 team or with his Hawkins teammates - mainly five-star WR Joseph Lewis and four-star athlete Greg Johnson. He has been numerous times to USC, has seen Arizona, has been to the Midwest and will absolutely take his time throughout his recruitment. He has already received almost every offer imaginable.

Early favorite: USC. It is still very early and so much could change, but Hall's high school is just miles from the USC campus. It is not a guarantee that Hall goes to the same school as Lewis, but it would make a whole lot of sense, so that will be something to watch moving forward. - Adam Gorney, National recruiting analyst

Other schools to watch: Arizona, UCLA and a whole bunch of others.

Farrell’s Prediction: USC

The Latest: Thomas has been making the rounds on the visit circuit, having already taken in games at Georgia, South Carolina and Clemson so far this fall. His visits are expected to continue, with programs like Florida State and Alabama also on his list.

The Early Favorite: South Carolina. Thomas isn’t shy about his love for the Gamecocks, and he has been a regular on campus during his time as a high-level recruit. - Wommack

Others Schools to Watch: Alabama has already made it clear to Thomas that he’s at the top of its board at the position, and Clemson is also in hot pursuit. Thomas also beamed about his trip to Georgia and Florida State remains a player as well.

Farrell’s Prediction: South Carolina

The Latest: As the top-rated running back in the 2018 class, White isn't short on suitors. He went to the Georgia/North Carolina game earlier this year at the Georgia Dome and was at Clemson last weekend for their prime time matchup with Louisville. He's visited North Carolina multiple times recently and will likely get back to Chapel Hill in the not-too-distant future. Don't expect a quick decision here, because White wants to take more visits to schools like Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, Florida State and some others.

The Early Favorite: North Carolina (by a slight margin over Clemson) - Adam Friedman, Mid-Atlantic recruiting analyst

Others Schools to Watch: Georgia, Ohio State, Florida State, Tennessee, AlabamaFarrell’s Prediction: Georgia

The Latest: Johnson has taken a number of unofficial visits and seems serious about leaving the state for college. He has been intrigued by California-based schools for some time, but Alabama is also pursuing the talented defensive back. His older brother attended Florida State but was dismissed from the team following a legal issue.

The Early Favorite: UCLA - Rob Cassidy, Southeast recruiting analyst

Others Schools to Watch: Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, USC, Miami

Farrell’s Prediction: Alabama