Rivals Recruiting Buzz: Ten biggest visits this weekend
The biggest visitors across the country are concentrated heavily at the Texas-Alabama game this weekend but there are other important ones as well as we look at 10 of the most important visits – and a potential storyline to watch as well.
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Armondo Blount - Miami
Florida State looks to be the frontrunner for the 2025 five-star defensive end – and that might only be reinforced after he saw the Seminoles take down LSU last weekend – but Miami gets another shot this weekend.
The Miami Central standout is expected to see the Hurricanes take on Texas A&M and a good atmosphere could be huge. Blount has FSU, Miami and Florida high on his list now.
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Terry Bussey - Alabama
Maybe Texas A&M is too far ahead with a commitment planned for Sept. 28, but the four-star athlete from Timpson, Texas, is making the rounds. He was at Oklahoma last weekend and now Bussey will be in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide aren’t giving up yet. Bussey said he has no favorites right now but it’s widely believed the Aggies will be tough to beat.
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Elijah Griffin - South Carolina
The No. 1 player in the 2025 class was supposed to be at Alabama with its large contingent of elite prospects, but the word now is that the Savannah (Ga.) Christian defensive lineman is headed to South Carolina. That’s big because the Gamecocks should cruise by Furman, giving coach Shane Beamer and his elite defensive line recruiters more time with Griffin over the weekend.
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Aeryn Hampton - Alabama
An early Texas commit who backed off that pledge only to pick the Longhorns a second time in July, Hampton might be doing a little double-dipping here since Alabama was the runner-up in his recruitment over the summer.
The four-star athlete from Daingerfield, Texas, wasn’t invited back to Alabama for no reason as the staff continues to recruit him and a big win – one way or the other – could make things interesting here.
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Micah Hudson - Texas Tech
The five-star receiver is expected back at Texas Tech this weekend for its matchup against Oregon, and that’s important news as the Red Raiders try to lock up his commitment. That pledge was expected months ago but never materialized as the rumor was Texas A&M got him to hold off, and now there are Texas rumors again. But Texas Tech still has to feel great about where it sits in his recruitment, especially if he’s back in Lubbock this weekend.
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KJ Lacey - Alabama
There are going to be a lot of elite quarterbacks at Alabama this weekend and Lacey is one of them, but he has an added importance because the 2025 high four-star is committed to Texas. His Saraland, Ala., teammate Ryan Williams is pledged to the Crimson Tide and will be there as well so it will be interesting to see if anything changes after the game depending on how everything plays out.
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Julian Lewis - Alabama
The top 2026 quarterback committed to USC in late August. But since that time, Lewis has taken game-day visits to Georgia and now Alabama. According to a source close to him, there’s nothing there from a recruiting perspective and he’s just joining teammates on trips, but it’s always worthwhile to note when someone of Lewis’ caliber is on the road.
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Colin Simmons - LSU
This is the “potential storyline” mentioned above because Simmons’ Duncanville, Texas, teammates and LSU commits Dakorien Moore and Caden Durham are expected in Baton Rouge this weekend. The five-star defensive end committed to Texas over LSU and others in early August and there has been some chatter that Simmons could join his friends in Death Valley this weekend. LSU is not going to give up recruiting the five-star, so if he makes it to Baton Rouge that is interesting.
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Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State
Fresh off seeing Florida State receiver Keon Coleman have three TD catches in a huge win over LSU, and as the Seminoles keep working to flip the five-star receiver, Smith is planning a return to Ohio State, where he’s been committed since December. It could be very difficult to flip Smith, but a trip back to Columbus is important to center him again as FSU and others make a serious play for him.
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Jahkeem Stewart - Alabama
The 2026 star defensive end who could be a five-star is from New Orleans St. Augustine, so some believe he’s going to be an LSU lock. But that’s not necessarily the case as Georgia has made a huge impression on Stewart and Alabama is among his favorites as well. A dominant defensive performance this weekend could go a long way with the 2026 standout and the vibe in Tuscaloosa will be huge as Stewart starts to get serious about his recruitment.