Rivals Recruiting Buzz: Ten intriguing visits on tap for this weekend
This is not the biggest weekend for recruiting visits across the country but there are still some very significant ones to watch. Here are 10 that stand out for various reasons.
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Ashton Bethel-Roman - Missouri
The four-star receiver from Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point is putting together a strong senior season with 44 catches for 924 yards and nine touchdowns, so it would be big if Arkansas could keep him.
But with rumors surrounding coach Sam Pittman’s job status and Missouri’s excellent season - especially in the passing game - Bethel-Roman will be in Columbia this weekend. A flip to the Tigers would not be stunning at all.
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J’Marion Burnette - Georgia Tech
A longtime Auburn commit, Burnette and the Tigers parted ways earlier this month and now Georgia Tech is expected to host the four-star running back. The Andalusia, Ala., standout is looking for a new home and the Yellow Jackets will have their chance to impress this weekend.
Burnette has the talent to play in the SEC, so landing him would be a big deal as Georgia Tech also looks to add more depth to the RB room.
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Iose Epenesa - Kansas
Maybe this one is as easy as Epenesa follows his brother, A.J., and father, Eppy, to Iowa and stars for the Hawkeyes. But the 2025 four-star defensive end from Edwardsville, Ill., is at least seeing some other schools, getting a feel for other places and seeing what else is out there.
Epenesa will be at Kansas this weekend for the big Kansas State showdown, and the environment should be great.
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Ricky Knight III - Miami
A Florida State commitment since July 1, there has not been any real chatter that Knight is considering a flip, but Miami is hosting him this weekend and it’s something to watch since he plays right up the road at West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman.
Maybe Knight just wants to see one of the better games of the week, or maybe the Canes have something brewing here. It’s worth watching.
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Julian Lewis - Ohio State
Again, we start every comment about Lewis with the caveat that the 2026 five-star quarterback remains committed to USC, and he could just be taking visits to have fun with the recruiting process.
But the Carrollton, Ga., five-star QB has made multiple stops this year at Georgia and now Ohio State, among others, as position coach Corey Dennis is still heavily involved here. USC still has Lewis locked up, but others won’t give up.
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LJ McCray - Miami
Florida has suffered a killer string of decommitments from Jamonta Waller, Nasir Johnson and Wardell Mack this week alone, and now McCray will be back on the road.
Florida State is a big player for the four-star defensive end from Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland, and now Miami will get its shot with McCray, who doesn’t talk a lot about where his recruitment stands.
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Caleb Odom - Alabama
An Alabama commit since mid-July, it’s a big deal that Odom is returning to Tuscaloosa this weekend because he’s taken back-to-back visits to Ole Miss, and the Rebels are trying everything they can to flip him.
The four-star tight end from Carrollton, Ga., is clearly intrigued by what Ole Miss is doing offensively, so getting him back to home base, around coach Nick Saban and the staff and around the players and other recruits will be crucial.
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David Sanders Jr. - Tennessee
Over the last few days, the 2025 five-star offensive tackle was at Florida State as the Seminoles are a contender in his recruitment. This weekend, Sanders is expected at Tennessee. It’s going to be a great environment at Neyland Stadium, but could the five-star be doing some double dipping on Saturday?
Georgia is considered the favorite early on for Sanders and seeing the Dawgs on the road could help in his own recruitment as well.
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Jordan Seaton - Tennessee
The best offensive lineman in the 2024 class is taking a big visit to Tennessee this weekend, and only after that visit will we know if the Vols have a real shot to land him.
Alabama and Ohio State could be duking it out until the end for the high four-star from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, but the Vols, Colorado and others are staying engaged and Seaton is just unpredictable enough to make a surprise decision.
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Elias Williams - Tennessee
Alabama had a shot at the Missouri commit recently, and Tennessee will have him on campus this weekend as the three-star defensive end from Hudson, Fla., has seen his options expand in recent months.
Missouri is playing so well that it’s certainly possible that Williams sticks with the Tigers, but there’s going to be a lot of pressure on him in the closing weeks before signing day. Tennessee gets its shot this weekend.