Ruggs has decision date set

ATLANTA – Henry Ruggs arrived at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge with a favorite in mind. It’s just that he declined to disclose it. As it turns out, there's a reason for that.

“I have a favorite but I’m not ready to say it yet,” Ruggs said. "I'm just going to commit on August 1."

The guessing game isn’t too difficult. A four-star wide reliever, Ruggs doesn’t mind listing a small group of frontrunners. His list of real college option, it seems, is short.

“There’s a bunch of schools I’m interested in,” Ruggs said. “Alabama, LSU, N.C State, Louisville. A few others.”

IN HIS WORDS: “Alabama is basically just telling me that I’m the priority in the 2017 class.”

RIVALS REACTION: Alabama and LSU seem to have a leg up in the race to land Ruggs. Auburn could also be involved. Elite Alabama prospects rarely leave the state, so extracting Ruggs won’t be easy for LSU or other programs.