Simmons Mailbag: Haselwood, Pappoe, Sopsher and more

There is nothing better than interacting with all the college football and recruiting fans out there. We opened it up to Twitter and I appreciate each question.

There were questions about five-star Ishmael Sopsher, No. 1 running back Trey Sanders, playmaker Jadon Haselwood and more.

Here are my answers to your great questions.

MORE: Flip Meter: Who's Shaky, who's solid? | Farrell's Twitter Tuesday mailbag

My answer in short would be no. I still see Auburn as a school to watch in the Haselwood race, but I don’t see this visit being a game-changer. He left the visit early and did not stay for the Sunday portion. Word is all is still fine between him and Auburn, but Tennessee is the new school with the buzz. He is expected back at Georgia this weekend and he is likely going to take an official visit to Knoxville in the coming weeks. Oklahoma can’t be ruled out and we know Miami seems to still have the most momentum right now.

This race could still go a number of ways, with Auburn being one of them. Based on what I have gathered, the visit to Auburn really did not change things either way.

Right now, I say with some confidence that LSU will get one from that list. With Tyrion Davis already committed at running back, I cannot see the Tigers landing both John Emery and Noah Cain. It seems Emery is the No. 1 target and LSU really has some momentum right now. Cain is still up in the air.

With Sopsher, Alabama may have a slight edge here. He is so tight with Ed Orgeron though, LSU is not going anywhere. This is another one of those wars between Alabama and LSU for an elite prospect in Louisiana. We have seen each school win these wars over the years. This one could still go either way. I do not have the same confidence in LSU getting Sopsher as I do the Tigers landing Emery at this time. With Sopsher signing on National Signing Day in February, this one will go the distance.

It is hard for me seeing Sanders ending up anywhere other than Tuscaloosa right now. Yes, Texas got him in Austin for an official visit in September and Florida has his brother in Gainesville, but if Sanders does not end up at Alabama, I will be shocked.

The Crimson Tide have had the momentum since mid-summer and I considered the five-star a strong Alabama lean. He is set to take his official visit there at the end of the month. Not many times do you see a top prospect commit to the same school twice, but I see it happening here.

I see one more solid than the other at this time. I still like Auburn’s chances with George Pickens at this time, but Alabama is still one to watch. With Owen Pappoe, Tennessee is a real threat. Georgia is expecting him on campus this weekend, but the Vols are viewed more of a threat to Auburn than the Bulldogs at this time. Pappoe was in Knoxville last week for the Charlotte game instead of being at Auburn for the Texas A&M game.

There is a lot of chatter behind the scenes right now about Pappoe and Tennessee. The Vols are expecting him in Knoxville on Dec. 14, the last weekend before the Early Signing Period. So Auburn should be worried here. I do feel Alabama is a threat for Pickens, but not at the same level Tennessee is for Pappoe.

Matt Luke is doing a very good job. His offense has created a buzz this season, but the defense really needs to improve drastically next year. Kids are talking about the points the Rebels put up though much more than the ones they are giving up.

Speaking of offense, I really like what Ole Miss has done this recruiting cycle on the offensive side of the ball. It has a big group of offensive linemen, a strong group of receivers and running back Jerrion Ealy headlines this class. The Rebels will need to hold off other schools to sign Ealy. Of course the MLB Draft is in play there too with Ealy expected to be selected high next June.

The most interesting part of the stretch run may be who Ole Miss flips. I expect it to have a flip or two in this class. Will it be Eric Gray from Michigan? Could it be Maurice Hampton from LSU? What about Brandon Turnage from Alabama? To me, that will be something fun to watch. Ole Miss has been trending for in-state athlete Raydarious Jones too. Overall, I like the class Ole Miss is putting together. There are still a lot of moving parts, even with 26 verbal commitments at this time.

At running back, Georgia will sign one. That much I know. Who is the question. The one with the most buzz right now is Kenny McIntosh out of South Florida. If I had to put a name on the list that Georgia signs, today, it would be him. He has been viewed as an Auburn lean in the past, but even when Georgia had John Emery on its commitment list, McIntosh was still being recruited. Dell McGee saw him a few weeks ago and now McIntosh will be in Athens for an official visit this weekend. He is a big back like Georgia wants in this class, so he is the one to watch right now. Noah Cain is a name to put in your back pocket though. UGA is still involved there too.

On Nakobe Dean, this is shaping up to be a battle between Alabama and Georgia. There is no doubt Dean is Georgia’s No. 1 target at inside linebacker right now. The Dawgs have one spot left at that position and Dean is their guy. He has visit Athens numerous times with his family and he is set to return this weekend. Auburn is in it, but it does not appear to be at the level of Alabama and Georgia. The same can be said about LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. This weekend is huge for Georgia as it tries to gain some real momentum with Dean and his family as we hit the final turn before the Early Signing Period.

Nick Pendley is one of the hottest prospects in Georgia in terms of ones adding new offers this fall. He and his team have had a very strong season and his recruitment has picked up considerably. He is still open at this time. He would love an offer from Auburn. He was there last weekend and he has been visiting there for some time. Georgia is another school still evaluating him from which he would love an offer.

He has added offers from Indiana, Memphis, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina and USC among others this fall. Pendley is still focused on his season and letting recruiting play out. He has not started to form a list of favorites yet.