RELATED: Predicting where the unsigned five-stars will land
The Early Signing Period came and went last week and several of the nation’s top players are now off the board. But with elite programs still looking to fill out their classes, the attention now turns to the 32 players who chose not to sign early. Today we breakdown the players still on the board in the Rivals100 and breakdown which schools to watch.
Schools in the mix: USC, Stanford, Notre Dame
The situation: St. Brown’s decision not to sign early didn’t come as a surprise as he has been very deliberate throughout the process. He recently narrowed his list to the three options listed above and will likely take a few more official visits in January. St. Brown has brothers playing for both the Cardinal and Irish but could go his own way and stay home to play for the Trojans. St. Brown is expected to announce a decision at the Army Bowl on Jan. 6.
Schools in the mix: LSU, Clemson, Florida State, Alabama, Miami
The situation: Surtain’s recruitment has seemed to be a battle among LSU, Clemson and Florida State for quite some time, but that hasn’t stopped Miami and Alabama from trying to land him. Most believe that LSU is the school to beat, largely because of the school’s tradition of developing defense backs and Surtain’s family connections to the state of Louisiana. But the Tigers will have plenty of competition as schools will be jockeying to make a last-second pitch.
Schools in the mix: USC, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee
The situation: When most prospects were making decisions, Taylor-Stuart was just trimming his list to fewer than 10 contenders so it’s not a shock that he elected to wait to sign. The question is, will he stay close to home on the West Coast or will he venture out to one of the SEC options that clearly seem to intrigue him? He has visits to Georgia and USC on the schedule but will likely squeeze in trips elsewhere as well.
Schools in the mix: Oklahoma, Clemson, UCLA, Nebraska, Florida State
The situation: Radley-Hiles was a longtime Nebraska commit before things went south with Mike Riley in Lincoln and since backing off his pledge to the Huskers, Oklahoma has seemed like the likely destination. However, UCLA is trying to lure him back to California while Willie Taggart and Florida State are also in the mix. Unlike some other prospects on this list, Radley-Hiles has already taken all five of his official visits, meaning a decision could come at any time.
Schools in the mix: USC, Oregon, Utah
The situation: Williams is one of the most enigmatic prospects in the 2018 class. He keeps a relatively low profile and hasn’t done much talking about his recruitment. Over the summer he named Oregon his leader and the Ducks still appear to be in good position in his recruitment, but USC could be a factor down the stretch.
Schools in the mix: Clemson, Alabama, Auburn
The situation: Clemson has been the team to beat for Ross for some time but it’s never easy to pull prospects out of Alabama that are wanted by both the Tide and Auburn. Ross is still likely to take official visits in January and it will be worth watching to see if either in-state school can keep him close to home.
Schools in the mix: South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia
The situation: The big-bodied defensive lineman recently cut his list to three and will announce his decision on National Signing Day. The Gamecocks are believed to be the favorite while North Carolina offers the ability to stay in-state and Georgia is riding the wave of a terrific season and Early Signing Period.
Schools in the mix: UCLA, Tennessee, USC
The situation: Griffin has been committed to the Bruins for months, but his decision to wait and not sign early can’t be reassuring to UCLA fans. Clearly Griffin is still feeling out the new staff and that could open the door for rival USC to lure Griffin away. Tennessee is the clear wildcard as the Vols are late to the party, but Griffin was clearly impressed on his official visit to Knoxville earlier this month.
Schools in the mix: Michigan, Georgia
The situation: Reese has been committed to Michigan for more than a year, so when he didn’t sign last week it turned plenty of heads. There have been consistent rumors for months about his interest in Georgia but it remains to be seen if the Dawgs will have room in their class to add Reese, should he want to flip. Either way, Reese is the type of prospect worth waiting for if you’re Michigan.
Schools in the mix: USC, Utah, Oregon, Alabama
The situation: It seemed as if Sewell was bound for the Ducks, with his relationship with then-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Mario Cristobal as the main reason. So now that Cristobal is the head man in Eugene it should be a slam dunk for the Ducks? As it turns out, it’s not that simple. Sewell and his family are now mulling a number of options, with USC re-entering the picture. Alabama still remains a factor and the chance to stay close to home could also come into play.
Schools in the mix: LSU, Alabama, Tennessee
The situation: Joseph was committed to LSU for the better part of his recruitment, only to open things up after the Tigers slow start to the season. But make no mistake, the Baton Rouge native is still penciled into the Tigers' class and it would be quite an upset to see him sign anywhere else.
Schools in the mix: UCLA
The situation: Thompson-Robinson is believed to be a solid commit, yet he elected not to sign early. He seems like a perfect fit in new head coach Chip Kelly’s offense, so it would be a surprise to see him land anywhere else.
Schools in the mix: USC
The situation: Another prospect believed to solidly committed, Trout decided not to sign with the Trojans in the early period. At this point he doesn’t have any other visits planned, but will still likely field interest between now and Feb. 7.
Schools in the mix: Penn State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Maryland
The situation: It seemed as if Walker was poised to land at Penn State, especially after a December official visit to Happy Valley. But he stuck with his plan to sign in February and now that opens the door for others. After missing out on five-star Jackson Carman, will the Buckeyes turn the heat up in an effort to land Walker?
Schools in the mix: Penn State, Ohio State
The situation: The Nittany Lions appeared to be the team to beat for Smith during the better part of his recruitment, but Ohio State seemed to pick up some momentum as the calendar turned to December. Smith is set to announce his decision at the Under Armour All-America Game early next month, but the two rivals will likely continue the battle until National Signing Day regardless of which school he chooses.
Schools in the mix: Missouri, USC, Nebraska
The situation: The St. Louis native has long seemed like a Mizzou lean but the same could have been said for his close friend Trout, who is now committed to USC. Thompson is also heavily considering the Trojans and took an official visit last month. The wildcard seems to be Nebraska, which is trying to work into the picture now that Scott Frost has taken over the program in Lincoln.
Schools in the mix: TCU, Michigan, LSU
The situation: Chase has already been committed twice, once to Kansas and once to Florida. Now he’s back on the market and it seems like TCU is the team the beat. Chase nearly committed to the Frogs over the summer and he has a close bond with Rivals100 TCU signee Justin Rogers. Michigan is a wildcard, and the Tigers could become a major factor if they decide to turn up the heat.
Schools in the mix: USC, Oregon, Michigan, Nebraska
The situation: The Oregon native plays his college ball less than an hour away from the Ducks' campus in Eugene, but that didn’t stop the Trojans a year ago when they landed four-star defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu out of the Beaver State. Hufanga doesn’t do many interviews but when he does he hasn’t been shy about his affection for USC. He’s also taken visits to Lincoln and Ann Arbor but his final destination remains a relative mystery.
Schools in the mix: Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan
The situation: Despite rumblings that Friday might decide to sign early, the period came and went without him making a decision. The Tide recently hosted Friday for a visit and appear to have new life in the race for his commitment, but a Penn State official visit remains on the horizon. Friday has also already taken official visits to Columbus and Ann Arbor.
Schools in the mix: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, Michigan
The situation: Petite-Frere has been penciled in by many to the Notre Dame class for quite some time, but he truly seems open to exploring his options during the month of January. The Irish and Wolverines have both already hosted him for official visits and he’s likely to take multiple trips next month as well.
Schools in the mix: Alabama, Tennessee
The situation: Most have considered Peterson to be an Alabama lean for months, and with good reason. He’s visited Tuscaloosa several times and in the few instances that he has given interviews, he’s praised the school. However, Jeremy Pruitt going from Alabama to Tennessee might be enough to get the Vols a serious look. There’s also rumblings that Peterson’s high school coach, Rush Propst, could join Pruitt’s staff in Knoxville, making things even more complicated.
Schools in the mix: Alabama, Stanford, BYU, Texas A&M
The situation: McKee is an interesting case because no matter where he signs, he won’t join the football team for two years as he’s set to complete his LDS mission following high school. But several major programs are still jockeying to land McKee’s signature and it will be interesting to see how his January visits, set for Stanford and BYU, impact his decision.
Schools in the mix: Florida State, Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee
The situation: The long-time Oregon commit backed off his pledge to the Ducks after Taggart bolted for Florida State. Will Thompson follow him to Tallahassee? That seems like the most likely scenario but Thompson is likely to take at least three official visits prior to National Signing Day.
Schools in the mix: Florida, Auburn, Clemson
The situation: The uncertainty about who would be coaching his position after Dan Mullen took the job in Gainesville played a role in Gouraige’s decision not to sign early. But another major factor in the Florida commit’s decision was his growing interest in Auburn. The Tigers are set to host him for an official visit following the dead period and could have a chance to overtake Florida if things go well. Clemson has also been mentioned by Gouraige and could become a player with a late push.
Schools in the mix: North Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Ohio State
The situation: Barnes has never been shy of his love for the Gators and at one point it seemed like his commitment was a formality. But obviously things have changed because of the coaching change and while the Gators are still the favorite, Auburn is also a major factor. Barnes will visit the Tigers next month and could also take trips to Ohio State and North Carolina.
Schools in the mix: Texas, Oregon, Alabama, Florida State, Texas A&M
The situation: Waddle is one of the most heavily pursued wide receivers in the country and with all his visits in the books, there’s a chance his recruitment doesn’t go all the way until National Signing Day. Depending on who you ask, there’s a different favorite for Waddle, but most believe it will come down to Texas vs. Texas A&M.
Schools in the mix: Notre Dame, Washington, USC, Michigan, Utah
The situation: It looked as if Irvin was going to sign with Notre Dame during the early period but he elected to take more time. Will the extra six weeks give USC the time it needs to convince him to stay close to home? Despite visits to some of the other contenders this seems like a classic battle between two of college football’s biggest rivals.
Schools in the mix: Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State
The situation: The U’s big season helped open Campbell’s eyes to staying close to home, but now several of college football’s heavy hitters are going to get their crack at Campbell in January. Much like his teammate Surtain, Campbell is keeping an open mind and it shouldn’t be a shock to see him end up at any of the other options on his list.
Schools in the mix: Texas A&M
The situation: The longtime Aggies commit decided to wait until the new staff was in place before making his commitment official but it’s unlikely he ends up anywhere but College Station.
Schools in the mix: Oregon, Nebraska, Georgia
The situation: Once thought to be destined for USC, it appears the Trojans have moved onto other options in the class. Oregon has picked up where the Trojans have left off and feels pretty good about its chances. Nebraska hosted Hall for an official visit under the last staff and could be a factor going forward, while Georgia is set to host Hall after the dead period.
Schools in the mix: Notre Dame, USC, Oregon, Oklahoma
The situation: Suliaupupu hasn’t given many hints about where he will play his college ball but the safe bet appears to be on USC. The Trojans are very high on him and have made him a priority in the class, but he’s also already visited the Irish and will likely take trips to Norman and Eugene following the dead period.
Schools in the mix: LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss
The situation: Goodrich was committed to Nebraska but backed off his pledge after the coaching change in Lincoln. Now it appears as if he’s starting his recruitment over, with three SEC options on the table. What prospects such as Campbell and Surtain do could also play a major factor in Goodrich’s recruitment, because LSU and Georgia have limited spots available in the class.
