Southeast Spotlight: Five most contested recruiting battles

Official visit season is right around the corner, and while many recruitments are winding down a host of others are becoming more contested by the day. Here is a closer look at the five most contested recruiting battles happening in the Southeast.

THIS SERIES: Most contested recruiting battles in the Midwest | Mid-South | West

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CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

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Contenders: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson, USC

This two-way star has had many guessing on his college destination for years at this point. Matthews has four June official visits on deck that are likely to tilt the conversation toward a program or two, as opposed to a handful of contenders.

Matthews already has trips set to each of the contenders, save for Alabama, which could be an indicator of where he is from a decision-making standpoint. From the outside looking in, tracking visits and the conversation around advantageous positioning is the first impression or the last impression. For Matthews, it could also present the two programs gaining the most confidence in the race at this time, Clemson and Tennessee, respectively. There is an indication the five-star wants to end his recruitment later this summer, so coming off of those trips it will be those programs in the best shape to get good news. Should Matthews hold off, it will become one of the most tracked battles during the season itself.

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Contenders: Ohio State, Miami, Florida, Florida State

This feature is full of big-time programs focused on five-star potential, and Trader’s recruitment has already gone through twists and turns relative to the others listed. He’s been thought of as a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, an Ohio State commitment, linked to local Miami as an early priority for Mario Cristobal and now there is building buzz for both Florida and Florida State ahead of return trips to those campuses. There are more unofficial visits on the upcoming schedule than officials for Trader, who has also been steadfast on a late, December and/or National Signing Day type of decision timeline.

The wide-open plan leaves much room for the pecking order between the quartet to fluctuate just as much as the opportunity for a new program to thrust itself into the conversation. The case for Ohio State and Miami seems a bit clearer the sooner Trader shuts things down, but Rivals sources in south Florida contend Florida State is much more alive than most realize at this time. If Trader sticks to the late-decision plan, he could be the type of swing recruit that decides the national recruiting champ or even a recruiting state championship between the big three in Florida.

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Contenders: Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Auburn

This recruitment was set up to be a classic five-star battle in many ways. Bolden would pick between elite programs close to his north Georgia home, let the summer official visits duke it out and figure out the spot before the new season begins. That plan would have likely favored in-state Georgia, rival Alabama and recruiting rival Clemson, but there are newer elements at play in looking at one of the best in the south.

There are family ties to Ohio State, a program already proven to be able to dip into SEC country for elite talent, and Auburn's first-year staff is playing catch-up quite well given Bolden’s unofficial visits and now-likely in-season AU visit later this year. The latter pushes a decision timeline deeper into 2023, when new elements can theoretically affect the winning program, from on-field impression to NIL clarity (or lack thereof) and plenty in between. Should the later decision be present due to simple logistics, it would profile as somewhat of a surprise if Bolden isn’t on the Georgia, ‘Bama or Clemson commitment list when all is said and done.

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Contenders: Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Ole Miss

Seaton is wide open both on the contender and timeline front. It makes this stage of his recruitment feel somewhat insignificant relative to the others on the list, but there is a plan in place to honor a program pushing consistently with a summer official visit. After that point, Seaton says he will take in-season trips ahead of a later rather than sooner college pick.

The Big Ten powers, along with Georgia and Alabama, have been on his mind the longest. New SEC contenders like Florida, Texas A&M and Ole Miss have upped communication with the versatile talent since he made the move to Florida. A laxed timeline will allow for twists and turns from the new programs involved, but don’t sleep on the blue- bloods long in play here. Particularly, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State, who figure to remain at or near the top no matter how long this race goes on. As the season nears, however, proximity to SEC country has to give another layer of confidence to those programs as additional visits are to be set.

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Contenders: Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee, Ohio State, Oklahoma

Tennessee just hosted Brown for his official visit and impressed, but was it enough to close the gap with in-state Georgia and fellow longtime contender Clemson? We’re not sure, and we know this race is set to end sooner than perhaps any other elite recruit on this list. Upcoming trips to the other four programs could put a dent into the race for this two-way, multi-sport star, but it could be an uphill climb for the programs furthest from Jefferson, Ga.

Brown’s recruitment has long been viewed as a heavyweight battle, and we don’t see Kirby Smart losing much of these within state lines – particularly on defense. Clemson appears right there, and Dabo Swinney’s program will host Brown this weekend, so if there is a visit to watch it is the next one. Ohio State and Oklahoma have hung around ahead of their own visits, but it’s the next two that we see determining this race. Brown visits Athens the weekend of June 9, one week after his time in Death Valley. Those two programs also happen to be where he is most familiar, which is a big deal for a long-coveted, well-traveled talent like the linebacker.