Southeast spotlight: Five prospects in the headlines
The high school football season has already kicked off in some states, while others will take the field for their season openers this weekend. As we head into the 2017 prep schedule, here are five prospects from the Southeast who will be in the spotlight.
Fields has all eyes on him right now and it has been that way since he decommitted from Penn State earlier in the summer. He quietly has taken visits to Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia, and has tried to take most of those without anyone knowing. Fields said over the summer that he “hoped” to make his decision before the season, but he is still uncommitted with his second game of his senior year coming up Friday. It looks to be down to Florida State and Georgia, with Auburn hanging on by a thread, so when will he commit? Until he does, and likely even until he signs, Fields will be one of, if not the, most watched prospect in the 2018 class.
Is Cox a five-star defensive end? He is definitely in the discussion. He will be watched closely this fall and then after the season in all-star settings. Cox has great size, he flashed potential at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas in June, and if he puts it all together, and plays consistently to a high level, the Ohio State commit has a real chance to add that fifth star.
Cook, a one-time Florida State commit, took a late summer visit to Louisville and is set to visit Georgia on Sept. 2. Those two schools appear to be the front-runners for his commitment. The Seminoles are hanging around as well, but Cook is not likely to end up in Tallahassee. The buzz is the Bulldogs have a solid lead, but the Cardinals really impressed in July. Cook also has teammates and close friends committed to Louisville, so that only helps their chances. A commitment in July was once thought to be a real possibility, but the calendar has flipped and now we wait. There is some chatter about Cook committing after he takes his official visits, but he will likely commit sooner rather than later.
Will the No. 1 prospect in Louisiana leave or stay in-state? Marshall released his top four of LSU, Miami, Texas and Texas A&M not that long ago and the in-state Tigers are thought to be the favorite. It was not always that way though. At one time, TCU, the school his teammate, quarterback Justin Rogers, is committed to was in the driver’s seat. This race has had its twists and turns, and although it looks to have slowed down with all chasing LSU, this one is not over. Marshall is a premiere playmaker in the 2018 class, he is sought after by numerous top programs and many are watching to see if Ed Orgeron can keep this one home.
It is hard not to be in the spotlight when you are the No. 1 prospect in the country. Lawrence has been that guy for years now when talking the 2018 class. How he has responded? He has only lost one game as a starter in high school, has won two state titles and has thrown for over 10,000 yards and 122 touchdowns. There is some pressure being applied now though by Fields, so there will be even more eyes on Lawrence this season as he tries to win another title and keep that No. 1 ranking. Lawrence has been under the spotlight since middle school and he handles the pressure like a professional. Do not expect him to crack under pressure his senior year.
