Southeast Spotlight: Forecasting the recruitment of four prospects
With the college football season already at the halfway point and some teams already out of the race for the College Football Playoff, coaches and fans alike are turning their attention to recruiting as things ramp up in anticipation of the first early signing period. Today, we take a look at the highest-ranked uncommitted players in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana and do our best layout their recruiting picture as well as take a look at which teams are in the best position to land their commitments.
The Situation: Salyer started picking up offers his freshman year, so he has been going through the recruiting process for over two and a half years. He is a true veteran and he is a national name that schools from coast to coast have pursued. He has taken many unofficial visits and his first official visit is coming up this weekend to Ohio State. Alabama, Notre Dame, Stanford and some other schools have fallen out of the race, but Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State are still standing. He is set to decide Dec. 15 at his school before signing his letter of intent a few days later.
The Front-runner: Georgia
Salyer has taken in a couple games this season at Georgia and he has developed a very strong relationship with offensive line coach Sam Pittman. How Georgia has played has only helped its case here, but Salyer seeing close friend, former teammate Andrew Thomas start as a true freshman at right tackle has shown him a lot too. Georgia was just an option before Kirby Smart took over, but the in-state school has made a strong push over the past year.
The Other Option: Clemson
It is no secret that Clemson and Georgia are the top two schools for Salyer. He loves the culture at Clemson and he has connected with offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell and the entire coaching staff. Clemson playing for the national title the last two years and winning one in January definitely got his attention.
But Don’t Count Out: Ohio State
The Buckeyes will get the first official visit and Salyer has had his eyes on Ohio State since he was a kid. His favorite offensive lineman is Orlando Pace, a former Buckeye, and some have compared him to the former first round pick.
The Situation: The top-ranked prospect in Alabama has been close to committing on at least once occasion, but he held off. Ross seems to be down to three schools: Alabama, Auburn and Clemson. Florida State has tried to stay in this race and Florida is a school Ross still mentions, but it would be a shock if he does not end up at one of the in-state schools or Clemson. A decision is not likely to happen until he takes at least some of his official visits.
The Front-runner: Clemson
It feels a little odd writing that an out-of-state school is trending for the top prospect in the Yellow Hammer State. Don't they always end up at Alabama or Auburn? Ross still could, but the Tigers have put themselves in a good spot. He loved his visits over the summer, then when he went up for the Auburn game with his family, the Tigers started to pull ahead it seemed. The fact that Clemson has Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 prospect in the 2018 Rivals100 committed, only helps the program's case for the five-star receiver.
The Other Option: Auburn
Auburn was thought to be the front-runner early on, and the Tigers are still right in the thick of this race. He has visited Auburn a couple of times for games this season and he plans to return. The staff at Auburn has gone all-in for Ross and they have made him feel like a priority from day one.
But Don’t Count Out: Alabama
Can you ever count Nick Saban and Alabama out for a top tier recruit? They have seemed to get just about anyone they wanted in recent memory, so Alabama is still a threat to both Clemson and Auburn for Ross. What Alabama is hoping happens soon is Ross returns for another visit to Tuscaloosa.
The Situation: The five-star wide receiver is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Louisiana and has narrowed his list to five schools, with Florida State, Texas A&M, Alabama, Texas and LSU making the list. Marshall was just in Tallahassee for his first visit and will likely wait until all five trips are in the books before announcing a final decision. Earlier this season he suffered an injury that has kept him out of action but also allowed him more time to focus on recruiting, so the schools receiving trips were chosen carefully by Marshall and his family.
The Front-runner: LSU
Whenever you're talking about the No. 1 player in Louisiana, LSU is going to be a factor and the Tigers' resurgence over the past month has only helped their position with Marshall. Getting him and his family on campus for an extended period of time along with getting the last chance to pitch him should only help LSU as they try to close on him and get his signature in December.
The Other Option: Texas A&M
The Aggies have had their share of success recruiting the state of Louisiana during the Kevin Sumlin era and are hoping to edge out LSU for another five-star wide receiver from the Boot. Right now the Aggies face an uphill battle, but the way the team has played recently has given them a chance to contend for Marshall's commitment.
But Don’t Count Out: Alabama
Right now the Tide are on the outside looking in, but there's no doubting the success the school has had with similar receivers to Marshall over the past 10 years. If Alabama really turns up the heat, could they land Marshall? Right now it's a long shot but as usual you can never count out Nick Saban and company when it comes to elite prospects.
The Situation: Joseph was a longtime LSU commitment but recently backed off of his commitment following the Tigers' loss to Troy. Despite the timing of the announcement, Joseph had long wanted to expand his recruiting horizons and give other schools a chance, especially considering he ended his process so early. Joseph has already visited Florida State and appears to be focusing on the Noles, LSU and Alabama gong forward.
The Front-runner: LSU
Joseph is a Baton Rouge native and his love for "DBU" has been apparent during the entire recruiting process. But as mentioned above, when a prospect commits so early on, he can tend to get a wandering eye as he sees his friends and fellow recruits get wooed by elite programs. With LSU back on the right track in terms of wins and losses and his long-time relationship with defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, Joseph's hometown school is still the favorite.
The Other Option: Alabama
Even when he was committed to the Tigers, the Tide didn't give up in their pursuit of Joseph and it's probably that consistent attention from Alabama that gave him the most to think about in terms of his commitment status. Alabama can offer a faster path to playing time and point to other Louisiana natives that have had success in the program and gone onto the NFL. Will that be enough to pull Joseph out of state?
But Don’t Count Out: Florida State
Joseph visited Tallahassee at the beginning of the month and was shown a great time by former Louisiana prospect Kyle Meyers. The 'Noles have targeted prospects from Louisiana quite a bit in recent years and currently hold a commitment from four-star Israel Mukuama, a Bossier City, La. resident. Despite setting a high bar for Joseph during his official visit, Florida State still has a lot of ground to make up and the struggles this season aren't helping their case, but the fact that he visited and brought his mom along for the trip shows that the school is still a factor.