Take Two: Will it be LSU for the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals100?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
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THE STORYLINE
The No. 1 prospect in the 2019 class is almost ready to make his commitment.
Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham five-star cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr., is prepared to make his pledge on Wednesday with LSU, Florida and Texas as the three finalists.
It is widely thought that the Tigers are going to land Stingley’s commitment - and he had previously been a pledge to LSU - but could the five-star cornerback pull a surprise? It wouldn’t be the first time a top-end prospect made an unexpected pick on commitment day.
If Stingley does pick LSU, and if the five-star cornerback stays No. 1 in this class, it would be the first time in Rivals.com history dating back to 2002 that the Tigers signed the top-ranked player.
Alabama and Florida have twice signed the No. 1 prospect and then Clemson, Ole Miss, Missouri, Penn State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Michigan and Auburn have all done it once.
But never LSU. Could Stingley put the Tigers on that exclusive list?
FIRST TAKE: CHAD SIMMONS, RIVALS.COM RECRUITING ANALYST
“It's close to a guarantee that he picks LSU, but there are never any true guarantees in recruiting. We saw on National Signing Day, Patrick Surtain Jr. surprise most in the country and sign with Alabama instead of LSU, but this is likely a different ending for Ed Orgeron and the Tigers. Stingley is a hometown kid, he has been committed to LSU before and the odds appear to be high that he picks them once again this week.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“I think he’s going to LSU. I don’t think there is going to be a surprise. He’s liked Florida, but it would really surprise me if he ended up anywhere but LSU. He’s been leaning that way for a long time.
“He definitely has the size and athletic ability to be a three-and-out kid. It’s huge for LSU because everybody is going to notice that the No. 1 player in the country is committed to LSU and he can recruit for them. It’s going to be a really big boost to that class and that 'DBU' reputation.”
