Take Two: Will LSU push ahead for 2021 QB Caleb Williams?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue 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 an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
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THE STORYLINE
Caleb Williams is one of the top quarterbacks and top overall players in the 2021 class and this weekend he’s expected to take another important visit to LSU.
The Tigers are rolling with one of the top teams in college football and the top-ranked recruiting class for 2020, LSU is rolling.
Getting Williams, from Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga, for the 2021 class would be humongous.
Currently, LSU and Georgia are the frontrunners for Williams as he’s developed a strong relationship with both coaching staffs. The 2021 quarterback has a great bond with LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady, one of the hottest young coaches in college football, and his future could play a role in Williams’ decision-making.
Every visit Williams takes will be dissected because he’s such a talented prospect and such a game-changing quarterback.
Georgia jumped out to an early lead in his recruitment but the Bulldogs’ passing game hasn’t exactly been gangbusters this season. LSU has been awesome in that area with quarterback Joe Burrow and a bevy of outstanding receivers.
Will this weekend’s trip to LSU further push the Tigers ahead in his recruitment or does Georgia still hold an edge for the 2021 standout?
FIRST TAKE: ADAM FRIEDMAN, MID-ATLANTIC ANALYST
“LSU is in the best position right now but it’s going to be really important to find out what’s going to happen with Joe Brady over the next couple years. Is he going to be there in two years? That’s really, really important for LSU.
“Outside of LSU, Georgia is right there with him. The overall comfort level he has in Athens with the players, with the coaches, in that environment, keeps the Bulldogs right up there with LSU. When they know more about Brady’s future looks like, that’s when I’d be more comfortable calling LSU the frontrunner. Up until that point, we don’t really know for certain.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“Georgia probably has to be the team to beat. These kids will go to the highest program right now. They don’t look at LSU and its history of struggling at quarterback and all that other stuff. They’re just going to throw in the Joe Burrow film when they go on visits and LSU will get highly-rated quarterbacks.
“It’s interesting because the two guys they got in 2020, both of them have question marks about them. Their 2021 quarterback is going to be a big year and it could definitely be Williams but I would say Georgia has the lead right now.”
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