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Tampa Bay notes: Big 12 team is a staple in Davis' recruitment

Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The recruitment Lakeland (Fla.) High School’s Anthony Davis remains impossible to project. The four-star running back seemingly has a different school in mind every week, but a few constants have started to emerge. Talking to Davis about college always results in a discussion of Oklahoma, which has continued to hold down a spot near the top of the four-star running back’s list.

Turns out, the Sooners are a steadfast staple of Davis’ recruitment for a reason.

“Nobody is standing out totally but everyone is, like, flat,” Davis said. “I talk to Oklahoma a lot. I talk to Oklahoma State and South Carolina a lot, too, but I talk to Oklahoma the most. With Oklahoma, we talk nearly every other day. I have that relationship with them.”

Davis' most recent offer came from Georgia, which made things official with the running back on Wednesday.

“I don’t know a lot about them yet, really, but I just talked to the running back coach and they offered.”

Davis intends to wait until Signing Day to announce a verbal commitment.

MORE NOTES FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA

Rivals250 running back Devan Barrett recently visited Auburn and says the visit went better than even he expected. Auburn signee Nate Craig-Myers accompanied Barrett on his trip and helped show him the ropes on campus and beyond. So while Barrett names no leaders in the process, it’s clear that Florida and Auburn are schools to watch.

“I like Auburn and Florida a lot, but that’s not my top two,” Barrett said on Friday. “I’ve visited them and know them the most. Once I start visiting other schools, I’ll probably like them just like I like Auburn and Florida. I like West Virginia and Tennessee, Ohio State, LSU and Alabama.”

Five-star wide receiver James Robinson named Florida as his new leader following months of putting Clemson in the top spot. Robinson’s relationship with new Florida assistant coach Torrian Gray is the main reason for the Gators’ assentation. Clemson, Georgia and Michigan State remain involved in Robinson’s recruitment and are all chasing the Gators at this juncture.

IMG Academy tight end Tre McKitty has a top five of Florida, Auburn, Oregon, Tennessee and Florida State. McKitty says he plans to take official visits to Oregon, Florida and Auburn. He’s unsure of which schools will receive his final two trips.

Four-star wide receiver Brian Hightower insists that he’d prefer to play college football in the southeast despite growing up in California. A 2018 prospect that transferred to IMG from California this winter, Hightower once named Florida as his clear-cut favorite. On Friday, he walked that statement back and said he’s now without an official front-runner. Hightower plans to visit Florida, Clemson, UCLA and Clemson and Baylor this summer.

Lakeland defensive back Damarri Mathis holds a handful of scholarship offers as things stand now but could see that list grow in the near future. Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina are all involved in the three-star cornerback's recruitment. One or all could offer in the coming months. Of those schools, Mathis is most interested in North Carolina, which he says he grew up watching and likening.

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