Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
Surprise commitments are part of the recruiting business. Here are 10 big ones in the 2019 class that could help shape the landscape of college football for the next few seasons.
It is far from the norm for a football program that has compiled a 5-19 record over the last two seasons to pull in commitments from two out-of-state Rivals100 recruits. But Lovie Smith and the Illini were able to achieve that with the addition of both Williams and Beason. If Illinois does struggle on the field again in 2018, it will be very interesting to see if they are able to keep both playmakers locked down.
Many considered Dunmore likely to play his college ball in the Sunshine State, especially after he initially committed to Florida. But after re-opening his process, he pulled a huge surprise by committing to Penn State. His relationship with assistant coach Ja’Juan Seider, whose last job was in Gainesville, played a big factor in his decision. Expect Florida, Florida State and Miami to all press the issue with Dunmore as we head towards the early signing period.
Academics and a close relationship with the coaching staff were major factors for Briggs, so while it may have surprised many when he committed to Virginia, the Cavaliers definitely checked off both of those boxes. While a poor season in Charlottesville may cause some people to question the strength of his commitment, his desire to play at a strong academic institution should keep him in Virginia.
The surprise isn’t that Alabama was able to pull a top-level linebacker out of Maryland, as the Tide have had their fair share of recruiting success in the state, but that Lee committed somewhat unexpectedly after his first visit to Tuscaloosa. Lee took numerous visits to Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan, yet it only took one visit to Alabama that quickly change everything.
The Broncos have long been able to recruit quarterbacks who fit their style of offense. With Bachmeier they identified him early on in the process and were able to develop a relationship that nobody else was able to replicate. While Boise State is no stranger to pulling in a couple of top-level recruits during each recruiting cycle, when they reel in a Rivals250 quarterback it still tends to turn heads.
While he held offers from over 30 top programs at the time of his decision, it was thought that Penn State was the heavy favorite to grab his commitment. However, that was before Truss took a visit to Georgia in June. The next day he had committed to the Bulldogs and abruptly put an end to his process. His relationship with the coaching staff and the family environment he experienced in Athens were both keys in his decision.
The JUCO defensive back was thought to be destined for Georgia, before he pulled a surprise on his decision day with a commitment to the Gamecocks. Daniel, a native of Georgia, also had Kentucky in his final three. With South Carolina being his first offer, and with his ex-teammate, Jabari Ellis, on the roster, it proved too much for every other program to overcome.
Anytime a four-star recruit from SoCal makes an early commitment to a school outside the Pac-12, it tends to raise some eyebrows. That is exactly what happened when Floyd decided to commit to Texas in late March, after de-committing from USC. Despite his very close relationship with the Longhorns’ coaching staff, will another lackluster season in Austin draw him closer to home? Likely not, especially after Texas’ big win over the Trojans.
The fantastic relationship Tauanu’u has with the Oregon coaching staff resulted in his commitment to the Ducks in August. The Ducks earned this commitment, but the surprise lies with USC. The Trojans generally don’t lose recruiting battles like this with local recruits they prioritize and come from high school programs with strong USC ties. The Ducks needs to get him signed in the early period or this could get interesting.
There are a few reasons why Mangham’s commitment to Colorado caught most people by surprise. Most notably, the Buffs generally don’t recruit the state of Michigan, and his commitment came rather suddenly considering he was originally planning to take multiple official visits in the fall. It is unknown if he will take a visit or two this fall, but the quick start that Colorado is off to this season will definitely benefit the Buffs.
