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Texas Spotlight: Predictions on top uncommitted prospects

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

Jalen Curry
Jalen Curry (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)
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With the fall underway, there are far more top prospects from Texas committed than not. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t still some major talent available, and several prospects within the Rivals250 are still choosing among a number of top programs. Here is a look at some of those players with some guesses at where they may be leaning.

MORE REGIONAL PREDICTIONS: Southeast | Florida | Midwest | Mid-Atlantic | West

Top Contenders: Auburn, Arizona, Penn State and Tennessee

Breakdown: After the summer, it looked to be a two-horse race between the Tigers and Vols, but Penn State came through with a recent offer to shake things up with his recruitment. Auburn was Curry’s first offer, and he took an official visit there in the summer. He did the same with Tennessee and said that he would like to make a return for when the Vols host Florida later this month. Otherwise, his interest in Arizona is heavily motivated by his relationship to high school teammate and Wildcats commit Grant Gunnell.

The feeling has been that he is more inclined to commit to a program that is closer to a championship than a rebuild. Even though he is being sold a quick road to playing time at Arizona and Tennessee, if the interest from Penn State continues, the Nittany Lions could leap-frog them and make it a choice between PSU and Auburn.

Prediction: Auburn

Top Contenders: Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and Texas

Breakdown: Cine has already taken official visits to Michigan, Penn State and Texas, and has said that he plans on taking his official to Florida in early October, when the Gators host LSU. Prior to that, he’ll take an official visit to Georgia when the Bulldogs host Tennessee. UGA has felt like the team with the most momentum coming out of the offseason, but Texas did a nice job making up ground with him in a short period of time after his transfer into the state in the spring. With Penn State’s class filled with defensive backs already, Michigan may be more of a threat than it had previously been.

If his official visit to Florida doesn’t end up changing his opinion in a big enough way, Georgia should be able to ride its previous momentum to a commitment.

Prediction: Georgia

Top Contenders: Alabama, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Texas and Texas A&M

Breakdown: Stripling’s top five is listed above, but it’s really a race to beat the Aggies. Given A&M’s momentum recruiting in 2019 – and 2020, for that matter – it’s hard to bet against the program's already strong chances to land him. Alabama seems to be the next-closest team in the running, but to this point, doesn’t appear to be enough of a threat to dethrone A&M, which has thought to have been his leader for some time.

Prediction: Texas A&M

Top Contenders: Arkansas, Florida, Ohio State, Texas and Stanford

Breakdown: Higgins has been on a recent run of unofficial visits to start the season and has already taken an official visit to Ohio State with one to Florida scheduled for next month. He’s taken multiple unofficials to most of the teams in the picture, but won’t take an official to Stanford unless he ultimately chooses to commit there. The Cardinal have been in the picture for a while, so Stanford still has a pretty good chance to land him, but the other programs aren’t giving up without a fight.

Higgins’ good friend and Ohio State commit Garrett Wilson has been a bit of an influencer in his recruitment and Urban Meyer has personally made him a priority, but having to build a relationship with a new wide receivers coach at this point in the game might have set the Buckeyes back too far. He had complimentary things to say about Florida following a visit there in the summer, but it’s tough to tell how much the Gators will need to wow him on his official to swing the momentum.

Prediction: Stanford

Top Contenders: Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas

Breakdown: Catalon was dealt a tough blow in the first game of his senior season, as an injury made it his last. That shouldn’t hamper his recruitment, however, but figuring out where he’s leaning can vary depending on how important certain details actually are. Buzz has been loudest with Texas, which also looks to have an opportunity lined up for him to play baseball as well. He has visited TCU multiple times and lives close by. One of his teammates in Enoch Jackson is already committed to Arkansas, and another, Taurean Carter, is a strong lean to the Razorbacks. Oklahoma recruits the DFW area as well as any program and Alabama is a destination program for top defensive backs.

Catalon is due in Texas for an unofficial visit this weekend with a pending official to take place later in the season. His lone scheduled official visit is to Arkansas in early October with Carter. Otherwise, there doesn’t seem to be the same sort of significant feeling associated with the other programs recruiting him at the moment.

Prediction: Texas

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