This is the biggest weekend of the college football slate so far and there are plenty of big-time prospects who will be at big-time games on Saturday. Here are the 15 Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is watching the closest.
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BRANDON ARRINGTON - USC
I was told recently that Arrington “loves” USC and so getting to the Coliseum for the Trojans’ big matchup against Penn State will be a big deal for the 2026 athlete who has five-star potential.
Texas A&M has been recruiting him the hardest with Oregon, Georgia and many others involved.
KALEB BURNS - Oregon
An early Texas Tech commit, Burns flipped to Baylor in July but now a lot of other top programs are working on him again. Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Oregon are three to watch with the high three-star linebacker from Houston (Texas) Cypress Falls and the Ducks will have the chance this weekend to impress Burns, who should see one of the best environments inside Autzen Stadium.
JALEN COOPER - Notre Dame
Cooper committed to SMU in July and it was a major commitment for the Mustangs since the four-star receiver from Cibolo (Texas) Steele is very productive. So far this season, Cooper has 34 catches for 612 yards and five touchdowns.
That kind of high-level wide receiver play is what Notre Dame needs the most so Cooper’s visit to South Bend this weekend is crucial as the flip watch is definitely on.
ETHAN FEASTER - Oklahoma
The Red River Rivalry is of course played on a neutral field but Oklahoma is the host and will have many recruits on campus. For the 2027 five-star receiver, this is a big matchup to watch in person since the Sooners and Texas are two programs high in his recruitment with LSU and others.
The DeSoto, Texas, standout landed his first offer in seventh grade and he’s been phenomenal for years on the circuit so this is not just a fun visit for him, it’s business.
ANQUON FEGANS - LSU
A former USC commit, Fegans backed off that pledge and then picked Auburn, which was a big win for the Tigers, but other SEC schools are working hard to flip the four-star safety from Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson as well.
Alabama is going to get him on campus soon and the word is the Crimson Tide feel confident in where they stand with him. This weekend, Fegans will be at LSU. Whenever DBU has a top one on campus it’s worth watching.
ELIJAH GRIFFIN - Georgia
It is Griffin’s birthday and he’s taking his official visit to Georgia this weekend. Is everything setting up soon for the five-star defensive lineman to finally make his long-awaited commitment to the Bulldogs?
Georgia is still the clear front-runner for the Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian School standout with Miami and USC rounding out his top three.
KENDRE' HARRISON - Oregon
The uber-talented 2026 four-star tight end has bounced around a little this season going from Reidsville, N.C., to Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day only to return home so getting settled is a top priority along with producing on the field.
At 6-foot-6 and 249 pounds and a basketball player, Harrison has a lot going for him as North Carolina is trying to keep him home and Tennessee is trying to convince him to join that fast-paced SEC offense.
Then there is Oregon, a very intriguing option and where he’s visiting this weekend in what should be a phenomenal environment.
KEVONTE HENRY - Alabama
The Norwalk (Calif.) Cerritos CC four-star defensive end committed to Mississippi State over the summer and it was a big win for first-year coach Jeff Lebby and his staff. But Alabama is making a major run at him. Henry will be in Tuscaloosa this weekend and a flip would not surprise anyone.
Alabama general manager Courtney Morgan was in town recently and was expected to see Henry as the Crimson Tide make their move.
IMMANUEL IHEANACHO - Tennessee
The list of top programs remains very long for Iheanacho, but Penn State could have taken a step ahead after the 2026 five-star offensive lineman was completely blown away by his experience in Happy Valley for the Illinois game.
Iheanacho is going to see a great environment in Knoxville this weekend as well as the Vols look to move up for the North Bethesda (Md.) Georgetown Prep standout as Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State and others pursue.
JULIAN LEWIS - USC
There are some rumors Lewis could visit Colorado next week but this is the USC commit’s second visit to Los Angeles so far this season as he’s shown nothing but interest in the program and staying pledged to the Trojans.
The five-star quarterback from Carrollton, Ga., has Indiana and Colorado as the main programs trying to flip him but with coach Lincoln Riley’s QB success over the years, turning him down could be tough.
RYDER LYONS - USC
The 2026 five-star quarterback will return to USC as well this weekend, another important step as it continues to look as if the Trojans are distancing themselves in his recruitment. The Oregon ship has sailed since it landed a 2026 QB and the biggest threat to USC is Ole Miss, where Lyons visited this summer.
However, from the location close to home, to his brother playing there and the academics, USC has the lead and now it might just be a matter of time before he commits.
LONDON MERRITT - Colorado
In March, the four-star defensive end committed to Ohio State over numerous Southeast programs and cited position coach Larry Johnson and his development of NFL players as a big reason why the Buckeyes won out.
SEC programs have continued to pursue the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout but he’s going to be at Colorado this weekend. A lot of NFL prowess is on that staff and while it still feels like a long shot, getting Merritt on campus is a big first step.
NA'EEM OFFORD - Oregon
FACT OR FICTION: This weekend is Oregon's best chance to flip Na'eem Offord
Much of the talk in Offord’s recruitment has been about flipping to especially Auburn or possibly Alabama since the Birmingham (Ala.) Parker five-star cornerback committed to Ohio State in February.
But Oregon has always been in this recruitment and the Ducks are not backing down now as Offord could do a little double-dipping in Eugene this weekend – seeing the Ducks at home and seeing the Buckeyes on the road.
ANTHONY ROGERS - Georgia
Rogers has been committed to Alabama since June 2023 when Nick Saban was still the coach. While the Montgomery (Ala.) Carver standout has shown no serious signs of flipping, ears always get perked up when a player committed elsewhere visits Georgia.
The Bulldogs, along with Auburn, Ohio State and others, have made Rogers a top priority and we will get a better read of where things stand after his weekend in Athens.
JAHKEEM STEWART - Oregon
Now that the five-star defensive end has reclassified to the 2025 class, Stewart’s recruitment – and every visit – take on a whole new meaning. LSU, USC, Oregon and Ohio State should all get visits from the New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr standout and the Tigers could have the edge based on their recruitment of him and historical trends.
But the Ducks have always intrigued him, and Stewart will get to see two of his front-runners on one field this weekend.
