Three-Point Stance: Recruiting trends, explosive players, more

There are some interesting recruiting trends in the most interesting recruiting cycle we've ever seen. Plus, I have the 10 most explosive and exciting prospects in the 2021 class and another version of Correct Me If I’m Wrong.

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FACT OR FICTION: Jim Harbaugh protest too little, too late

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series

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There are always a few interesting things going on in the recruiting world and some trends that I notice. Here are a few lately for 2021.

... By the time you read this OL Nolan Rucci will likely have committed to Wisconsin, which leads me to some interesting things going on in the Big Ten. While everyone focuses on Michigan not holding onto to prospects like Damon Payne and Rocco Spindler in state, Penn State is struggling a bit in state this cycle. Rucci, a Penn State legacy, is the seventh prospect in the state's top-10 to head elsewhere and the only top-10 prospect the Nittany Lions have is Lonnie White Jr.

... Meanwhile Wisconsin is doing an amazing job this season. The Badgers have kept the top four prospects in the state of Wisconsin at home and have won huge recruiting battles on the road in Iowa (T.J. Bollers) and Pennsylvania (Nolan Rucci if he commits) and Minnesota (Riley Mahlman). This is the best recruiting job I’ve seen out of Madison in Rivals.com history.

... The entire Big Ten has done an amazing job out of state with Ohio State leading the way. The Buckeyes have landed huge commitments from Texas (Donovan Jackson), Virginia (TreVeyon Henderson), Pennsylvania (Kyle McCord), Georgia (Jordan Hancock), North Carolina (Evan Pryor) and Arizona (Denzel Burke). Other out-of-state wins in the Big Ten include Minnesota in Arizona (Steven Ortiz), Michigan in Illinois (J.J. McCarthy), Nebraska in Iowa (Thomas Fidone).

... LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State and a few others have done a nice job of recruiting Texas but few would expect USC, Auburn and Mississippi State to pull multiple prospects in the state’s top 40. That’s odd.

... Florida has more in-state top-25 commits than anyone else with Miami a close second. The Gators have five while Miami has four. And Florida State? Just one. That’s a huge fall off for the Seminoles.

... Thirteen of the top-30 prospects in the country are headed out-of-state which surprises me a bit with the pandemic. That will be 14 if Rucci commits to Wisconsin. And nine are uncommitted, which means only seven players in the national top 30 are staying home.

The 2021 class is loaded with explosive players. Here are my top 10...

1. RB Camar Wheaton — Wheaton is a track star and watching him explode into daylight on film is a thing of beauty. I have him pegged for Oklahoma right now and he will be a star.

2. DB James Williams — He’s a freak of nature and starting to play more and more physical which was a question mark. The Miami commitment will be a guided missile in college.

3. WR Christian Leary — Leary is as fast as anyone in the country and a threat to take it to the house from anywhere. He reaches top speed so quickly it’s easy to see why many feel he will replace Jaylen Waddle at Alabama.

4. WR Emeka Egbuka — Egbuka is a monster now as he’s bulked up even more and he’s as explosive as ever, which is scary. He could be a Terrell Owens kind of physical receiver for someone.

5. WR Mario Williams — Williams is headed to Oklahoma where he will be tough to handle out of the slot in that passing offense. He is a competitor who reminds me a bit of Stefon Diggs.

6. RB Will Shipley — Shipley is so explosive upfield and with his change of direction and jump cuts that he is going to put up big numbers at Clemson.

7. ATH Billy Bowman — Everyone knows I’m a big fan of Bowman and he could be even higher on this list because of his ability in the return game. Texas is getting a fun player to watch.

8. QB Caleb Williams — The only quarterback to make this list, Williams can not only extend the play but consistently kill you with his ability to run and he’s sneaky fast.

9. WR Troy Franklin — Franklin is perfect for the fast Oregon offense and is a jet when he gets a step on you.

10. LB Barrett Carter — The only defender to make the list his pick six this past weekend is an example of what Clemson fans can expect.

And finally another version of Correct Me If I’m Wrong...

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but Georgia quarterback JT Daniels will put up better numbers than Jake Fromm in less games. Fromm threw for 2,860 yards and 24 touchdowns last season in 14 games.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler will throw the most interceptions of an Oklahoma quarterback since 2014 when Trevor Knight threw 12. Since then, OU starting quarterbacks have thrown eight, six, seven and eight respectively from 2015 to 2019. Rattler is good but he’s also new, so double-digit interceptions aren’t out of the realm of possibility and the bar is set very high.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but Notre Dame’s recruiting class is being overlooked a bit. Yes, there are some reaches in there, which can be expected with such early offers and such high academic standards, but there is a real base of skill at some key positions. This is especially true along the offensive line and at defensive back.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but it’s stunning that the elite quarterbacks continue to gravitate to the power programs while watching so many of their predecessors head to the transfer portal to find new homes.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but this is the year we see the five-star part of Kellen Mond. It’s gotta be, right?

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but Jaelen Phillips is going to show why he was one of the most highly-regarded five-stars in recent years with Greg Rousseau gone at Miami.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but the big recruiting weekends at Georgia, Oklahoma and now LSU that are obviously not hosted by coaches are going to become a huge difference-maker in 2021 and will become common this fall and winter with the dead period not going anywhere.

Correct Me If I’m Wrong... but TCU could be the team everyone is sleeping on in the Big 12 if it can solve its quarterback question.