Top remaining DBs after the Early Signing Period
With the Early Signing Period now firmly in the rear-view mirror, the available player pool has been significantly narrowed. That’s not to say there’s no talent left on the board, however. Today, Rivals.com continues its look at the best available unsigned players in America with a rundown of which players are left at the top of the cornerback and safety positions.
The one-time USC commitment decided not to sign early, only further clouding his process as he has virtually reset his recruitment over the past few months. Florida and Oregon have emerged as the biggest candidates to land him, with past contenders like USC and South Carolina slipping out of the picture. Steele has already taken several visits, including trips to programs like LSU and Oklahoma, so one those programs could emerge as an option as well. Not many big names are left on the market and a prospect like Steele will be fun to watch down the stretch.
Dent has been committed to Florida State since July 2017. He’s been through the Jimbo Fisher drama and the Seminoles' forgettable 2018 season and never really wavered on his pledge. So why didn’t he sign during the early period? That’s the question a lot of Seminoles fans are asking as well. Miami has worked hard to get back into the picture with Dent, and he’s set to visit the Canes next month. Will the lure of staying in South Florida be enough to flip him? Alabama, Florida and Clemson have also been mentioned for potential January visits, but Dent only has so many weekends left before he signs in February.
Stevenson has done a pretty good job of keeping things quiet surrounding his recruitment and information has been tough to come by since he was rumored to be committing to Georgia back in August. The Dawgs remain the team to beat in his recruitment, but the longer things remain open, the better Miami has felt about its chances to keep him close to home. Stevenson is expected to announce his commitment on Jan. 5, with speculation that he has already signed with the school of his choice.
Another longtime Florida State commit that elected not to sign early, Gant was initially committed to Alabama before having a change of heart and committing to the in-state Seminoles. After not signing early, speculation began that he might be ripe for the taking for another school, but Gant has denied those assertions. He has however said the he will likely take an official visit to LSU in January, with Miami also pressing to get him on campus as well. It’s not likely he flips, but until the ink is dry on his National Letter of Intent in February, nothing can be ruled out.
A third member of Florida State’s defensive back haul in the 2019 class, Cross also elected to push his signing to February. Cross took a long look at Georgia prior to the Signing Period, but once Mel Tucker left for Colorado, the Dawgs were all but eliminated. So which school remains the biggest threat to Florida State? At this point it’s Maryland. The Terrapins recently hired Elijah Brooks, Cross’s coach at DeMatha High School in Maryland. That, combined with the energy surrounding Maryland since Mike Locksley was hired earlier in the month, might be too much for Cross to pass up.