Top remaining DLs 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 five best available unsigned players in America with a look at which players are left at the top of the defensive line positions.
MORE: Top unsigned QBs | RBs | WRs | OLs
There are five five-star prospects who remain uncommitted in the 2019 class, and Sopsher is the only one among defensive linemen. The Louisiana native’s recruitment is generally regarded as an Alabama-LSU battle, but he took official visits to Texas A&M and Oregon in December and also has one scheduled to Ole Miss for the Jan. 25 weekend. Alabama and LSU are also expected to host Sopsher officially in January.
The only other uncommitted Rivals100 defensive lineman besides Sopsher, Bogle decided he was not ready to make his decision and sign in the early period. Long-considered a Miami lean, Bogle made an official visit with the Hurricanes the weekend of Dec. 14 but Mark Richt and Co. could not convince him to sign early. Other official visits have gone to Alabama, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Florida could end up with his final official visit in January.
With the advent of the Early Signing Period, college coaches have tried to use every means at their disposal to encourage prospects to sign in December and not wait until February. That did not work with Young, however, who never wavered on his plans to sign in February even though he has been committed to Alabama since July. Additional official visits to LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State are expected to be taken in January.
Mississippi State has a 23-man recruiting class that ranks in the top 25 nationally, but only 14 of those prospects signed in the early period. Pickering is the highest ranked of those unsigned Bulldog commitments and Joe Moorhead may have a real fight to get him signed in February. Alabama is making a strong push for the prospect who has been committed to his home-state school since June, and he also visits Ole Miss in January.
Moore was one of the earliest pledges in Mississippi State’s class, committing the summer prior to his junior season and sticking with that commitment through the Bulldogs' coaching change that occurred a few months later. However, he is also among the nine Mississippi State commitments who did not sign in the early period. Auburn is the biggest threat to Mississippi State for Moore, and he official visited the Tigers Dec. 7.