Tuesdays with Gorney: Looking ahead to the Elite 11 Finals
The Elite 11 is this week in Redondo Beach, Calif., and I’m forcing myself to go hang out a couple blocks from the Pacific Ocean for a few days. Before the event starts on Tuesday night, I give some thoughts and prognostications on what we’re going to see there in this week’s Tuesdays with Gorney.
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THREE-POINT STANCE: Dante Moore, QB questions, Billy Napier
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IS JADEN RASHADA A FIVE-STAR NOW?
There might not have been a better quarterback at the OT7 event than Jaden Rashada and he’s been excellent elsewhere and if he has a great week at the Elite 11 then there could be a move coming up for the new Miami commitment.
I’ve always liked Rashada a lot and it really started after seeing him at the Pylon event in Bullhead City, Ariz., more than a year ago. He’s been consistently great ever since, he’s developed physically, his ability to make the tough throws look easy is maybe better than anybody in the class and so being in the five-star discussion should not be a surprise. A solid showing at the Elite 11 could be the final straw.
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MOORE, NELSON TO BE CLOSELY WATCHED
Dante Moore was excellent in Las Vegas, sharp as can be, almost no bad throws, just that precision passer that makes the Detroit Martin Luther King quarterback a five-star. If anything, he could push toward moving up among the five-stars.
USC commit Malachi Nelson will be pushed by the other five-stars in attendance but he’s been his predictable self over the last few months: Stellar when he’s in a rhythm and things are flowing but there are short bursts of inconsistency as was seen in his South Florida Express’ matchup against Iamaleava and Team Toa in Vegas. In Lincoln Riley’s offense, though, Nelson should have all the tools to be special.
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QUARTERBACKS TO WATCH
I’ve only heard great things about Oklahoma commit Jackson Arnold so seeing him over a three-day period will be great. The top of the position rankings are tight but I wonder if he should make an argument for a move up.
I also want to see more of Oklahoma State commit Zane Flores since coach Mike Gundy knows the position so well and went to Gretna, Neb., for him. Alabama pledge Eli Holstein is intriguing in this setting along with Arkansas commit Malachi Singleton and Penn State pledge Marcus Stokes. I worry the latter two might be underranked but we will see this week.
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QB RECRUITING QUESTIONS
There are plenty of recruiting questions to figure out over the next few days as well - some with committed players and others still trying to make their decisions.
Does Rickie Collins stick with Purdue? What does Brock Glenn do as he’s basically down to Auburn, Ohio State, Florida State, TCU and Mississippi State now but a new offer from LSU could definitely intrigue him?
Does Rashada’s commitment to Miami mean anything to the other Hurricanes QB commit Emory Williams? What if Florida comes harder after missing on Rashada? Did Oregon or Washington do enough to sway Avery Johnson away from Kansas State?
And maybe the biggest recruiting questions of the weekend will be for four-star Austin Novosad as he weighs staying committed to Baylor, flipping to Ohio State or now seriously considering Texas A&M after being offered on his visit over the weekend?
Redondo Beach should be fun.
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NICO IAMALEAVA WITHDRAWS
Five-star Nico Iamaleava, a Tennessee commit, has been excellent at a few events this offseason, but he won't show off his continued improvement and physical tools this week. He announced Tuesday that he was pulling out of the Elite 11 Finals.