Tuesdays with Gorney: Prospects return from important visits
Messaging is so important in the recruiting process and especially during official visits when prospects can spend the entire weekend on a college campus.
During this time of year, there is so much news happening around the country it’s nearly impossible to keep up with it all. But after another busy weekend of trips there are some players who really have a lot to consider – especially after coaches sell their vision during official visits.
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney offers his thoughts on what he’s hearing from a lot of the high-end players in this class as they return home from important trips in this week’s Tuesdays with Gorney:
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NEBRASKA
The weekend reports out of Nebraska were positive but there’s also something to watch. Three-star linebacker Hayden Moore had really positive things to say about the Huskers and the “defensive culture” in Lincoln as he sees the players starting to really buy in. Fellow three-star LB Dylan Rogers loves the program and thought the coaching staff and players were “amazing.”
But four-star cornerback Kayin Lee, who has the Huskers high on his list and even wore a Nebraska shirt at the recent OT7 event in Las Vegas, loved his Oregon trip and said the Ducks will “most definitely (be) in my top.”
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BAYLOR
Austin Novosad committed to Baylor in December and was back on campus this weekend where he had an outstanding visit but it’s apparently not that easy. Ohio State is trying to flip the four-star quarterback from Dripping Springs, Texas, and there is a lot to consider there. And now Texas A&M is showing interest with a little from Stanford.
So while Novosad loves a lot about Baylor there’s still so much to consider after another great trip to Waco.
“Their message was the emphasis on person over player and you could see that through the entire weekend,” Novosad said.
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LOUISVILLE
The news coming out of Louisville has been really incredible the last few months for a team that has back-to-back losing seasons. Four-star receiver Deandre Moore is the latest to join an outstanding class and Madden Sanker could follow soon. The four-star offensive lineman from Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding said his weekend trip to Louisville was “one of the best visits I’ve had, everyone is genuine and I love the idea of helping build that program back up to a top team.”
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ARKANSAS
RJ Johnson is a really nice kid and he loved the support from the Arkansas staff this past weekend on his visit to Fayetteville. On and off the field, the high three-star defensive back can see himself fitting in at Arkansas and he “can’t wait to get back down there.”
That bodes well for the Razorbacks as they battle a bunch of other SEC teams but all the positive things said about coach Sam Pittman by others were also said by Johnson and that stands out.
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FLORIDA
Florida, Oklahoma, Michigan, Michigan State, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State are the standouts for four-star defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. The Gators definitely did their part this past weekend to get him on board since the Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett standout loved the culture in Gainesville – which has been a big change from the previous staff – the facility stood out and so much else.
“Coach (Billy Napier) is building a championship program,” McDonald said.
Sticking with Florida, four-star Monroe Freeling talked a lot about culture, too, and how he sees Napier bringing what worked at Louisiana to the Gators now. The support along the offensive line with two coaches is big to Freeling and the academic side is important as well. The message from the coaching staff was huge.
“They’d like to see me at the forefront of UF’s next national championship team,” Freeling said.
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AUBURN
“Loose but locked in,” is how four-star defensive end Daevin Hobbs described how Auburn wants its culture after he visited over the weekend. The Tigers along with Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee stand out most to the Concord (N.C.) Robinson star with Auburn making a significant move over the weekend especially since he likes how the coaches are handling the relationship.
Also at Auburn, former Texas A&M pledge Anthony James has seen a huge change in the culture there. The coaching staff wants to develop the Wylie (Texas) East defensive lineman to play all across the line and it’s one of three schools – and the only one in the SEC – that stands out along with Washington and Utah.
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TEXAS
Sydir Mitchell a lock to Georgia? I don’t know anymore after talking to him following his Texas visit. He loved Austin, loved the opportunities he saw outside of football, loved Bo Davis and he said “Texas is definitely making a move.”
The Longhorns definitely impressed and the Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic four-star defensive tackle said, “This decision is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”
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MICHIGAN
Maybe four-star defensive tackle Jason Moore is a Notre Dame lock but Michigan gave him something to think about over the weekend. The No. 1 overall defensive tackle spent a lot of time with assistants Mike Elston and Jesse Minter and one of the big messages was for Moore to come to Ann Arbor so he’s part of history and can be developed on and off the field.
“I can really see myself fitting into their defense,” Moore said.
Everywhere Jacobe Johnson goes – Oklahoma, Alabama and now Michigan – he has a great time and so he said “it’s tough” when trying to figure out which program is best for him. All the trips are good and impressive.
“I’m to the point where I’m thinking that I can’t make a bad decision,” Johnson said.
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LSU
Miami and others are making a real push for four-star receiver Jalen Brown but he keeps going back to LSU and loving it. His dad, James, told me he think his son fits the mold of what coach Brian Kelly is looking for in terms of elite athletes and players who will excel in the classroom as well.
From the resources to the facilities to the atmosphere and even the food, Brown’s visit to LSU was exceptional. That could mean the Tigers are right there with any other team.
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BYU
Rarely does BYU win recruiting battles in the state of Alabama but the Cougars were in early on Birmingham (Ala.) Oak Mountain four-star defensive end Emmanuel Waller, whose LDS faith played some role in his early pledge. But now Waller is back on the market after decommitting from BYU on Monday and the SEC is calling with Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State reaching out the most.