Weekend recruiting buzz: Several big visits on tap

It’s a huge weekend of games, which means it’s a major weekend for visits all across the country. Here is a look at the most important trips over the next few days:

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One week after taking an important official visit to Florida State, a team that Baxter had been committed to earlier in his recruitment, the Texas pledge is headed to Miami for its big game against the Seminoles. This could be a little double-dip situation where the four-star running back from Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater can see FSU on the road and get a compelling recruiting pitch from coach Mario Cristobal and the Canes.

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Arguably the top safety in the 2023 class, Bowen has been committed to Notre Dame since New Year’s Day, so what’s the worry? Oklahoma and Texas A&M have been trying non-stop to flip the Denton (Texas) Guyer standout and Bowen has been intrigued by the overtures. Getting back on campus to see a phenomenal atmosphere as Clemson comes to town could be just what Bowen needs to reinforce his thoughts on the Irish.

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Capers is the best linebacker in the 2024 class and a local prospect at Miami (Fla.) Columbus, the same high school Cristobal attended, as the Hurricanes have made him a major priority in that recruiting class. Florida, Georgia and many others are involved early but a big-time showing against the Seminoles this weekend - and if the stadium is packed - could convince Capers that staying home could be huge in Capers’ recruitment.

Auburn landed a huge commitment from Cobb on July 1 and it looks even more important as the four-star running back has racked up huge stats this season at Montgomery (Ala.) Montgomery Catholic. But now Auburn has fired coach Bryan Harsin and the coaching staff there faces serious uncertainty at least in the short term. Georgia has made a move for Cobb and could be looking to add a second RB in this class. Stability is no issue in Athens.

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A big deal was made when Haynes watched Georgia’s season opener over Oregon at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This could be even bigger as the Georgia legacy but Alabama commit is headed to Athens this weekend to see the showdown against Tennessee. His father, Verron, played for the Dawgs but the No. 1 running back in the class committed to the Crimson Tide over Georgia this summer.

Keenum said he remains 100 percent committed to Kentucky but after scheduling a visit to Mississippi State this weekend, it’s something to watch closely moving forward. The Bulldogs have not slowed down with the physical offensive lineman from Florence (Ala.) Mars Hill Bible School. A big weekend in Starkville could make Keenum’s recruitment a lot more interesting.

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An early Oklahoma commit who backed off his pledge a while after coach Lincoln Riley left for USC, Moore committed to Louisville in late May but since that time Texas and Georgia have been the most involved. This weekend Moore will be in Athens with so many other elite prospects for the big game against Tennessee and this is where things get really interesting because UGA staffer David Hill used to coach Moore at Las Vegas Desert Pines so there’s already a connection there.

Tennessee has made this race interesting - and the five-star defensive end could double dip this weekend with the Vols visiting Athens - but this might be when Georgia could lock the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout for good. A commitment might not happen but the Bulldogs have been considered the frontrunner here for a long time and unless Tennessee completely destroys Georgia then it could be another step forward toward a UGA pledge.

Now that the five-star cornerback has reclassified to the 2023 class there is a much closer focus on his recruitment with Alabama, Florida and LSU the front-runners heading into a late December decision. There is no clear leader yet although Ricks did admit this summer that it would be hard to turn down Alabama coach Nick Saban but this weekend could be huge as Ricks gets more comfortable with the new coaching staff in Baton Rouge. A win over the Crimson Tide would go a long way, too.

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Not only will Smith be returning to Miami, so will Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna five-star receiver teammate Joshisa Trader, as it’s a huge list for the rivalry game against Florida State. Ohio State could be very tough to beat for Smith - and he admitted a commitment to the Buckeyes almost happened this offseason - but if staying close to home becomes a bigger priority - and the recruiting pitch from Cristobal and staff could be compelling - then the Canes could be a bigger player.

All signs continue to point to LSU being the far-and-away favorite for the five-star cornerback but Toviano also keeps his recruitment close to the vest. Still, another visit to Baton Rouge is really telling, the coaching staff has made him a top priority and it would be very surprising at this point if he isn’t a part of LSU’s recruiting class. A great weekend in town could be the final selling point.

This is a very interesting visit because Williams has clearly emerged as one of the better receivers in the country and has been committed to Ole Miss since August but the Rebels don’t throw it all around the yard anymore - the Rebels have 430 rushing attempts to 239 passes - and that might be used negatively in recruiting. Maybe it’s the Ridgeland, Miss., standout looking for a trip to see a great game or maybe there’s more to it. We could find out after the weekend.

There could be a little double-dipping here as well as the five-star receiver from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Stranahan is committed to Florida State and he gets to see them play Miami close to his house - but there might be something more to it. The Hurricanes continue to pursue Williams, selling him on rebuilding the program down the street from where he lives, and the five-star recently said Miami has not backed off at all. There’s no sense of a flip but should Miami put together a huge showing, we’ll see.

The rumor around Wilson’s recruitment is that Ohio State is starting to emerge as the leader and that the Buckeyes could be the team to beat but Georgia is the other school at or near the top - and the Dawgs never go down easily. Getting the Venice, Fla., four-star defensive end back on campus could make things really interesting especially if he sees a dominant performance from the Bulldogs’ edge rushers and UGA can find a way to slow down Tennessee’s high-potent offense.