It is not the biggest weekend of visits but there are still many significant trips coming up for top prospects that could help shape their recruitment. Here is a look at a dozen that stand out most.
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JADYN DAVIS to Penn State
Michigan has surged to the top for the 2024 five-star quarterback, but Penn State has hung around near the top of Davis’ recruitment for a long time and this could be a big weekend. It’s a Whiteout game in Happy Valley, one of the best environments in college football, so the Nittany Lions will have their chance to impress, although the Wolverines could be tough to beat here.
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MICAH HUDSON to Ohio State
Texas A&M could have the edge at this point with Texas, Texas Tech and others battling it out for the 2024 five-star receiver from Temple (Texas) Lake Belton, but Ohio State is an interesting one as well. Hudson has talked highly of the Buckeyes, who put Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in the first round of the NFL Draft. This elite group in Columbus now includes Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Texas, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that five-star receivers Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss are committed there now. Hudson will get a first-hand look this weekend.
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KAVEION KEYS to Penn State
When Keys committed to North Carolina in late August, he picked the Tar Heels over Penn State, Texas A&M and others, but the Nittany Lions are not giving up on the Richmond (Va.) Varina prospect. The Mid-Atlantic states have been a stronghold for Penn State forever, so with North Carolina’s defense not performing all that well plus the Whiteout environment at Penn State this weekend the Nittany Lions hope a flip is coming.
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DJ LAGWAY to Clemson
There is a significant SEC feel to Lagway’s recruitment as the 2024 four-star quarterback has been especially high on Texas A&M and Florida, but Clemson is going to get its chance to thoroughly impress this weekend. DJ Uiagalelei is playing well again. and the offense is moving the ball. The Willis, Texas, standout should see a great early environment as Clemson hosts undefeated Syracuse.
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TERRANCE LOVE to South Carolina
When Love committed to Auburn in April it was a different situation on The Plains as coach Bryan Harsin survived an offseason attempt to get him fired and everybody was looking to season two. After struggles this season and three-straight losses to LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss, rumblings about Harsin’s imminent firing have been non-stop. Miami was the other main contender for Love before he picked Auburn, but in recent months he’s said South Carolina has been trying to flip him most. The environment in Columbia as the Gamecocks take on Texas A&M should be electric.
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TOMARRION PARKER to Clemson
Maybe nothing in college football can compare to Tennessee last weekend with its thrilling win over Alabama when it comes to game-day environment, and Parker was there in Knoxville. That could have moved the Vols up a lot, but Clemson has emerged as the frontrunner for the four-star defensive end from Phenix City (Ala.) Central. He’ll see another great environment in Death Valley this weekend against Syracuse, and it could keep the Tigers on top as he visits with other top target Kayden McDonald and others.
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SUNTARINE PERKINS to Alabama
He’s baaaaaack. The Ole Miss commit was at Alabama a few weeks ago and he’s coming back on Saturday for the Mississippi State contest as rumors persist that he’s going to flip to the Crimson Tide. The interesting part here is that the four-star linebacker from Raleigh, MIss., was expected in Oxford last weekend for the Rebels’ win over Auburn, so a switch to Alabama is not set in stone. There are some who feel that he sticks with Ole Miss, while others believe a flip will happen. But it hasn’t happened yet despite multiple visits to T-Town.
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KEDRICK REESCANO to Oklahoma State
The four-star running back from New Caney, Texas, is having a great senior season and has been taking visits the last few weeks. Reescano has been committed to Michigan State since January and is still locked in with the Spartans, but the four-star was at Ole Miss last weekend (and the Rebels have running the ball so well), and he’s going to be at Oklahoma State this weekend for the big showdown against Texas. It’s certainly something to watch.
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JULIAN SAYIN to Alabama
Georgia and LSU have been the two frontrunners for the 2024 five-star quarterback for some time, but the Carlsbad, Calif., standout wants to give Alabama a much closer look this weekend as the Crimson Tide have stepped it up with him. The Bulldogs took a commitment from four-star QB Ryan Puglisi recently, but Sayin said that doesn’t change anything for him when it comes to UGA. However it works out, it looks like Sayin could be SEC-bound.
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COLIN SIMMONS to TCU
Simmons’ return to TCU for the second-straight weekend is great news for the Horned Frogs. The 2024 five-star defensive end from Duncanville, Texas, was in attendance for TCU’s come-from-behind win over Oklahoma State last weekend and he’ll be back in Fort Worth for its game against Kansas State. LSU has been the school most discussed in Simmons’ recruitment, but all the in-state schools and others are also after him.
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ISAAC SMITH to LSU
Smith has called LSU the “dream school” and he loves the defensive back tradition in Baton Rouge, so this could be an instrumental weekend for his recruitment. Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and many others are all tossed together and mixed up in his recruitment right now, but if the Tigers make him an even bigger priority and he has a great visit - it should be an excellent game against Ole Miss - then LSU could move even higher.
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JAMES SMITH to ALABAMA
Florida has made its run at Smith and Montgomery (Ala.) Carver teammate Jaquavious Russaw, along with Auburn and others, and now Smith and Russaw turn back to Alabama, which is considered the team to beat for both of them. Other SEC programs have made big impressions through this season but it still feels like the Montgomery Carver teammates are leaning toward the Crimson Tide. This weekend could be an important next step in their recruitment.
