Weekend Visit Preview: Bedlam headlines busy recruit gatherings
The Southeastern Conference will be the site of several big recruit gatherings as a pair of Top 25 showdowns take place on Saturday, but the biggest official visit weekend in the country will be in Oklahoma for Bedlam.
1. OKLAHOMA
Bedlam is coming to Norman this year, and it is attracting five-stars from around the country. The annual in-state showdown between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will also be one of the Sooners' top recruiting weekends for the 2019 class. As many as four five-star official visitors could be in town for Bedlam, including massive IMG Academy offensive tackle Evan Neal.
The total number of official visitors for Oklahoma this weekend could end up in double-digit territory. Half of those will be committed prospects, including five-stars Trejan Bridges and Spencer Rattler, but several big-time targets Oklahoma would like to add are also expected, including Rivals100 Oregon commit Jeremiah Criddell and Houston four-star defensive end Marcus Stripling. Oklahoma already is tied for the most five-star commitments of any class in 2019, and currently ranks third behind Alabama and Oregon.
2. GEORGIA
Georgia won its first team recruiting ranking title in the Rivals.com era in 2018, but the Bulldogs have some work to do if they want to catch Alabama and repeat with the 2019 class. The good news is Georgia has the fewest number of commits among all teams ranked in the top 10, and this weekend they will try and keep pace with the Tide by hosting another strong collection of visitors.
The list of prospects expected to be on-hand for Saturday’s showdown against No. 24 Auburn is headlined by four-stars Nakobe Dean, Trevor Keegan, Kenny McIntosh and Xavier Truss, who will all be on official visits. Dean, McIntosh and Keegan are uncommitted, while Truss is already committed to Georgia. Expected unofficial visitors include 2019 five-stars Clay Webb and Owen Pappoe and 2020 five-stars Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy and Justin Rogers.
For more on Georgia’s recruiting weekend visit UGASports.com
3. ALABAMA
Nick Saban is never shy about hosting recruiting visitors for big, in-season games. The official visitors list for the Iron Bowl later this month is already getting lengthy, but Alabama also has a pretty impressive group coming in this weekend to see the Crimson Tide host No. 16 Mississippi State. The 2018 Alabama recruiting class was only the third in 11 years that did not finish No. 1, but the Tide are back on top of the standings in 2019 and looking to stay there.
All five of the expected official visitors to Alabama this weekend are four-stars, including Rivals100 prospects Khris Bogle and Shane Lee, the latter of whom is already committed to Alabama. Ohio State commit Jordan Battle is another expected official visitor, as is Texas running back Deondrick Glass who, coincidentally, officially visited Ohio State last weekend. The list of expected unofficial visitors includes Mississippi State four-star commit Nathan Pickering.
For more on Alabama’s recruiting weekend see BamaInsider.com
4. ARIZONA STATE
Herm Edwards is getting revved up and will take a swing at a big group of official visitors headed to Tempe this weekend to see the Sun Devils host UCLA. Arizona State has a solid group of 16 commitments in 2019 right now, but the group ranks seventh in the Pac-12 and outside the top 50 nationally. The group officially visiting this weekend numbers eight and all are uncommitted. A successful weekend could bolster the class from both a talent and numbers standpoint.
The headliner of Arizona State’s eight official visitors this weekend is in-state Rivals250 safety Noa Pola-Gates, who has already been apart of big official visit weekend at Nebraska and Penn State this fall. High three-star brothers Keon Markham and Kejuan Markham out of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly are also among the expected official visitors as is Houston offensive tackle Isaiah Hoofkin, who has seen his stock skyrocket this fall.
For more Arizona State recruiting coverage visit ASUDevils.com
5. FLORIDA
It is not time for panic yet in Gainesville, but recruiting at Florida has been slow to get rolling under Dan Mullen. The Gators are behind Mullen’s former team, Mississippi State, in the current team recruiting rankings, but with just 15 commitments, there is room to finish the 2019 class strong and this upcoming weekend presents opportunities with several of the Gators' top, remaining targets.
The highest-ranked official visitor in the country this weekend will be at Florida for the Gators contest with South Carolina. Five-star California defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is one of two official visitors expected, with the other being in-state four-star defensive end Derick Hunter. This list of expected unofficial visitors includes 2019 Florida State commit Quashon Fuller and four-star offensive tackle Tate Rutledge, the No. 23 ranked prospect in the 2020 class.
For more on Florida’s recruiting weekend check out GatorsTerritory
OTHERS WORTH NOTING
Recruiting season is heating up as the college football season winds down. Other schools hosting big visits this weekend include Arkansas, Boston College, Penn State, Tennessee and Utah.