Published Apr 18, 2019
West Spotlight: Biggest visits of the spring
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Adam Gorney  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Director
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@adamgorney

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

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RELATED: Biggest Midwest official visits of the spring | Southeast | Mid-Atlantic

The 2020 class is the second that will have the advantage of taking official visits during their junior year of high school. Official visits were able to start with the beginning of April, and can take place through the last weekend in June. Many others also took really important unofficial trips to hit the road with teammates and other prospects. Here are the biggest visits taken so far during that stretch from West prospects:

LAVON BUNKLEY-SHELTON - Ohio State, April 13

For many months, Bunkley-Shelton has wanted to visit Ohio State and he got his chance this past weekend. It was everything and more than the four-star receiver could have expected and now the Buckeyes have solidified themselves as one of the top contenders in his recruitment.

Bunkley-Shelton has already developed a strong relationship with position coach Brian Hartline and the two hit it off over the weekend as the four-star said the two speak the same language when it comes to football. The Serra receiver also loved the buzz around Ohio State’s spring game and said he cannot wait to get back to Columbus during the season. Washington State, Oregon and many others remain involved, but Bunkley-Shelton definitely likes the Buckeyes a lot.

JUSTIN FLOWE - Miami, April 13

The five-star linebacker does not talk much about his recruitment, but he took a visit to Miami over the last few days and according to two sources he absolutely loved it there. That could go a long way with Flowe, one of the hardest-hitting linebackers in recent memory, and one of the draws is that the new Miami coaching staff under Manny Diaz has talked to the five-star about playing early - and meaning it.

The Upland, Calif., five-star released a top 12 on Tuesday with Miami, Ohio State, Florida, Clemson, LSU, Oregon, Arizona State, Georgia, USC, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma making the cut. He also had a great visit recently to Georgia and some Pac-12 teams cannot be counted out either.

KRIS HUTSON - Oregon, April 13

A bunch of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco teammates recently visited Oregon. They all loved the trip and everything they saw in Eugene, but Hutson had an especially good time and the Ducks have to be considered one of the front-runners in his recruitment. The four-star receiver was committed to USC earlier in his recruitment and he could take a slower approach to another pledge but Oregon definitely made a big impression this past weekend and it’s a school that could end up getting him if things stay hot.

KELEE RINGO - Oregon, April 13

Last weekend, Ringo was supposed to visit Oklahoma. Travel plans could not get worked out, so at the last second the five-star cornerback visited Oregon instead and he had a great time in Eugene. Ringo especially hit it off with assistant coach Donte Williams, one of the best recruiters in the West, and the Ducks could continue to emerge as a serious contender in his recruitment.

However, there will be stiff competition because Ringo could be the top corner in this class. He returns for another trip to Georgia this weekend and he absolutely loved his first trip there. Texas is also a major player and the Longhorns should be in this one until the bitter end.

D.J. UIAGALELEI - Clemson, April 5

The nation’s No. 1 player has been to Clemson before, but this most-recent trip was highly important because Uiagalelei brought his whole family on this visit and it was the first time his mother experienced the environment and saw the campus.

The five-star quarterback will attend the Oregon spring game this weekend and then he’s planning to announce his commitment on May 5. Clemson and Oregon seem like the only two remaining in his recruitment and his relationship with the Tigers’ coaching staff, plus his potential future there after Trevor Lawrence leaves for the NFL, seems intriguing. His mother seemed to really like the Clemson trip so the national champs have to feel pretty good right now, with the Oregon trip the only roadblock left before his May 5 decision.