The 2021 class has certainly experienced a strange recruiting process and that has led to several decommitments. This week we break down those decommitments, and today we highlight five of the more notable ones that have occurred in the West.
*****
RELATED: Ten notable Midwest decommitments | Southeast | East Coast
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker
*****
One of the concerns for Pac-12 schools is that national powers have come West to take some of the region’s top players over the last few years, with Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State leading the charge. And now Boston College and first-year coach Jeff Hafley have done the same, as Batson flipped from Arizona to Boston College and it’s another big loss for the conference.
The three-star safety still needs to add significant weight, but he’s rangy, he has tremendous length and he should add a high level of athleticism to the Eagles’ secondary. He may even drop down and play linebacker sometime in his career.
*****
BYU landed Fano’s commitment as an eighth-grader, and he stuck with that pledge for years, only to back off recently and release a top eight. It feels like Utah has emerged as a serious contender in Fano’s recruitment and he has the athletic and physical ability to be developed into one of the next elite defensive linemen by coach Kyle Whittingham. BYU cannot be counted out and others are also in the running, but if he cannot take a bunch of official visits before decision day, then this could end up being a local battle with the Utes holding the edge.
*****
The No. 1 prospect in the 2021 class made an early commitment to Clemson but backed off that pledge earlier this offseason as he wanted to take other visits. Clemson does not allow its committed players to take visits. So, Foreman opened things back up and he’s been busy on the road, seeing Georgia and LSU recently, planning a trip to Oregon and possibly seeing USC again soon as well.
Those five programs are seriously involved with Foreman, but this looks like it’s shaping up to be an SEC battle between the Tigers and the Bulldogs, and after a recent trip to Baton Rouge, LSU might have the slight edge, since he’s also hoping to play with fellow five-star and friend Maason Smith.
*****
Nebraska scored a big recruiting victory in Northern California when Schweitzer picked the Huskers, and that pledge lasted a while, but once Notre Dame offered things got much tougher. The Irish offered everything Schweitzer was looking for both academically and athletically, and while the Los Gatos, Calif., standout liked Nebraska a whole lot, there was no way he was going to turn down Notre Dame.
Off the edge, Schweitzer has tons of speed, he can continue to develop physically and over the next few years he should be able to make a major impact in South Bend.
*****
Simmons is one of the more interesting prospects in the West region this recruiting cycle because up until recently he has played offensive tackle. But Simmons has moved over to the position he feels more comfortable playing and that’s along the defensive line, so his recruitment could take a bunch of different avenues as teams peg him for those positions.
A former Oregon commit, Simmons committed to the Ducks without seeing the campus and he backed off his pledge because he wanted to make sure he would fit in well wherever he went - and seeing the place is an important part of that consideration. With official visits canceled through December, a later decision is now expected. USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Oregon State, Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Washington and others are involved.
