Recruiting Rumor Mill: Rumors continue to fly during busy week
There was so much news and so many rumors flying around this week that there was a lot of overflow, so here we are with a second Recruiting Rumor Mill heading into another busy weekend.
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THIS WEEK'S PREVIOUS RECRUITING RUMOR MILL: Visits heat up
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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
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Florida State has had the edge for the three-star safety from Lake Wales, Fla., as he has connections to the program and the Seminoles have definitely captured his attention. But Florida made a serious push after a recent visit and that at least gives him something to consider. He loved how engaged the coaches were with the players as coach Billy Napier and position coach Patrick Toney left the biggest impression. He also likes that Florida told him he could play a number of positions on its defense. Anglin heads to Tennessee this weekend.
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The four-star linebacker and Notre Dame commit has taken a soft touch to getting other players in the Irish recruiting class, but five-star quarterback Dante Moore is a top target of his and had a clear message to him when they talked recently: Be the face on the offensive side of the ball for this recruiting class. It’s believed Notre Dame has the edge in Moore’s recruitment anyway, but Bowen is definitely trying his hardest to get him on board, especially after a multi-day visit to South Bend for Moore recently.
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The No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class had a busy week with trips to both Alabama and Georgia and those two could be battling until the end, although the Bulldogs have to still love their position. Brown said Alabama is “totally different from other schools” in terms of how business-like and focused everything is there. It’s just “straight business and work,” and that could appeal to the Jefferson, Ga., standout. But Georgia had him back on campus and Brown sat down with inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann to break down film, which was invaluable. The local recruit also saw Georgia restock at all linebacker spots which was definitely impressive as well.
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There has been a lot of talk around Daugherty following his great visit to LSU, especially since the staff quickly built relationships there and showed the family a lot more about the major he wants to pursue and the fine details were all covered. The Tigers definitely left a major impression but not one that cannot be overcome. North Carolina gets its shot this weekend, and Georgia and others are involved but LSU is right in the thick of things here.
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The three-star receiver from Converse (Texas) Judson committed to Arkansas in November and remains pledged to the Razorbacks, but a recent offer from Georgia has given him a lot to consider. He was “crazy excited” about the offer, especially since his mother is from the state and she’s a diehard Bulldogs fan. One holdup is that the Arkansas staff has paid him so much attention and been so involved, so a flip from Evans is no lock.
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Many believe the 2024 four-star offensive lineman from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson will end up somewhere in the Southeast, but Ohio State has given him something to seriously consider. Flynn hit it off with position coach Justin Frye and graduate assistant Mike Sollenne, and Flynn was impressed how complimentary the coaches were of him on and off the field. He’s expected to camp there this summer plus talking to some former players left a great impression about the program, too. Ohio State hasn’t offered yet so that has to play out first.
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There is going to be serious competition for the current No. 1 running back in the 2024 class, and Oklahoma will be right there until the end since Gage is originally from that state. He said it’s his dream school, but Ohio State made a massive impression during a recent visit. Gage was told he’s the “exact back” Ohio State needs and his interactions with coach Ryan Day and position coach Tony Alford were huge.
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Green has been committed to Louisville since Christmas Eve but others are not backing off, and he was at Ole Miss this past weekend. The message to the three-star defensive end from Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove was that he could be “something special” in Oxford, and the coaching style there stood out most. Green remains committed to the Cardinals but Ole Miss, Tennessee, North Carolina and Arkansas are pushing.
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The feeling Hamilton got at Notre Dame last weekend was that the coaches want him badly and that he’s a big priority in the 2024 recruiting class. They told him that he fit the standard there perfectly and talking with them and watching practice stood out most. Florida State has intrigued the Navarre, Fla., four-star a lot, but the irish are climbing up the ranks and then Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Clemson also look good.
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Georgia is still considered the big-time frontrunner for the nation’s No. 1 running back, but Haynes’ visit on Wednesday to Florida really left a massive impression. His father, Verron, who played for the Bulldogs, said the trip to Gainesville was their “best visit by far,” the entire family hit it off with the coaching staff and the way coach Billy Napier and his staff comported themselves throughout the day especially stood out. Florida was way behind others heading into the visit and really closed the gap.
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Georgia might have a slight edge for the four-star defensive end from Phenix City (Ala.) Central, but Alabama is making this very interesting, especially after a recent visit when position coach Freddie Roach laid out how the Crimson Tide would use him on defense whether at defensive end or the Jack position. Those two SEC teams - along with Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Tennessee and others - are in the mix.
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The four-star running back from New Caney, Texas, has been committed to Michigan State since mid-January, but others have not stopped pushing. Reescano is expected to visit with the Spartans and go to Arkansas in the coming days, and Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU and USC have all also been showing interest. There are no indications yet of Reescano flipping, but a lot of SEC teams are getting more involved.
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The amount of attention being paid to Smith by the Ohio State coaching staff has definitely stood out and could help the Buckeyes land the 2024 four-star receiver down the road. Smith has already been to Columbus three times and position coach Brian Hartline has broken down film of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and others with Smith. It feels to him like he’s the No. 1 target at receiver for his class. Every national program will be involved with Smith, but Ohio State has jumped out.
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It might be tough to pull the Austin (Texas) Westlake four-star defensive end all the way to Eugene, Ore., but a recent visit with Oregon could have been a game-changer. Meeting with coach Dan Lanning and position coach Tosh Lupoi and getting a full understanding of how much success and development they’ve had over the years was a major selling point. As the post-visit high wears off, Oregon will have a lot of challengers, but the Ducks are definitely in the discussion now. Clemson is definitely another school to watch as well.
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The five-star defensive end from Tacoma (Wash.) Lincoln might not be the lock to Alabama that some have believed in recent months. The Crimson Tide definitely have a ton of defensive ends they’re considering, and while Wayne had another great visit to Tuscaloosa last weekend he’s open to other programs and will see two in the coming weeks. Wayne will be at LSU this weekend and he has always been intrigued by the Tigers, and then he will see Georgia soon as well. Oregon is another team to watch as his recruitment goes on.