Latest news with #Dixon-Wyatt
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans Lose Another Elite California WR to Ohio State
Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have been on quite the recruiting run this year, holding the No. 1-ranked class in the 2026 cycle. However, when it comes to the top players in the state of California, Riley is having a tough time keeping them in the state. On Sunday, 4-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt announced his commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes, choosing them over both the Trojans and the Oregon Ducks. Dixon-Wyatt is rated as the No. 59 player in the nation, and the No. 6 WR in the 2026 class. Advertisement Earlier this year, Dixon-Wyatt's teammate at Mater Dei, 5-star WR Chris Henry Jr., also shut down his recruitment and gave his verbal commitment to Ohio State. Henry is the No. 2 ranked player in the sate of California, while Dixon-Wyatt is the No. 10 ranked player in the state. It's not hard to see why any receiver would choose to go to Ohio State, seeing as they've developed some of the top wide reicevers in the nation over the years. With Brian Hartline on the staff, the Buckeyes have had receivers like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jeremiah Smith, among others, come through the program as of late. The Buckeyes already had the No. 6 rated recruiting class before the addition of Dixon-Wyatt, but they moved up to No. 3 in the nation, just behind USC and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Ohio State is also in the running to land 5-star OT Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 player in the nation, who will announce his commitment on May 13. However, the feeling is as if Oregon and the Georgia Bulldogs are currently the teams to beat in that recruitment. Related: 5-Star QB Jared Curtis Cancels Visit Days Before Major Oregon-Georgia Decision
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Star Playmaker Has No Words on Major Ohio State Announcement
Few young people follow the cliché, but it still often rings true. A picture, on its own, is worth a 1,000 words. That's what four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt appeared to believe with a post of a picture without a caption following his commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Advertisement On Sunday, Dixon-Wyatt tweeted a photo of Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. In the picture, Hartline is smiling while holding a cigar. The wideout had the photo on his X (formerly Twitter) account about an hour after On3's Hayes Fawcett reported Dixon-Wyatt committed to Ohio State. "The 6'2 180 WR from Oakland, CA chose the Buckeyes over Oregon and Alabama," tweeted Fawcett. Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Dixon-Wyatt is the No. 15 receiver in the 2026 recruiting class. The same rankings also have Dixon-Wyatt rated as the No. 15 California prospect and No. 107 overall recruit in the class. Advertisement Dixon-Wyatt is considerably higher ranked on the 247Sports-only rankings. On that ranking list, he is the No. 6 receiver and No. 59 overall prospect in the class. Based on either ratings, the Buckeyes have landed yet another verbal commitment from a highly-touted wide receiver in the 2026 recruiting class. With Dixon-Wyatt, Ohio State has landed three four-star receivers and a three-star wideout in the 2026 class. The program's current top commitment in the class is Dixon-Wyatt's high school teammate, receiver Chris Henry Jr. Dixon-Wyatt is Ohio State's No. 3 2026 commitment according to 247Sports. Advertisement Local prospect Jaeden Ricketts, who is from Pataskala, Ohio, is the other four-star receiver committed to Ohio State in the 2026 class. Those three stars will join a Buckeyes receiving group next year that will still have star Jeremiah Smith, who isn't eligible to enter the NFL Draft until 2027. A native of Southlake, Texas, Brock Boyd is the three-star receiver committed to Ohio State in 2026. Related: Ohio State Football Gets Good News on Touted Playmaker
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals250 Release: These prospects are on the five-star radar
With the updated release of the Rivals250 on Monday, there are now 23 five-star prospects in the 2026 class. There is still plenty of room for more. Here's a look at 12 recruits who could end up with that five-star ranking by signing day. Advertisement 2026 RIVALS250 REFRESH: New schedule explained | Updated Rivals250 revealed | Biggest storylines | Prospects on the five-star radar | Three big jumps WHICH METRO AREA PRODUCES THE BEST HS FOOTBALL TALENT? YOU DECIDE CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker There is an argument – some would say an easy argument – that Bowman is the best tight end in the 2026 Rivals250 even after reclassifying from 2027. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout is not going to load up on stats during the season because his team plays ball control and spreads the ball around. But at OT7 and other events, he shows off such excellent hands and smooth route running for a big guy and it's pretty impressive. Advertisement Bowman is built like all the star tight ends in the NFL and he might be an even more fluid runner than some. USC and Georgia are battling it out for him, among others. The Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab standout is a better offensive lineman than defensive lineman but he's elite on both sides of the ball and that should only help his ranking over the long term. Brown can block anybody in the class and use his physical and athletic nature to dominate there or he can flip over to the defensive line and win on that side as well. Texas A&M has the edge over LSU in his recruitment but this is going to be a battle until the end. There will be a discussion moving forward whether Dixon-Wyatt is not only a five-star receiver but the best receiver at Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, which also features five-star Chris Henry Jr. Advertisement Dixon-Wyatt was great during his junior season (with Henry out due to injury) and he's shown elite qualities this offseason from route running to speed and length and especially his hands. Ohio State and Oregon are at the top of the list. What is there not to like about Gray's game? He absolutely dominates up front, overpowers his opponents, has arm length, toughness and a great power base so he has an incredibly bright future ahead of him. The Richmond (Va.) St. Chrisopher's standout is also an eloquent and insightful person so picking up concepts, allowing himself to be coached and understanding the position won't be a problem at all. Advertisement Ohio State, South Carolina and others are high on the list. Edmonds showed a lot of guts by being one of the underclassmen to compete against the senior class at the Navy All-American Bowl and he more than held his own. In our estimation, the Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry standout was one of the best cornerbacks at the entire event even counting players in 2025. The Alabama commit is long, fluid and can play out on an island with no problem. With so many elite cornerbacks in this class, Edmonds is definitely among the top of the conversation. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT Elee is one of the most interesting prospects in the class and someone who will be debated about as a five-star until signing day. The Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances defensive end has all the length, ranginess and burst in the world but he's also very one-note in his repertoire. Advertisement Over time, the Maryland commit is going to have to get thicker and stronger because he can use speed incredibly well against offensive tackles but he has to develop the threat of power as well. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MARYLAND FANS AT Whether it's lining up off the edge or blitzing from the inside, the Matthews (N.C.) Weddington four-star defensive end is a menace. In one of his first plays from his junior season highlight film, he beats an offensive lineman badly and then strip sacks five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon. He can use speed or incredible power to win at the point of attack and he chases quarterbacks down like a lion to raw meat. Advertisement South Carolina and NC State seem to have the edge since he's looking for a package deal with his twin brother, Andrew. The Tennessee commit is so, so fast. He's electric off the line of scrimmage, he's dynamic through his route, he knows how to set up defenders and then he can burn anybody deep. King also has great hands, he plays with toughness and after having more than 1,000 receiving yards in his junior season, he's gone to numerous events this offseason and has looked fantastic. What more could we want to see? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT There is no defensive end in the 2026 class with the motor of Kreul, who has endless and boundless energy to be in attack mode against any offensive lineman. The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout doesn't back down to competition. He grinds down opponents over the course of a game or an event and he's always winning reps. Advertisement Kreul is also getting bigger and stronger, and while he won't have elite measurables, his competitive level is off the charts. There's something to say about never losing reps. Miami, Oklahoma and many others are involved. From length, to intelligence, to athleticism, to playmaking ability, Lockhart has proven to be an elite cornerback in this class and the USC commit will be under consideration for a five-star ranking. The Los Angeles Loyola standout is incredibly fluid, can run, can knock down 50-50 balls and knows how to take the other team's best receiver and make him irrelevant. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT There could still be a lot of changes at the top of the cornerback rankings and Matthews is making it even tougher because he's been so spectacular this offseason. He's been an interception machine at OT7, he looked good at an event in Charlotte over the weekend and he has the fluidity and ball skills of high-end cornerbacks playing in college and the NFL. Advertisement He might not have the length that we've fallen in love with from some corners but in terms of coverage skills, the Cornelius (N.C.) Hough standout is as good as anyone. South Carolina and Texas among others are battling it out. Williams has put up major stats throughout his high school career and then he has looked phenomenal at numerous events this offseason against top competition at OT7 and elsewhere. USC also seemed to prioritize him in its quarterback recruiting by flipping him from Oregon even as Ryder Lyons was waiting out there. Williams has underrated athleticism, a very strong arm and a little Caleb Williams to his game.
NBC Sports
29-01-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Buzz continues to flow from massive weekend
Last weekend was one of the biggest for junior days across the country and a ton of news and rumors is coming out. Here's the latest in the second Recruiting Rumor Mill this week. RELATED: Monday's recruiting rumor mill MORE: Bryce Underwood puts Michigan on more recruiting radars CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Top 100 TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker After landing an offer over the weekend from Oklahoma, coach Brent Venables was at Ackerson's school on Monday as the Sooners are now the leader in his recruitment. Oklahoma will be tough to beat for the Oklahoma City (Okla.) Putnam City safety with Kansas State being the main contender right now in his recruitment. Oregon made a big move up for the five-star athlete from Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel after a weekend visit, especially as he met with coach Dan Lanning and also defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who talked about helping develop Patrick Surtain, Christian Gonzalez and others. Lanning discussed Oregon's ascent into being a national power as the Ducks are a main contender along with Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, USC, Oklahoma and Michigan. After visiting Florida State recently, the Seminoles are 'really big' in his recruitment. Texas A&M and Georgia are main players as well with Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State making the top list as well. But after a weekend visit to Ole Miss, there is a new contender for the four-star cornerback from Carrollton, Ga., as the Rebels really impressed him and he's planning a return trip to Oxford soon. It could be very difficult to beat LSU in the end for the five-star safety from Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic but Oregon made a 'strong impression' over the weekend. Bradford's decision will come down to the 'best opportunity' for his success and the ultimate goal of getting to the NFL. That's why the Ducks will remain a player with Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech and others. The high four-star running back from Jackson, Ala., recently reclassified to 2026, which moves up his recruitment significantly and he's coming off an important visit to Auburn. The message from coach Hugh Freeze and position coach Derrick Nix is that they're building something special on The Plains and that Auburn is RBU. The problem for the Tigers is that the chatter centers around Crowell favoring Alabama at this point. Oregon is working to flip Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star receiver Chris Henry Jr. from Ohio State and the Ducks have now joined the top list for Mater Dei's Dixon-Wyatt, who had a great junior season. The Ducks made Dixon-Wyatt 'feel like a need in their program' while Texas and Ohio State continue to be the mainstays in his recruitment. South Carolina is emerging as the clear front-runner in Dunham's recruitment and another weekend visit to Columbia only reinforced that the Gamecocks could be too far ahead to catch. Tennessee and many others are involved with the four-star defensive end from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park but after long talks with coach Shane Beamer and assistants Sterling Lucas and Clayton White, the Gamecocks are definitely in good shape. Seeing the competitive nature at Texas over the weekend is selling the Longhorns on the No. 1 running back in the 2026 class. The message from position coach Tashard Choice was that he could develop Edwards and evolve his game. In the end, this could be a tough battle between Texas and Texas A&M for the Carthage, Texas, standout. Michigan, Baylor, SMU, Stanford, Tennessee and Clemson were some others mentioned. The four-star Alabama cornerback commit visited Auburn this past weekend as the Tigers look to flip him. The message was how much they wanted him on The Plains and how much of a priority he is to the program. Getting to Auburn's basketball thriller over Tennessee was also big, but the word is that the Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City standout remains very locked in with the Crimson Tide. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT Arkansas, Missouri and some others are playing a big role in Goodwin's recruitment, but the chatter now is that Notre Dame is 'definitely in a top spot' for the high three-star from Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy after he was in South Bend over the weekend. The message of selflessness from coach Marcus Freeman and then carried over by position coach Joe Rudolph was huge. Oregon and Oklahoma are two programs that have really made a big impact in Ili's recruitment and over the weekend he was in Eugene and blown away by everything there. The four-star linebacker from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran was especially impressed with how much time, money and investment the Ducks put into their players. The coaching staff was 'harping on' how much of a perfect fit Ili was in Eugene. USC, UCLA and others are also involved, but Oregon left a great impression. The four-star Michigan defensive back commit has given no indication he's rethinking his pledge to the Wolverines but Florida is making a big impression. The Gators are making it clear to the Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin standout that he's a major priority. Jennings loved how genuine the Florida coaches were during a visit over the weekend. They made it clear to him he's at the top of their board and they want Florida kids to stay home, especially local ones. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN FANS AT Alabama and Auburn will put up a fight to keep the three-star defensive end from Muscle Shoals in-state. Tennessee made a big impression and LSU recently offered. But now Oklahoma is very much in the picture for Johnson. He loved how the coaches made him feel like family in Norman, he loved watching them coach and he hit it off with position coach Miguel Chavis. Things went so well that Johnson is planning to return for the spring game and an official visit. During his visit over the weekend to Georgia Tech, Jones was pulled aside for a one-on-one conversation with coach Brent Key and that was the big standout from the visit that the Yellow Jackets are making it clear he's a major priority and that they're ready for his commitment. Georgia Tech is definitely up there but Georgia has been pushing as well and nearly his entire family are UGA fans. Kentucky, Michigan and Vanderbilt also are making an impression. Oregon, Oklahoma and Alabama are the other programs to watch for Mayo but the 2027 athlete from Lewisville, Texas, loved his junior day visit to Texas over the weekend as the energy among the defensive coaches stood out. He really liked how position coach Terry Joseph explained how everything works on that side of the ball. Mayo is Oklahoma signee Michael Fasusi's teammate though so that will be something to watch. Notre Dame is not only part of Merrill's top five but the Irish might now be considered the team to beat. After another visit to South Bend, the Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley four-star offensive lineman just has such great relationships with that coaching staff that the Irish could win out. Oklahoma continues to be a top program in Miles' recruitment and the family environment over the weekend in Norman really stood out, along with a clear message from the coaching staff about their focus for next season. The Sooners look very strong with Arkansas, SMU, Texas Tech, Stanford, Kansas and Northwestern also standing out. Two programs are standing out most to the Bixby, Okla., linebacker as Kansas and Texas Tech could be battling it out until the end. The Jayhawks might have a leg up as Nolan loved his visit to Lawrence but especially hit it off with position coach Chris Simpson. That could play a major factor in his decision-making process. After rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore, Parker has seen his recruitment take off with Florida State probably leading the pack right now. A visit over the weekend to Tallahassee also went really well as the relationships he's building at FSU and the love he feels from the coaches are definitely standing out. The Seminoles look best for the 2027 running back from Montezuma (Ga.) Macon County but Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama and Auburn are up there as well. Nebraska, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin and others are involved but Michigan is definitely the program to beat. The four-star offensive tackle from Portage (Mich.) Northern watched a lot of film with the Michigan coaching staff over the weekend – both Michigan games and his own games for pointers – and he's just hitting it off with the Wolverines. Miami is definitely a program to watch and the Hurricanes might have an edge but Florida is definitely going to put up a big challenge, especially with a major family connection there. The Pouncey Bros. – Michael and Maurkice – who starred on those Urban Meyer-led Florida national title teams are his cousins and that was a clear message from the Gators' coaches over the weekend. Notre Dame and Georgia are two others to watch. Spending time with position coach De'Rail Sims at Tennessee over the weekend has pushed the Vols to the top of Robinson's list and all the coaches in Knoxville kept telling Robinson to keep coming back and that he's a great fit for the program. Tennessee is 'leading the way' right now with Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Louisville and Alabama in contention. Clemson and Notre Dame have emerged as the top two with Penn State in the mix. The Irish might have taken a step forward over the weekend. The speedy four-star receiver from Potomac (Md.) Bullis School was told his athleticism would be a welcome addition to the Irish offense and he loves the coaching staff in South Bend. After backing off his Florida State pledge in recent days, the programs that are now standing out are Michigan, Michigan State, UCLA, Washington, South Carolina and Ohio State. The five-star quarterback will plan a visit to Ohio State if offensive coordinator Chip Kelly stays and doesn't bolt to the NFL. His Newbury Park, Calif., teammate Shane Rosenthal just committed to the Bruins so that will be something to watch as well. The four-star receiver from Mission Viejo, Calif., remains happily committed to Georgia but a source said some new developments in his recruitment has him 'thinking.' Alabama offered in recent days as the Crimson Tide have done a great job recruiting top West Coast prospects. Also, Spafford will visit USC this weekend as the Trojans work to flip him. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT The four-star receiver from Tampa (Fla.) Plant has been committed to Florida State since April but Florida and others are working on flipping him and the Gators have a big chance to make serious in-roads later this week. Williams will be on a 'shadow day' in Gainesville on Friday as he'll be staying with a player and following him around all day to see what life would be like if he were to flip to the Gators. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FSU FANS AT Editor's Note: This article first appeared on the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Buzz continues to flow from massive weekend
Last weekend was one of the biggest for junior days across the country and a ton of news and rumors is coming out. Here's the latest in the second Recruiting Rumor Mill this week. RELATED: Monday's recruiting rumor mill MORE: Bryce Underwood puts Michigan on more recruiting radars CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Top 100 TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker After landing an offer over the weekend from Oklahoma, coach Brent Venables was at Ackerson's school on Monday as the Sooners are now the leader in his recruitment. Oklahoma will be tough to beat for the Oklahoma City (Okla.) Putnam City safety with Kansas State being the main contender right now in his recruitment. Oregon made a big move up for the five-star athlete from Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel after a weekend visit, especially as he met with coach Dan Lanning and also defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who talked about helping develop Patrick Surtain, Christian Gonzalez and others. Lanning discussed Oregon's ascent into being a national power as the Ducks are a main contender along with Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, USC, Oklahoma and Michigan. After visiting Florida State recently, the Seminoles are 'really big' in his recruitment. Texas A&M and Georgia are main players as well with Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State making the top list as well. But after a weekend visit to Ole Miss, there is a new contender for the four-star cornerback from Carrollton, Ga., as the Rebels really impressed him and he's planning a return trip to Oxford soon. It could be very difficult to beat LSU in the end for the five-star safety from Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic but Oregon made a 'strong impression' over the weekend. Bradford's decision will come down to the 'best opportunity' for his success and the ultimate goal of getting to the NFL. That's why the Ducks will remain a player with Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech and others. The high four-star running back from Jackson, Ala., recently reclassified to 2026, which moves up his recruitment significantly and he's coming off an important visit to Auburn. The message from coach Hugh Freeze and position coach Derrick Nix is that they're building something special on The Plains and that Auburn is RBU. The problem for the Tigers is that the chatter centers around Crowell favoring Alabama at this point. Oregon is working to flip Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star receiver Chris Henry Jr. from Ohio State and the Ducks have now joined the top list for Mater Dei's Dixon-Wyatt, who had a great junior season. The Ducks made Dixon-Wyatt 'feel like a need in their program' while Texas and Ohio State continue to be the mainstays in his recruitment. South Carolina is emerging as the clear front-runner in Dunham's recruitment and another weekend visit to Columbia only reinforced that the Gamecocks could be too far ahead to catch. Tennessee and many others are involved with the four-star defensive end from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park but after long talks with coach Shane Beamer and assistants Sterling Lucas and Clayton White, the Gamecocks are definitely in good shape. Seeing the competitive nature at Texas over the weekend is selling the Longhorns on the No. 1 running back in the 2026 class. The message from position coach Tashard Choice was that he could develop Edwards and evolve his game. In the end, this could be a tough battle between Texas and Texas A&M for the Carthage, Texas, standout. Michigan, Baylor, SMU, Stanford, Tennessee and Clemson were some others mentioned. The four-star Alabama cornerback commit visited Auburn this past weekend as the Tigers look to flip him. The message was how much they wanted him on The Plains and how much of a priority he is to the program. Getting to Auburn's basketball thriller over Tennessee was also big, but the word is that the Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City standout remains very locked in with the Crimson Tide. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT Arkansas, Missouri and some others are playing a big role in Goodwin's recruitment, but the chatter now is that Notre Dame is 'definitely in a top spot' for the high three-star from Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy after he was in South Bend over the weekend. The message of selflessness from coach Marcus Freeman and then carried over by position coach Joe Rudolph was huge. Oregon and Oklahoma are two programs that have really made a big impact in Ili's recruitment and over the weekend he was in Eugene and blown away by everything there. The four-star linebacker from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran was especially impressed with how much time, money and investment the Ducks put into their players. The coaching staff was 'harping on' how much of a perfect fit Ili was in Eugene. USC, UCLA and others are also involved, but Oregon left a great impression. The four-star Michigan defensive back commit has given no indication he's rethinking his pledge to the Wolverines but Florida is making a big impression. The Gators are making it clear to the Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin standout that he's a major priority. Jennings loved how genuine the Florida coaches were during a visit over the weekend. They made it clear to him he's at the top of their board and they want Florida kids to stay home, especially local ones. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN FANS AT Alabama and Auburn will put up a fight to keep the three-star defensive end from Muscle Shoals in-state. Tennessee made a big impression and LSU recently offered. But now Oklahoma is very much in the picture for Johnson. He loved how the coaches made him feel like family in Norman, he loved watching them coach and he hit it off with position coach Miguel Chavis. Things went so well that Johnson is planning to return for the spring game and an official visit. During his visit over the weekend to Georgia Tech, Jones was pulled aside for a one-on-one conversation with coach Brent Key and that was the big standout from the visit that the Yellow Jackets are making it clear he's a major priority and that they're ready for his commitment. Georgia Tech is definitely up there but Georgia has been pushing as well and nearly his entire family are UGA fans. Kentucky, Michigan and Vanderbilt also are making an impression. Oregon, Oklahoma and Alabama are the other programs to watch for Mayo but the 2027 athlete from Lewisville, Texas, loved his junior day visit to Texas over the weekend as the energy among the defensive coaches stood out. He really liked how position coach Terry Joseph explained how everything works on that side of the ball. Mayo is Oklahoma signee Michael Fasusi's teammate though so that will be something to watch. Notre Dame is not only part of Merrill's top five but the Irish might now be considered the team to beat. After another visit to South Bend, the Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley four-star offensive lineman just has such great relationships with that coaching staff that the Irish could win out. Oklahoma continues to be a top program in Miles' recruitment and the family environment over the weekend in Norman really stood out, along with a clear message from the coaching staff about their focus for next season. The Sooners look very strong with Arkansas, SMU, Texas Tech, Stanford, Kansas and Northwestern also standing out. Two programs are standing out most to the Bixby, Okla., linebacker as Kansas and Texas Tech could be battling it out until the end. The Jayhawks might have a leg up as Nolan loved his visit to Lawrence but especially hit it off with position coach Chris Simpson. That could play a major factor in his decision-making process. After rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore, Parker has seen his recruitment take off with Florida State probably leading the pack right now. A visit over the weekend to Tallahassee also went really well as the relationships he's building at FSU and the love he feels from the coaches are definitely standing out. The Seminoles look best for the 2027 running back from Montezuma (Ga.) Macon County but Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama and Auburn are up there as well. Nebraska, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin and others are involved but Michigan is definitely the program to beat. The four-star offensive tackle from Portage (Mich.) Northern watched a lot of film with the Michigan coaching staff over the weekend – both Michigan games and his own games for pointers – and he's just hitting it off with the Wolverines. Miami is definitely a program to watch and the Hurricanes might have an edge but Florida is definitely going to put up a big challenge, especially with a major family connection there. The Pouncey Bros. – Michael and Maurkice – who starred on those Urban Meyer-led Florida national title teams are his cousins and that was a clear message from the Gators' coaches over the weekend. Notre Dame and Georgia are two others to watch. Spending time with position coach De'Rail Sims at Tennessee over the weekend has pushed the Vols to the top of Robinson's list and all the coaches in Knoxville kept telling Robinson to keep coming back and that he's a great fit for the program. Tennessee is 'leading the way' right now with Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Louisville and Alabama in contention. Clemson and Notre Dame have emerged as the top two with Penn State in the mix. The Irish might have taken a step forward over the weekend. The speedy four-star receiver from Potomac (Md.) Bullis School was told his athleticism would be a welcome addition to the Irish offense and he loves the coaching staff in South Bend. After backing off his Florida State pledge in recent days, the programs that are now standing out are Michigan, Michigan State, UCLA, Washington, South Carolina and Ohio State. The five-star quarterback will plan a visit to Ohio State if offensive coordinator Chip Kelly stays and doesn't bolt to the NFL. His Newbury Park, Calif., teammate Shane Rosenthal just committed to the Bruins so that will be something to watch as well. The four-star receiver from Mission Viejo, Calif., remains happily committed to Georgia but a source said some new developments in his recruitment has him 'thinking.' Alabama offered in recent days as the Crimson Tide have done a great job recruiting top West Coast prospects. Also, Spafford will visit USC this weekend as the Trojans work to flip him. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT The four-star receiver from Tampa (Fla.) Plant has been committed to Florida State since April but Florida and others are working on flipping him and the Gators have a big chance to make serious in-roads later this week. Williams will be on a 'shadow day' in Gainesville on Friday as he'll be staying with a player and following him around all day to see what life would be like if he were to flip to the Gators. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH FSU FANS AT
