Latest news with #Recruiting
Yahoo
7 hours ago
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Four-Star Corner Nick Hankins Dismisses Mizzou for Border-State Rival
Four-Star Corner Nick Hankins Dismisses Mizzou for Border-State Rival originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Missouri Tigers have suffered another recruiting loss, as four-star cornerback Nick Hankins has committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini. This marks the second four-star recruit Mizzou has dropped in the past week after losing running back recruit Ryan Estrada to Minnesota. Advertisement After his announcement, Hankins had a message for other Illinois recruits, calling for them to stay home as well. "I want to start a wave. Everybody goes to Mizzou, everybody goes out of state. I want everybody from Illinois to stay in Illinois." From Belleville, Illinois, Hankins is ranked as the No. 352 player in the country and ranked No. 28 among all cornerbacks. He's also No. 10 in the state of Illinois. Hankins seemed to be deciding between Mizzou, Illinois, Ole Miss, Iowa and Tennessee. Illinois and Missouri appeared to be the front runners, but Hankins ultimately chose to stay home. Hankins visited Columbia for his first official visits between May 30 and June 1, but it was pretty clear after his visit to Illinois from June 6-8 that he would choose the Illini instead. Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Mizzou fans were quick to criticize Hankins' decision, arguing that an SEC school is a better option to develop. Advertisement "I can't hate on his reasoning; I want Missouri kids to stay in Missouri. But Mizzou is the better program," one user wrote. "Poor choice young man. MIZ will get you to the NFL with SEC exposure and playing real college ball. Illinois will get you to the United Football League," another wrote. Other than picking up four-star linebacker Keenan Harris, who has some experience at safety, the Tigers haven't gained much traction in adding to their secondary. However, four-star safety Jayden McGregory and three-stars Tony Forney and Jowell Combay are all still up for grabs and could help to change that. Related: Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 21-25 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
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Previewing the 2025 season for Penn State QB Drew Allar with his player profile
Going into the 2025 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player's background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season. Quarterback Drew Allar returns for his fourth and likely final season as a Nittany Lion, looking to avenge last season's heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals. With a revamped wide receiver corps via a trio of transfers, Allar has arguably the best cast of pass-catchers he's had since arriving on campus. Here's a preview of Penn State's gunslinger headed into the 2025 season. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Medina, Ohio Advertisement Height: 6-5 Weight: 236 lb Class in 2025: Senior Recruiting Rankings Class of 2022: Consensus 5-star recruit, No. 3 player, No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 recruit from Ohio per 247Sports Allar committed to Penn State as a rising 4-star recruit. The local Ohio State made a late push for Allar after his commitment, but the quarterback never wavered and became Penn State's highest ranked quarterback commitment since Christian Hackenberg in 2013. Career Stats Games Completions Attempts Yards Touchdowns 2022 10 35 60 344 4 2023 13 233 389 2,631 25 2024 16 262 394 3,327 24 Depth Chart Overview It was clear when Allar stepped on campus it wouldn't take long for him to step into the spotlight. After sitting behind sixth-year Sean Clifford for a year, Allar took the reigns and has been the starter for two seasons. Barring injury, he'll retain the starting role in 2025. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 2025 Penn State football: Drew Allar player profile
Yahoo
2 days ago
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Miami Still in Play for No. 1 WR in 2026 Class Despite LSU Commitment
Miami Still in Play for No. 1 WR in 2026 Class Despite LSU Commitment originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Miami Hurricanes are quietly gaining steam in their pursuit of the nation's top wide receiver in the 2026 class. Five-star standout Tristen Keys, currently committed to LSU, just wrapped up a pivotal official visit to Coral Gables, and the buzz coming out of that trip suggests Miami could be positioning itself for a flip. Advertisement Keys, a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is the crown jewel of LSU's 2026 recruiting class and widely regarded as the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation. He made headlines earlier this cycle with a surprise commitment to the Tigers. At the time, many believed programs like Miami held the edge in his recruitment, but LSU managed to secure a pledge earlier than most expected. Now, the Hurricanes are looking to turn the tide back in their favor. According to several insiders, Keys came away from his visit to Miami seriously impressed with the direction of the program under Mario Cristobal. Sources close to the situation indicate that the Hurricanes made a significant impression both on and off the field, highlighting their offensive vision, NIL opportunities, and player development track record at the wide receiver position. Miami's pitch seems to have resonated. This is the second visit to Miami by Keys in just a month. This latest visit has reopened the door to a recruitment that once looked locked down. Keys himself reportedly hinted that he still has a decision to make, a statement that should raise eyebrows in Baton Rouge. While LSU anticipated that Keys would explore his options with official visits, the level of uncertainty surrounding his commitment has increased following his time in South Florida. Advertisement As Miami continues to host top-tier talent and build momentum on the recruiting trail, the situation with Tristen Keys bears close watching. A flip from LSU would be a massive statement for the Hurricanes and a potential cornerstone for their 2026 class. With more official visits ahead, nothing is final, but Miami is making this recruitment far more interesting than LSU would like to see. Related: Miami Under Fire After Analyst Says Cam Ward Was 'Wasted' in 2024 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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5-Star LSU Wide Receiver Commit Sends Strong Ole Miss Message
5-Star LSU Wide Receiver Commit Sends Strong Ole Miss Message originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Five-star Mississippi native and top-ranked receiver in the 2026 class Tristen Keys remains committed to LSU, but has been actively visiting several programs, including Ole Miss. Advertisement Keys has made many trips to the Ole Miss campus this offseason, including an unofficial visit on Wednesday where he participated in the 7-on-7 camp. His recent social media activity and multiple visits to other schools have turned heads with speculation of a potential decommitment, placing his recruitment under the national spotlight this summer. As his relationship with Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss coaching staff continues to grow, he has some high praise for the program. 'Ole Miss as a whole is a great program,' Keys told On3. 'They do a great job at my position, receiver position. They do a great job. Air Raid team, great offense, always gonna have a great quarterback and a great receiver corps to come with it.' Advertisement That connection has clearly made an impression on him as he continues to test the waters. Hattiesburg High School wide receiver and LSU Tigers commit Tristen Keys (5)Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Keys spoke highly about Ole Miss wide receivers coach George McDonald and director of recruiting strategy Kelvin Bolden. He gave some insight into his relationship with the coaches as he discussed his visit with the program. "Honestly, that's something we've been working on," Keys said. "I've been talking to Coach KB about that. That's something we working on for sure. I've been so busy, it's like wherever I can get a day, I'll slide through there." While a date is not confirmed yet, it is clear there is mutual interest in making the visit happen as soon as his schedule allows. Advertisement Related: Undrafted Ole Miss TE Signs with Broncos Related: Ole Miss Convinces Coveted DE to Flip Commitment from Wisconsin This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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Kansas, Bill Self Receive Major Recruiting News on Wednesday
Kansas, Bill Self Receive Major Recruiting News on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The college basketball recruiting cycle never really ends. As June winds down, players are still shifting schools while coaches continue shaping their rosters for the 2025-26 season. Advertisement Kansas head coach Bill Self got a boost on Wednesday, landing a key frontcourt addition who could make an impact in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks picked up Paul Mbiya, a 6-foot-11, 260-pound center with a 7-foot-7 wingspan. Mbiya adds size, depth and much-needed rim protection to a Kansas team with Final Four aspirations. Joe Tipton of On3 Sports broke the news: "Congolese big man Paul Mbiya, a former NC State signee, has committed to Kansas, source tells @On3Recruits. The 6-11, 260-pound 20-year-old center boasts a 7-7 wingspan." Mbiya hit the open market last week after decommitting from the NC State Wolfpack, where he had been pledged for just over a month. Kansas beat out Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks for his services. Advertisement Mbiya began his development at the NBA Academy Africa before moving to France to play for ASVEL Villeurbanne, where he averaged 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self.© Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images He becomes the second major pickup for Kansas in as many days. The Jayhawks also added Kohl Rosario, bringing the scholarship count to 13 of the 14 available spots. Mbiya will likely compete with Flory Bidunga for minutes at the center position. His commitment likely ends Kansas' pursuit of fellow bigs Ege Demir and Brice Dessert. The Jayhawks are looking to bounce back after a frustrating 21-13 campaign, including an 11-9 mark in Big 12 play. Their season began with a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll and ended in disappointment with a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament to John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks. Advertisement Kansas has reloaded and retooled. With Mbiya in the mix, they're once again aiming for a deep March run. Related: Duke Basketball Gets Good Recruiting News on Monday Related: Khaman Maluach Sends Message to Cooper Flagg After NBA Draft Decision This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
