Ten must-have prospects that teams can't afford to lose out on
POSITION BY POSITION: Comparing the 2018 class to its predecessors
National Signing Day is about one week away and there are still plenty of recruiting battles going on. Here are 10 can’t-miss prospects for certain programs.
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The team: LSU
Coach Ed Orgeron and his staff landed their first five-star commitment during the early signing period when receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. picked the Tigers. Landing Surtain, the nation’s best cornerback, could be hugely important to the recruiting class and to keep up appearances that LSU is still DBU. It’s also important to keep Surtain away from Alabama, which has surged as major competition especially in recent months. LSU has long been considered the front-runner for the five-star cornerback and he has the ability to step on the field from Day 1 and be a major contributor. If the Crimson Tide can come in and take him away, it would be a big miss for Orgeron and his staff.
The team: Florida
Florida has long been considered the front-runner for Petit-Frere and he’s proven to be the top-rated offensive tackle in the 2018 class, but the Gators are getting pressed especially by Alabama now. Coach Dan Mullen and his staff have done everything possible to wrap up the Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep prospect and with a revamped offense the five-star offensive tackle should have an excellent chance to earn early playing time. But the Crimson Tide are coming on strong and Alabama does not usually miss out on a lot of top targets.
The team: Clemson
Clemson receivers Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud have declared early for the NFL Draft, which means the Tigers will be without two of their top three receivers next year. That means Ross, a five-star receiver who has Clemson, Alabama and Auburn in his top three, could step in right away and be an immediate asset in the Tigers’ offense. There is no question the quarterback position will be loaded for coach Dabo Swinney’s club and now Ross could fill a major void. That’s if the Phenix City (Ala.) Central standout ends up at Clemson. The Crimson Tide hosted Ross recently and he had a phenomenal time plus Alabama rarely misses on the top in-state prospect. Auburn would be a surprise but cannot be counted out yet.
The team: USC
SEC and ACC powerhouses are coming strong after the five-star cornerback as Griffin visited Alabama this weekend, Tennessee is pushing and then Florida State and Clemson are trying to stay involved as well. But Griffin recently took his official visit to USC and had an excellent time on campus and spending time with the coaching staff. Griffin has the ability to step in almost immediately with the Trojans and fight for playing time. According to sources, some people close to Griffin are hoping he stays close to home. The five-star is seriously contemplating going away, but the Trojans are definitely pushing to land him.
The team: Miami
Miami has not had a five-star defensive back signee since Tracy Howard in its 2012 class so Campbell would be huge for the Hurricanes. Georgia is considered to have the edge at this moment, but the Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage standout who shined at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is taking his final official trip down the road to Coral Gables. Miami will have the last chance before Signing Day to land Campbell and that final trip is always compelling. If the Hurricanes want to stay near the top of the ACC, getting a five-star like Campbell to stay home is crucial.
The team: Texas A&M
Alabama, Florida State, Oregon, TCU and Texas are all working hard to land the five-star receiver, who dominated at the Army Bowl and has emerged as one of the state’s best players, but Texas A&M has made the Houston Episcopal standout a top priority - and the Aggies seem to be in the lead. Assistant coach Tim Brewster is working hard on Waddle and rightfully so because he has the ability to make an immediate impact in College Station. Coach Jimbo Fisher just landed a pledge from 2019 four-star DB Brian Williams, one of the best players in the state for his class. Landing Waddle as well would send an even bigger message.
The team: South Carolina
For a while, South Carolina has been at the top of Sandidge’s list and he took his final official visit to Columbia this weekend. Coach Will Muschamp has made the four-star defensive tackle a top priority for the Gamecocks’ recruiting class, so losing out on him to North Carolina or Georgia, his other finalists, would definitely sting. Early playing time at South Carolina could be a selling point. Sandidge has been to South Carolina numerous times and continues to have an excellent time there. The four-star will have in-home visits with all three schools before Signing Day and then announce his decision. South Carolina has put in a ton of time with Sandidge so locking him up would be huge.
The team: Oregon
For months, Oregon has been the front-runner for the four-star standout and Williams has taken every step possible to show the Ducks his high level of interest as well. The Lancaster (Calif.) Antelope Valley standout took his official visit to Eugene this past weekend and by all accounts had another great trip. Whether Williams shines at receiver, defensive back or linebacker in college is still undetermined, but it looks like Oregon will have its chance to figure it out. USC is making a late run and the Trojans cannot be counted out, but it would hurt big time if the Ducks don’t land Williams in the end.
The team: Penn State
The Nittany Lions could really be tough to beat for Walker because the four-star feels really comfortable with the Penn State coaching staff and has for a long time. That could be an especially important aspect as Walker looks at the final days of his recruitment. Ohio State has made him a priority, though, and the Buckeyes are not giving up. If Penn State wants to stay among the national elite, it must keep landing recruits like Walker.
The team: LSU
Anyone watching knows LSU’s offense has not been hitting on all cylinders recently, especially in the passing game. On top of that, hot shot offensive coordinator Matt Canada, charged with turning around LSU’s tired attack, is out after one season as the Tigers turned to assistant Steve Ensminger as their new offensive coordinator. With all that being said, LSU already has landed the top player in the state, five-star receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., and loading up at receiver is a top priority in this class. That’s where Chase comes in. The state is top heavy at receiver this year with Marshall, followed by Mississippi State signee Devonta Jason and then Chase ranked fourth in the state. LSU cannot afford to miss out on two of the top three in-state wide receivers so getting Chase to Baton Rouge is hugely important if the Tigers want their offense to get moving again.