| USA TODAY
Kirby Smart Signing Day
Kirby Smart speaks to the media on UGA’s 2020 Signing Day class.
Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald
Alabama and Ohio State are battling to have the country’s top-ranked 2021 recruiting class.
And, wouldn’t you know it: Those two are also seen to be the main two competitors battling for the country’s top-remaining prospect, five-star Washington defensive end J.T. Tuimolau. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound talent is extending his recruitment past the early signing period, so we might not get a clear picture of the country’s No. 1 recruiting class for a while.
But plenty of other truly elite football talents have made their college decisions. Of the 247Sports Composite top 25, only five remain uncommitted.
Here’s a look at those top 25 prospects, where they’re headed and who those final five are considering:
1. Korey Foreman, DE, Centennial (California)
College choice: Undecided
Originally committed to Clemson, Foreman re-opened his recruitment in April and no clear frontrunner has emerged. USC, Georgia and LSU have all generated buzz at one time or another. He is signing Wednesday but waiting to announce until Jan. 2.
2. JC Latham, OT, IMG Academy (Florida)
College choice: Alabama
A Wisconsin product who opted to play for powerhouse IMG Academy down in Florida, Latham committed to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide way back in June.
3. J.T. Tuimolau, DE, Eastside Catholic (Washington)
College choice: Undecided
As we mentioned earlier, it sounds like this will come down to Ohio State and Alabama, and a decision isn’t expected until after the early signing period.
4. Jack Sawyer, DE, Pickerington North (Ohio)
College choice: Ohio State
A college-ready, 6-5, 250-pound pass-rusher who chose his home-state Buckeyes back in February 2019.
5. Tommy Brockermeyer, OT, All Saints Episcopal (Texas)
College choice: Alabama
With Latham and Brockermeyer, Alabama has the top two offensive tackles in the 2021 class.
6. Caleb Williams, QB, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
College choice: Oklahoma
Lincoln Riley’s Sooners continued their stretch of landing cream-of-the-crop dual-threat quarterbacks when they landed the 6-1, 210-pound Williams in July.
7. Amarius Mims, OT, Bleckley County (Georgia)
College choice: Georgia
The Bulldogs landed their state’s No. 1 2021 talent when Mims committed to them this October. A huge SEC recruiting victory for Kirby Smart.
8. Dallas Turner, DE, St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida)
College choice: Alabama
The son of a former professional basketball player, the highly athletic Turner committed to Alabama back in July.
9. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Steliacoom (Washington)
College choice: Ohio State
Ryan Day and his Buckeyes are making a habit of landing the country’s No. 1 wide receiver a whole lot, which they did again with Egbuka last week.
10. Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami Palmetto (Florida)
College choice: Miami
The Hurricanes kept the country’s top-ranked interior defensive lineman home back in August, despite big efforts from major programs across the country.
11. Tristan Leigh, OT, Robinson Secondary (Virginia)
College choice: Undecided
Leigh plans to announce his college decision Jan. 2 and is down to a final five of Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State and LSU. Oklahoma has the most buzz right now, but there is no clear frontrunner.
12. Sam Huard, QB, Kennedy Catholic (Washington)
College choice: Washington
Considered the country’s best pro-style quarterback, Huard, the son of former Washington and NFL quarterback Damon Huard, elected to commit to his home-state Huskies all the way back in November 2018.
13. James Williams, S, American Heritage (Florida)
College choice: Miami
Saban and Alabama may have gone into Florida and plucked the state’s top two 2021 talents, but Miami has done well to land the next two highest-rated Florida products in Taylor and Williams.
14. Brock Vandagriff, QB, Prince Avenue Christian (Georgia)
College choice: Georgia
Another home-state recruiting victory for Smart and the Bulldogs, the 6-3, 205-pound Vandagriff committed to Georgia in January after decommitting from Oklahoma earlier that month.
15. Nolan Rucci, OT, Warwick (Pennsylvania)
College choice: Wisconsin
It’s basically a rule that, every recruiting cycle, Wisconsin always lands at least one truly elite offensive lineman. Rucci is the latest in that trend.
16. Terrence Lewis, LB, Miami Central (Florida)
College choice: Undecided
Lewis, who is announcing his decision Jan. 2, was seen as an Auburn lean before Gus Malzahn was fired. Now, it’s down to Maryland and Tennessee, where he was originally committed before re-opening things Nov. 30.
17. Donovan Jackson, OG, Episcopal (Texas)
College choice: Ohio State
With Jackson, the Buckeyes get the No. 1 offensive guard in the country. He picked Ohio State way back in January.
18. Maason Smith, DT, Terrebonne (Louisiana)
College choice: LSU
Despite the Tigers’ rough season, Louisiana’s top-rated 2021 prospect opted to stay home in a Dec. 16 decision, picking LSU over Georgia.
19. Damon Payne, DT, Belleville (Michigan)
College choice: Alabama
A product of a high school powerhouse, the 6-4, 300-pound Payne committed to the Crimson Tide back in July over the likes of Oklahoma and Ohio State.
20. Xavian Sorey, LB, IMG Academy (Florida)
College choice: Georgia
The Bulldogs continue their success at linebacker with Sorey, a 6-3, 215-pound athlete who picked Georgia over Florida and Alabama in a signing day decision.
21. Ja’Tavion Sanders, ATH, Ryan (Texas)
College choice: Texas
Sanders, the country’s top-rated athlete, could play both defensive end or tight end in college. He committed to Texas very early in the process, back in September 2019.
22. J.J. McCarthy, QB, IMG Academy (Florida)
College choice: Michigan
The 6-3, 190-pounder committed to the Wolverines way back in May 2019 and has remained loyal through Michigan’s disappointing season, signing his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday.
23. Ga’Quincy McKinstry, CB, Pinson Valley (Alabama)
College choice: Alabama
It was down to LSU, Alabama and Auburn, and on Oct. 25, McKinstry, the country’s top-rated cornerback, chose to play both football and basketball at Alabama.
24. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Hopewell (Virginia)
College choice: Ohio State
The country’s No. 1 running back committed to the Buckeyes over Oklahoma, Virginia and Michigan back in March.
25. Kyle McCord, QB, St. Joseph’s (Pennsylvania)
College choice: Ohio State
The Buckeyes found their 2021 signal-caller in the 6-3, 215-pound McCord way back in April 2019.
Source link