Kynon's Korner: How Injury Will Impact No. 1 Player's Recruitment, SEC Update
The nation's No. 1-rated player, Josh Sweat, suffered a knee injury on Friday night in his team's 56-14 win over Western Branch of Chesapeake, Virginia. Per ESPN, Sweat is out indefinitely with a dislocated knee, but word out of Sweat's camp isn't all bad.
Evan G. Watkins of 247Sports shared an update:
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I spoke with Sweat's mom via text message, and she updated me on his status. "All is well. No surgery yet, so keep your fingers crossed," replied Carlette Sweat. "His MRI is one day next week. He's in great spirits from the news he received so far. It's looking great."
The 5-star defensive end was scheduled to be in Blacksburg, Virginia, for the Hokies' Sept. 20 tilt with Georgia Tech. However, those plans will need to be rescheduled. As far as his October visits to Georgia and Florida State, the Sweats are still figuring everything out.
When asked if his official-visit plans will be on hold? She answered, "I will try. There is a lot on me right now."
Earlier this month he was in Columbus, Ohio, to see the Buckeyes take on Virginia Tech. His mom did not accompany him on that trip.
Hopefully, the injury doesn't derail his visit plans. It will be important for the aforementioned Bulldogs and Seminoles to get him on campus during the season. Oregon is set to receive an official visit in November, and VT will welcome one at any time. Sweat and his family's priority is for him to get healthy. Recruiting will likely get pushed to the back burner.
Longhorns and Aggies Battling for 5-Star Malik Jefferson
Standout linebacker Malik Jefferson of Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, spent his bye week watching college football on the big screen. Last week he was in Arlington for the Texas-UCLA thriller. The Longhorns fell in a closer-than-expected game, and Jefferson watched the action from a front-row spot in the stands.
He shared a firsthand look:
"I was excited to see the game because I knew it was going to be a good one," Jefferson remarked. "The most impressive part is how well the Texas defense played. I didn't get a chance to speak with the coaches at the game, but my relationship with Texas is still good."
This weekend, Jefferson will head back to Arlington to see Texas A&M face Arkansas in the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium.
"Right now they are the hot school in the state of Texas. I'm comfortable with them like I am with most of the schools recruiting. It's conference play, so you will get to see everyone's true colors. I like the way they play and the things they are doing," Jefferson said.
So who will win on Saturday? Jefferson simply answered, "A&M."
The 5-star 'backer said the in-state Red Raiders have continued to make him a priority, despite not being listed in his top five.
"Texas Tech is coming after me pretty hard. They try to call me everyday. They feel the need to make me feel important, and they let me know that," Jefferson added.
Jefferson will take an official visit to Ohio State on Nov. 1. He will announce his commitment on Dec. 19 at his school, which will be his last day of high school before graduating early and enrolling in college in January.
5-Star DE Byron Cowart Changes Announcement Date
Armwood defensive end Byron Cowart, who hails from Seffner, Florida, was set to announce his decision on Sunday, Sept. 28, on the NBC Sports Network in partnership with Rivals.com. However, Cowart decided to postpone his decision until further notice. Cowart recently visited College Park to check out the Maryland Terrapins.
"They have my major and everything. I'm going to do journalism. They have the Big Ten Network, and the school is between two big media areas in Baltimore and Washington," Cowart told Bleacher Report. "My host was Deon Long and Stefon Diggs. I hung out with those guys over the summer too. Me and the defensive line coach (Chad Wilt) are close. It was a good, laid-back vibe. It was 8.5 out of 10."
Cowart is working to set up his other official visits. He knows he will be at the Florida-South Carolina game on Nov. 15, followed by the 'Noles-Gators game on Nov. 29. He is setting up a trip to Eugene, Oregon, to see either the Oregon-Stanford contest or Ducks-Washington tilt.
The 5-star defender has also been to Gainesville twice this fall on unofficial visits. He said each time gets better.
"When I first went up there, all I would see is the fieldhouse. The last time I got to see the sports broadcasting area in the journalism school. If I do go to Florida I would spend a lot of time there. I love that part about it, and it's so close to home.
"The scary thing about it is I'm really comfortable with Florida," Cowart explained. "The reason I say scary is the stability in the coaching staff. That's a reason I decided to change my announcement. I don't want to be in a position like Kyle Gibson last year with the Vanderbilt deal."
Cowart's teammate Gibson was committed to Vanderbilt, but when James Franklin left for Penn State, he ended up at UCF with the coaching change.
One thing that will be a primary factor in his recruitment is the ability for his mom to relocate to the school of his choice. Cowart's mom is a registered nurse, and she is willing to be close to Cowart at the next level.
"My mom and I were discussing that we've never really lived in the same place for more than five years," Cowart said. "Wherever I go she is probably going to go with me. She said she wouldn't have a problem moving to a place like Oregon, so that gave me the green light to visit them and see what it's about."
Cowart told me he decided to change his decision time because he wanted to stick to his original plan of committing at the Under Armour game in January. Right now it's shaping up to be a battle between Florida, Florida State and Oregon.
4-Star Damarkus Lodge Sets Up a Pair of Official Visits Following A&M Decommitment
Last Thursday, 4-star receiver Damarkus Lodge decided to decommit from Texas A&M in a surprise move. Lodge committed to the Aggies in late June over offers from Arkansas, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Texas, among several others.
The Aggies' torrid start on offense seemed like the ideal place for Lodge's big-play receiving talent. However, Lodge said his decision to back off his commitment had nothing to do with Texas A&M.
"When I made that decision, I was very, very young. I didn't look into the program or what was best for me. I was really going off the hype," Lodge told me. "I've matured a lot since I committed.
"Now I'm just looking at these other schools. I'm still very comfortable with A&M. I love Coach (David) Beaty. I can still see myself at Texas A&M, but I just want to take this time to make sure I do what's best for me and the next four years of my life."
Lodge has set up official visits to Ole Miss and USC in the coming weeks. First up is a trip to Los Angeles to see the Trojans take on Oregon State at Memorial Coliseum.
"I've never been out to L.A. I think it's going to be pretty fun. I know what kind of program USC is. They are going to play three or four receivers, but they are going to have their main go-to guys. Plus they will run the ball down your throat," Lodge said.
"I know the coaching staff is great, but I really don't have a relationship with them. A week after they offered me...I'm committed...they kind of backed off me. Since I decommitted, I've already talked to Coach (Peter) Sirmon."
The smooth pass-catcher will head to Oxford for the Ole Miss-Alabama game on Saturday, Oct. 4. What is he expecting to see when he heads to the heart of SEC country?
"I'm trying to go down there and see what type of players they have," Lodge said. "I want to see what kind of environment they have and what the coaches are like outside of recruiting. I want to build a bond with the players and see what kind of place Oxford is. With Ole Miss when I'm a freshman (Laquon) Treadwell will be a junior, so I could (see) myself as (an) impact player like him and taking over his role. "
LSU and Tennessee will likely get official visits as well. A dark horse that has Lodge's attention is Florida State. He doesn't have an offer from the team, but if the 'Noles contacted him he would be more than willing to listen.
"If they offered they would definitely be in my top five. I love what they are doing with their program. As Coach (Jimbo) Fisher said last night, they know how to win," Lodge added. "They play their receivers, and they have quarterbacks that know how to get them the ball. I want to reach out to the coaches in the next week to see if there is interest."
The Cedar Hill (Texas) prospect doesn't have a timetable for his decision. He said he will take his time and not rush into things again. It appears the next time will be the last for Lodge.
Notre Dame Making a Move for 4-Star DB Frank Buncom
St. Augustine (San Diego) defensive back Frank Buncom picked up a recent offer from Notre Dame. Buncom set up an official visit shortly after hearing the good news from the Irish.
"The ND offer is definitely nice to have because of the prestige that their university merits. It's at the upper echelon of the world of academia," Buncom said. "Concerning the visit (Oct. 4), I just want to experience the culture and atmosphere that is talked about so frequently."
Buncom's top five consists of Duke, Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA and Vanderbilt. His grandfather played at USC, and he lists the Trojans as his dream school. Stanford will get a chance to host him for an official visit after the season.
"My only other official set is in January to Stanford. Just recently, Notre Dame has ramped up on recruiting me. I'm going to make my decision after the football season," Buncom said. "Upon deciding I will assess multiple factors because I can't say that one factor is more important than another."
The 4-star cover corner is trending up for the Cardinal in the 247Sports Crystal Ball. The estimated predictions have him as a 100 percent lock for Stanford.
4-Star Joseph Wicker Happy with UCLA Offer
September has been a good month for 4-star recruit Joseph Wicker. Wicker added new offers from Texas Tech and UCLA, with the latter being a big offer for the Los Angeles native.
"I was excited about it. It's close to home, so that's always cool. Some of my family want me to stay close to home, but others don't really push me either way," Wicker stated.
"I've been talking to the UCLA coaches since I was a sophomore. We talk regularly now. I have a good relationship with coach Angus McClure and Coach (Kennedy) Polamalu. I don't think I'm going to take an official visit to UCLA because I go to their games all the time."
Wicker has two official visits set up to Arizona State and Texas Tech. He is working to set up an official to Miami for its game against Florida State. The Long Beach (California) Poly standout is discussing dates to get to Notre Dame and Washington as well.
The 6'2", 265-pounder has family ties to each the Sun Devils and Red Raiders. "My cousin, Jade Lewis, runs track at Texas Tech," he said. "When they started hitting me up, I knew I wanted to check them out. When I started following football, I've always liked them."
Wicker is very familiar with the Sun Devils program as well. "They are on the rise. I can see myself in the same shoes as some guys in recent years like Will Sutton. I have family there too, and they have a lot of alumni there from my school, so it will be like home."
Schools are looking at Wicker at both defensive end and defensive tackle. Playing time and academics will be the primary factors in his decision. Wicker wants to major in sociology or nursing. He plans to announce on national signing day.
Unless otherwise noted all quotes were obtained firsthand. Recruiting information and ratings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
