12 Biggest Recruiting Visits on Final Weekend Before National Signing Day
It all comes down to this.
Years of letters, texts, phone conversations and campus visits conclude this weekend as the 2015 recruiting cycle crawls toward a close. By this time next week, we'll know where the country's next crop of college football stars will continue their careers.
The fate of this class remains an enigma until national signing day takes center stage Feb. 4, when prospects put pen to paper and seal their collegiate fate. Plenty of players will be on the move in coming days, catching one last glimpse at universities they could eventually call home or return to as rivals.
Here's a look at 12 campus visits that command attention as the clock ticks down toward signing day.
Tennessee: 4-Star OL Drew Richmond
1 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 54 overall; No. 3 offensive tackle
High School: Memphis University School (Memphis, Tennessee)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Ole Miss on Sept. 9, 2014.
What's at Stake
Tennessee has laid the foundation for a potential conference title-contending squad due in large part to recruiting success on home turf. Drew Richmond represents unfinished business in the 2015 class, and he'll give the Volunteers one last shot to sway him away from Oxford.
Butch Jones isn't alone in his pursuit of the 6'5", 310-pound prospect. He will spend two nights at SEC rival Alabama before arriving in Knoxville on Saturday, per Paul Fortenberry of Rivals.
Miami: 4-Star ATH Torrance Gibson
2 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 75 overall; No. 6 athlete
High School: American Heritage High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Ohio State on Nov. 3, 2014.
What's at Stake
Torrance Gibson rates among the most unpredictable prospects of this recruiting cycle. The 6'4", 204-pound playmaker plans to play quarterback in college, though not every program targeted him at the position.
Gibson, who accounted for 63 total touchdowns during back-to-back state title runs as an upperclassman, initially listed Tennessee and Auburn as his favorites last spring. Eventually, Ohio State entered the equation and collected a commitment.
However, considering the Buckeyes' overwhelming quarterback depth and incoming in-state quarterback Joe Burrow, it isn't surprising to see Gibson explore other options. He visited LSU and Auburn earlier this month.
The Hurricanes don't currently hold a quarterback commit in this class, though freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya has a strong handle on the job moving forward. Miami also picked up a pledge from highly regarded 2016 passer Jack Allison.
Maryland: 4-Star OL Isaiah Prince
3 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 105 overall; No. 7 offensive tackle
High School: Eleanor Roosevelt (Greenbelt, Maryland)
Recruitment Status: Considering Ohio State, Alabama and Maryland.
What's at Stake
The recruitment of Isaiah Prince came off the rails a bit during this past week. He announced his commitment to Alabama on Jan. 23, cancelling official visits to Maryland and Ohio State in the process.
Just when it seemed Nick Saban was set to reel in another blue-chip offensive lineman, Prince reopened his process Thursday. The 6'6", 272-pound prospect will spend this weekend with the Terps and announce a final commitment on signing day, per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN.
Florida State: 4-Star RB Jordan Scarlett
4 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 118 overall; No. 12 running back
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Miami on July 8, 2014
What's at Stake
Florida State recently lost a commitment from 4-star rusher Johnny Frasier, who flipped to North Carolina State. The Seminoles would like to pair a speedy slasher with dominant between-the-tackles running back pledge Jacques Patrick.
Jordan Scarlett, who rushed for 1,224 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2014, would fit the bill. He could be looking to move on to a third—and presumably final—commitment.
His first pledge occurred last winter, a surprise verbal pact with FAU. Scarlett spent last weekend at Florida and is seriously considering a future with one of the Hurricanes' in-state rivals.
Missouri: 5-Star DT Terry Beckner Jr.
5 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 13 overall; No. 3 defensive tackle
High School: East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Illinois)
Recruitment Status: Considering Ohio State, Auburn, Missouri and Florida State
What's at Stake
Long considered a Missouri lean, this weekend gives the Tigers a golden opportunity to move toward the finish line with Terry Beckner Jr. The 6'4", 293-pound playmaker has long sat atop the team's 2015 wish list, weathering official visits to Ohio State, Florida State and Auburn.
Beckner, who tallied 235 tackles as an upperclassman, received an in-person visit from Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher earlier this week. Securing a commitment from him is exactly the kind of move that would send a message Missouri is ready to make continued strides in the SEC hierarchy.
Michigan: 4-Star WR Van Jefferson
6 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 108 overall; No. 11 wide receiver
High School: Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tennessee)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Ole Miss on Jan. 25, 2015
What's at Stake
Like the aforementioned Drew Richmond, the Rebels risk losing another 4-star commit in Van Jefferson. The 6'2", 183-pound pass-catcher only pledged to Ole Miss last week, shortly after decommitting from Georgia.
Consider this an interesting case of Jim Harbaugh "magic," as Michigan managed to secure an official visit from Jefferson just two days after extending an offer. The new Wolverines coach already swiped away Texas quarterback commit Zach Gentry and could soon supply him with a top target at Ole Miss' expense.
Ohio State: 4-Star LB Porter Gustin
7 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 41 overall; No. 4 outside linebacker
High School: Salem Hills (Salem, Utah)
Recruitment Status: Considering USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Arizona State.
What's at Stake
Many have Porter Gustin pegged as a USC lock, but his upcoming stay in Columbus could complicate things. The 6'5", 245-pound defender and family hosted Urban Meyer for an in-home visit Tuesday, and he'll reciprocate the interest with his first trip to Ohio State.
Gustin led Utah in tackles (152) as a senior, adding 10.5 sacks and 33 offensive scores, per MaxPreps. He could fill a variety of roles within the Buckeyes' defensive scheme.
"They think I could grow into a defensive end role with time," Gustin told me during U.S. Army All-American Bowl festivities. "Otherwise, I would probably end up at outside linebacker."
Notre Dame: 4-Star DB Arrington Farrar
8 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 283 overall; No. 15 safety
High School: Woodward Academy (Atlanta)
Recruitment Status: Considering Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Stanford and North Carolina
What's at Stake
The Fighting Irish are looking for further help in the defensive secondary, and Arrington Farrar would enhance the situation at a position of need. The 6'2", 195-pound prospect could contribute in multiple capacities, though he appears best suited for a career at strong safety.
Farrar visited Wisconsin and North Carolina earlier this month. He previously committed to Stanford and could still ultimately end up in Palo Alto.
This visit was preempted by a trip to Atlanta from Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, according to Keith Arnold of NBC Sports.
UCLA: 4-Star LB Roquan Smith
9 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 47 overall; No. 4 outside linebacker
High School: Macon County (Montezuma, Georgia)
Recruitment Status: Considering Michigan, Georgia, UCLA and Texas A&M.
What's at Stake
Roquan Smith's recruiting journey will finish with the program that kicked things off. UCLA extended his first FBS offer during the spring of his sophomore year and has remained in the mix ever since.
"They've been on him since day one, and they've always been a serious contender," Macon County coach Larry Harold told Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Jim Mora knows his team must recruit well nationally in order to compete for Pac-12 titles and playoff positioning, particularly as USC restocks its sanction-ravaged roster. Smith could challenge for a key role right away if he ends up in Los Angeles.
Auburn: 4-Star DE Arden Key
10 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 82 overall; No. 4 weak-side defensive end
High School: Hapeville Charter (Lithonia, Georgia)
Recruitment Status: Considering South Carolina, Auburn and LSU.
What's at Stake
It's been a long and winding recruiting road for Arden Key, a rangy 6'5", 230-pound pass-rusher. He initially committed to South Carolina but eventually backed off that verbal pledge.
Key then committed to South Carolina again, but he decommitted again in January. He still considers the Gamecocks a contender, so don't be surprised if the third time is a charm despite this weekend's trip to Auburn.
The Tigers also remain in the hunt for 5-star defensive linemen CeCe Jefferson, Byron Cowart and Terry Beckner Jr. Key isn't a must-have at Auburn, but he would certainly at least be a luxury.
Ole Miss: 4-Star ATH Jaason Lewis
11 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 188 overall; No. 11 athlete
High School: Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Arizona State on Sept. 25, 2015
What's at Stake
Jaason Lewis, a onetime UCLA pledge, continues to shop around for alternatives to Arizona State. He visited Florida earlier this month and will wrap things up with a trip to Oxford.
While Ole Miss is in danger of losing 4-star wide receiver Van Jefferson to Ohio State this weekend, Lewis could potentially slide right into the spot as a replacement. The 6'2", 247-pound prospect also carries immense potential at running back, safety and outside linebacker.
Florida: 3-Star QB Lamar Jackson
12 of 12
247Sports' Composite Ranking: No. 404 overall; No. 13 dual-threat quarterback
High School: Boynton Beach Community (Boynton Beach, Florida)
Recruitment Status: Committed to Louisville on Aug. 30, 2014
What's at Stake
Lamar Jackson may be the lowest-rated member on this list, but he represents a pivotal piece of Florida's final recruiting push. Jim McElwain lost a commitment from 4-star quarterback Sheriron Jones (now a Tennessee pledge) just two days after accepting the job.
The Gators hosted 4-star Florida State quarterback commit Deondre Francois, but he has opted to stick with the Seminoles, according to Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. Jackson, a 6'3", 185-pound passer, may be McElwain's last chance at securing a quality quarterback in his first class at Florida.
“I just want to go up there and see how it really is because last time I was up there, that’s when Coach [Will] Muschamp was fixing to get fired and so I didn’t really get in contact with anyone after that,” he told Hays.
Florida will have less than 48 hours to reshape his perception of the program.
Recruit ratings and info courtesy of 247Sports.
.jpg?w=600 "Burrow's IG Story Before Trade 🧐")
