B/R Recruiting Notebook: 5-Star Greg Little Announces Top 5, Has a 'Secret 3'

A verbal commitment is anticipated in November for 5-star offensive tackle Greg Little, and one thing is for certain: He will play SEC football in college.

In an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report, Little, the nation's top-ranked offensive tackle and No. 2 overall player, said LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama and Auburn have made his top five. The onetime Texas A&M commit said he still likes the Aggies, but he has his reasons for choosing the other five SEC programs.

"I like all of the programs. All five are contenders every year," Little said. "Ole Miss is very family oriented. Alabama has the tradition. LSU has a great atmosphere and a great offensive line coach [Jeff Grimes]. That's my guy. With Georgia, my dad is from Athens, so there's a lot of family already out there. With Auburn, my mom really likes the coaching staff there."

All five schools are looking at Little to ultimately play the left tackle position. Little said Alabama will start him at right tackle until Cam Robinson declares for the NFL draft. He's expected to be a top draft pick when that time comes.

In addition to his top five, Little, who measured in at 6'6" and 318 pounds at The Opening in July, added that he has a "secret top three" that he will release at a later date. Nov. 4 is his birthday, and that's the date he's expecting to announce his verbal commitment.

Little, who has nearly 30 offers from coast to coast, said he will take all five visits to his top schools. He added that while some wondered if narrowing his choices to a top five was tough, he saw the process exactly the opposite.

"I thought it was pretty easy," he said. "I mean, people know where they want to go. For me, it didn't take that long. My dad played in the SEC. I want to go there and dominate." 

7 to Watch for 4-star CB Knott

Credit: 247Sports

Sept. 23 is a big day for 4-star cornerback Nigel Knott, as he will not only announce his college plans, but will also receive his Under Armour All-America Game jersey.

Two days later, the nation's No. 5 cornerback and top-ranked player from the state of Mississippi is expecting to make a return to the field after having knee surgery over the summer. Before he officially begins his senior season, Knott said he wanted to solidify his college plans, which is why he'll choose from of seven schools.

Knott said Alabama, USC, Oregon, Florida State, Tennessee and in-state schools Mississippi State and Ole Miss are finalists when he makes his decision. He said he's going to use the last couple of weeks to do his own research and make an educated decision overall.

"I know I'm going to be there for four years, so I want to be comfortable wherever I go," Knott said. "Wherever I'm comfortable is where I'm going to ball out. I want to be at a place where I know the coaches will do right for the players, and the players will do right for the program."

Knott is expected to be successful at the next level, as he has an athletic pedigree. His father, David Knott, spent  time in the NFL, CFL and arena leagues after playing in the secondary at Ole Miss. His older brother, Chris Givens, is a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams. Another brother, Nick Knott, played running back at Wake Forest, and his sister, Deja Givens, is a high jumper for the Mississippi State track and field team.

Knott recorded 112 tackles and 16 pass breakups as a junior. However, his athleticism has been his calling card. Knott ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds at The Opening in July. He also completed the 20-yard shuttle in 3.94 seconds, vertical jumped 46.5 inches and threw the power ball 39.5 feet.

And who can forget this incredible backflip catch?

More Records for Oklahoma QB Commit

Credit: 247Sports

Oklahoma quarterback commit Austin Kendall has quite a few Union County, North Carolina, high school football records. Add two more to the list.

Per UnionCountyHighSchoolFootball.com, Kendall set the county's all-time career passing mark with a 229-yard performance for Cuthbertson. He now has 6,650 career yards, bypassing Sun Valley's Ryan Smith (6,624 yards).

To add, Kendall threw two touchdown passes, which tied him with Smith for all-time career touchdown passes. Both quarterbacks now have 76 for their careers.

"It felt like any other game," Kendall said. "I tied the passing touchdowns, so I only passed the passing yards record so far. Hopefully next week, I can pass the TDs [record]."

And afterward? What's the next high school milestone Kendall's chasing?

"State championship, for sure," he said. "That's the biggest thing in my book."

Can Ole Miss Land Another IMG Athlete?

Damon Sayles/Bleacher Report

The race for 4-star wide receiver Drake Davis is cut and dry for the time being. It includes three SEC schools in order.

"LSU is above Texas A&M, but Ole Miss is above LSU," Davis said. "Some people know."

The race for Davis isn't over, but the Rebels are in excellent position to land the multifaceted athlete, who lined up at several positions for IMG Academy over the weekend when the team traveled to Texas to play Ohio State quarterback commitment Tristen Wallace and DeSoto.

Ole Miss did its part of keeping Davis interested Saturday in scoring a 76-3 win against Tennessee-Martin. You can bet that he's also receiving tidbits about Ole Miss here and there from his IMG teammate, 5-star quarterback and Rebels commit Shea Patterson.

"I want to see how great of a season they have this year and how great of a season Shea has," Davis said. "I trust Shea. If I go to the same college with him, I will be putting my career in his hands. I know I can trust him."

Sleeper watch: Texas RB Having Huge Games

Credit: 247Sports

Running back Peytton Pickett may be under the radar nationally, but the state of Texas has taken notice.

Through two games, Pickett has 508 rushing yards and six touchdowns for Sam Houston High School in Arlington, Texas, including a 242-yard, two-touchdown performance Friday. The 5'9", 185-pound back has shown excellent bursts in the open field along with solid field vision and elusiveness.

Pickett currently has offers from SMU, Liberty and Delaware State. Look for his stock to rise as he continues the 2015 season.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles