5-Star TE Isaac Nauta Gives Latest on His Recruitment: 'It's a 5-Horse Race'

The nation's top-ranked tight end prospect has plenty on his plate less than four months shy of a highly anticipated college commitment.

Isaac Nauta, a 6'4", 237-pound senior standout for Florida powerhouse IMG Academy, plans to spend time on five campuses across the country prior to a Jan. 9 announcement at the Army All-American Bowl. A busy itinerary includes universities from four conferences and will place him in the bleachers for several marquee matchups.

"I've got a pretty good lineup," he told Bleacher Report after IMG's Sept. 19 victory over Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey. 

Nauta, a 5-star recruit rated ninth overall in the 2016 composite rankings, will travel to Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, TCU and USC. He enters this frenzied stretch with an open mind while searching for his ideal collegiate landing spot.

"My official visits are going to be big separators. It's a five-horse race right now so these trips are really important for my decision," Nauta said. 

His journey begins in Athens, Georgia, next month. Nauta will be in town Oct. 3 when the Bulldogs host Alabama for a pivotal SEC showdown. 

He has serious roots in the Peach State, spending past seasons playing for perennial Georgia state title contender Buford High School. The Bulldogs present an opportunity to return home and team up with 5-star quarterback commit Jacob Eason, who hung out with Nauta earlier in the recruiting process.

"Those are hometown fans for me. You can never go wrong with that," he said. "Georgia is my home and I love it there. An opportunity to play college football in the state is something I have to consider."

Nauta strongly considered the Bulldogs before pledging to Florida State last December. Many recruiting analysts anointed Georgia his new favorite following a midsummer decommitment from the Seminoles, providing the program with 78 percent of experts' predictions in 247Sports' Crystal Ball. 

Ole Miss is an SEC alternative and also boasts a top-tier quarterback commit—IMG passer and Elite 11 MVP Shea Patterson.

"He's in my ear every day with something about Ole Miss," Nauta said.

The dominant duo will travel to Oxford together for an Oct. 24 game against Texas A&M. Patterson hopes the experience pushes them one step closer toward continuing their camaraderie in college.

"Isaac is one of my best friends. We hang out off the field all the time. We think alike and we click together," he said. "The chance to keep playing together for the next few years at college would be tough to pass up. I'd love to have him at Ole Miss, but I understand he has a lot of options."

Nauta admits his rapport with Patterson could play a pivotal role moving forward.

"We have excellent chemistry on the field, so obviously if I do go to Ole Miss that would benefit me," he said. "Shea is a great quarterback and we've definitely developed a good relationship playing together. He's one of those guys who can really lead an offense and get everyone on the same page."

A week before their trip to Oxford, Nauta will head to Ann Arbor for an in-state rivalry clash. He plans to watch Michigan battle Michigan State on Oct. 17 at the Big House. 

Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh made him an early priority, and that pursuit intensified this month when fellow Michigan tight end target Naseir Upshur pledged to Florida State, essentially replacing Nauta in the Seminoles class.

"I want to get a feel on how the players view Coach Harbaugh as a leader and a person," Nauta said. "There's definitely a lot of new things to look at with Michigan."

Harbaugh's track record of tight end utilization certainly stands out.

"In just a few games, they've already shown how much they like to use the tight end at Michigan," he said. "Jake Butt (second on Wolverines with 14 receptions) is off to a strong start there. He's going to put a really good season together."

Credit: 247Sports

USC is the lone team on this list yet to host Nauta. That changes Nov. 7, when the Trojans welcome him to campus for a matchup with Arizona.

Unlike his other visits, Nauta will arrive without any firsthand knowledge of the university's atmosphere. The scheduled visit is a major victory for USC tight ends coach Marques Tuiasosopo, who already holds a pledge at the position from 4-star Pennsylvania prospect Cary Angeline. 

"Coach Tui has been on me since about sophomore year and he's done a lot to sell me on the program," Nauta said. "They've shown a ton of interest in me and I haven't seen the West Coast, so it's a chance to check if that's a good fit for me."

His final official visit takes place Thanksgiving weekend, when he travels to TCU for a game that could carry major College Football Playoff implications. Nauta will attend the Horned Frogs' long-awaited rematch with Big 12 rival Baylor.

TCU emerged as a dark-horse candidate to claim a commitment earlier this year, and the program's proximity to family members strengthens its sales pitch.

"It's a school that came on kind of late for me but I took a visit and really loved it out there," he said. "I've also got family right in Fort Worth so that's definitely a plus."

Nauta said Horned Frogs quarterback commit Brennen Wooten routinely reaches out to him on social media.

By the time Nauta returns from Fort Worth, he will have visited five universities in an eight-week span. His commitment announcement will be just five weeks away.

Expect him to spend that last slice of his recruitment digesting those on-campus experiences and fielding final selling points from contending coaching staffs and his own high school quarterback.

Ultimately, Nauta intends to make an immediate impact next season wherever he enrolls.

"I don't just want to be a guy who blocks. I want to make plays," he said. "I'm looking for an offensive scheme that puts tight ends in position to get the ball in big situations."

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.