Alabama, Ohio State to Visit No. 1 QB Shea Patterson: 'I Don't Want Any Regrets'
Top-ranked quarterback recruit Shea Patterson is set to receive visits from a pair of powerhouse programs just weeks shy of his anticipated early enrollment at Ole Miss.
The 5-star prospect, a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, told Bleacher Report he's expecting coaches from Alabama and Ohio State to spend time with him in the coming days.
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will visit Wednesday, as initially reported by Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. The Buckeyes will send at least quarterbacks coach Tim Beck sometime this week, per Patterson.
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These developments provide late intrigue for a nationwide recruitment that dates back to 2012.
"I'm committed to Ole Miss and pretty sure that's where I want to go. Then again, you don't know what's going to happen and you can't really burn any bridges," he said. "I don't want any regrets when I look back. I want to know that I did everything possible to put myself in the right position to succeed."
The situation should become much clearer following these coach encounters. Patterson, a U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year finalist, didn't rule out the possibility of reciprocating Saban's visit with a late trip to Tuscaloosa.
"I'm not sure yet. It just depends how that in-home visit goes," he said.
The pressure is on Alabama's most notable coaches to clearly present their case for Patterson's potential flip from Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide signed fellow Elite 11 MVP Blake Barnett last cycle and currently carry commitments from 4-star quarterbacks Jalen Hurts (2016) and Jake Fromm (2017).
Ohio State, still apparently aiming to make inroads with Patterson, landed a commitment from 4-star Texas prospect Tristen Wallace in April. Given the past success of Urban Meyer pupils Alex Smith, Tim Tebow, Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett, there is certainly a proven track record in place.
Both Wallace and Hurts are rated as top-five dual-threat recruits in the 2016 cycle, so it's not as though Alabama and Ohio State are starved for young quarterback talent.
Patterson pledged to the Arizona Wildcats three years ago during his freshman year at Hidalgo High School in Texas.
Since then, he's collected dozens of scholarship offers, transferred to Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, Louisiana) and claimed two state titles, earned Elite 11 MVP honors and transferred again to become the face of America's most star-studded high school roster.
Patterson's verbal pact with Arizona ended prior to his junior season. He pledged to Ole Miss in February, choosing the Rebels over a list of alternatives that included LSU and USC.
His older brother, Sean Patterson, was named Ole Miss' associate director of recruiting operations in March after serving on the LSU staff.
"It's going to be a dream come true," Shea told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles after Sean accepted the position. "It's something we've talked about over the past few years wondering what it would be like being at same school. I've been to a lot of camps and competed against the best. I believe it all comes back to the preparation my brother taught me."
Patterson has spent nearly 10 months as the foundational member of a 2016 Rebels class rated No. 10 overall in the national composite rankings. It's a group that includes eight commits considered at least 4-star talents, though no player presents more promise than the nation's No. 1 passer.
Listed No. 4 overall among high school seniors, Patterson is among the premier prospects at his position this decade. He dominated opponents en route to 9,720 offensive yards as a four-year high school starter, according to MaxPreps, tallying 140 total touchdowns and just 14 interceptions.
"Before every chapter in my football career, I've always set goals for myself," Patterson said. "In middle school, I wanted to win a city league championship. Did that. In high school, I wanted to win a couple state championships. Did that [at Calvary Baptist]. We had the opportunity to compete for a national [high school] championship [at IMG]. Now I want to bring home the SEC championship at Ole Miss, I want to win a Heisman and I want to win a national championship. Those are my ultimate goals."
Those ambitions should have Rebels fans clamoring for his arrival in Oxford. However, with Alabama and Ohio State coaches in his ear, Ole Miss may have a few more hurdles to clear before Patterson officially becomes part of the program.
Patterson is an outstanding peer recruiter, adding even greater importance to his Ole Miss pledge. He mentioned top-rated offensive tackle Greg Little, Texas defensive back Deontay Anderson, top-10 wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland, beastly Louisiana running back Devin White and 5-star IMG Academy tight end Isaac Nauta as top targets.
Though he's willing to listen to other coaching staffs during this pivotal final push, Patterson feels extremely positive about the outlook in Oxford.
"I think they're the fastest-rising team in the SEC," he said. "A big part of that was the 2013 class that came in and really jump-started things. The way they finished up this year [4-1 in final five conference games], and with the recruiting class we'll have, I think they have the most potential right now."
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