5-Star JaCoby Stevens Goes in-Depth on Top 7, Timeline Moving Forward

One of the nation’s premier skill-position talents in the 2017 class has narrowed his list to seven lucky programs.

Late Sunday evening, 5-star athlete JaCoby Stevens dropped his list of finalists on his Twitter account. 

His list, in order, includes Georgia, LSU, Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, USC and Oklahoma.

He was once committed to the Tigers briefly before reopening his recruitment.

The Bulldogs are in the pole position for the nation’s top athlete and the No. 22 player overall in the 2017 class, but they will have to fend off a trio of fellow SEC titans and national powerhouses from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12.

Stevens, who could play either safety or receiver in college, spoke with Bleacher Report recently and broke down his finalists and his recruitment.

Here are his thoughts on each program in his top seven.

Georgia: "I’m very high on Georgia just because I believe in [Head] Coach [Kirby] Smart’s vision and where he has Georgia going. I’m also really comfortable with my position coach in [defensive coordinator] Coach [Mel] Tucker dating back to when he was at Alabama. Those two being there and me being so comfortable with the head coach and the defensive coordinator, that’s two really big positives. Then, the school is just awesome."

LSU: "When I decommitted, I guess it put a bad taste in the mouth of LSU fans. But LSU is a great school with a lot of great things to offer. They have a great DB coach who has put multiple players in the league in Corey Raymond. They have a charismatic coach and a players' coach in Les Miles. The competition there is amazing, so that’s why I’m interested in them." 

Florida State: "I feel like how they use their players is something that attracts me to their program. Like [2016 NFL draft prospect] Jalen Ramsey, for example, he got to showcase his versatility in playing nickel, safety and corner in three years. Little things like that can help you be more valuable to your own team and to NFL teams down the road." 

Florida: "They do great with bigger safeties. Matt Elam was a thicker guy and they had Keanu Neal recently. I think Florida is just a great school. I like [Head] Coach [Jim] McElwain and where he is taking the program. They had a fast start last year and I think they are going to keep going up more."

Tennessee: "That’s the hometown school right there. They made a hire [at defensive coordinator] in Coach [Bob] Shoop recently that I really liked. Him being there, it makes me feel good because I really like Coach Shoop. I knew him since my eighth-grade year when he was at Vanderbilt. That’s a relationship that has been going on for a while and him being at UT is awesome." 

USC: "My guy Austin Thomas [former LSU director of player personnel], he was actually at LSU and he recruited me hard when I was initially committed there. Now he’s out there and he’s been on me since the first day he was at USC [now associate athletic director of personnel at USC]. Not only that, USC has a lot to offer with their program. The history and the connections you can build out there, it’s an amazing opportunity there." 

Oklahoma: "I put them on my list because of their history and tradition they have there. Also, Oklahoma is a school that will allow me to play both sides of the ball. I’ve spoken with the receivers coach, the DBs coach and [Head] Coach [Bob] Stoops frequently, and they have been recruiting me hard."

He’s recently taken visits to Georgia and LSU, and he admits the only trip that is possible in the near future is a return to Athens for the Bulldogs spring game.

“I’m not sure yet, but I think I may go to G-Day,” Stevens said. “That’s it for right now, but in the summer, I know I will take a lot of visits. The other schools on my list, those are the programs I want to go see in the summer.”

Of his finalists, Stevens also notes that commits from a pair of his finalists are already pressing him to join their respective clubs.

“Right now, I’d say the Georgia commits are coming at me from all over the place. [2017 4-star safety] Richard LeCounte and [2018 offensive lineman] Max Wray, they are in my ear 24/7,” Stevens said. “UT, I have a lot of their guys and my friends telling me to stay at home and make Tennessee great. I think Georgia and UT are where the players are recruiting me the hardest right now.”

Stevens, who has plans on majoring in sports marketing in college, has another important decision to make regarding his future.

He is contemplating skipping his final semester of high school to potentially get a jump-start on his college career. 

"

It's Crazy!!!@jacobystevens7 AWHHHHHGGHHH pic.twitter.com/CUGsfZks5n

— Richard LeCounte III (@LilEasy_35) April 1, 2016"

“That’s something I have to discuss with my parents, but I am on track to graduate early,” Stevens said.

That decision will ultimately have an impact on when he makes a final decision in his recruitment.

“If I don’t graduate early, I think I will do a national signing day commitment,” Stevens said. “If I do graduate early, I may just do it at one of the all-star games or just a big commitment at my school after the football season.”

With his finalists already identified, Stevens detailed a few things he’s looking for that will be critical in helping him find the school that fits him the best. 

“How I feel towards the program, not just athletically, but academically,” Stevens said. “How the school is socially also, because every school has something great to offer. Every school on my list has great facilities. At the end of the day, I have to a lot of soul-searching and just dissect and find little things that separates that one school I will pick in the end.”

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. 

Follow @SanjayKirpalani