Biggest CFB Recruiting Battles Being Waged Before December's Early Signing Period
Like most things, recruiting is cyclical, but one thing that doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon is the fact that most of the players are coming off the board in December's early signing window.
That ramps up the schedule in a big way for coaches, and while it magnifies on-field resumes more than ever, the official visit season being in full swing is massive for convincing recruits.
Just this week, one of the players on this list reportedly may be trending elsewhere more than previously expected after hearing lobbying from another coach.
The recruiting battles for the top remaining uncommitted (and those still listening) prospects are being waged across the country. Programs are putting their best foot forward—not to mention NIL packages—and prospects are paying attention.
Some of the top remaining prospects in the nation are still on the board despite the majority already being committed. For those guys, it's a free-for-all among some of the nation's top recruiting programs.
Here are the players whose living rooms represent the battlefields away from the gridiron this fall.
Kobe Black, Cornerback
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Elite defensive backs are hard to come by, but Kobe Black certainly fits the profile. At this juncture of the recruiting cycle, you'd better believe teams are pulling out all the stops to sign him.
The 6'0", 190-pound Waco, Texas, prospect is a 5-star talent on the 247Sports composite rankings, and teams everywhere want him.
When you have elite size, length and athleticism, that's going to happen. Black has everything you need to step onto a campus and play right away. This one feels like it's predominantly a Texas-Texas A&M battle right now.
Last weekend, the Longhorns and Aggies wanted him on at their games, and while both lost (A&M to Alabama and Texas to Oklahoma), Black was reportedly in Dallas for the Red River Rivalry.
Is that an indication of where he'll wind up? His final five are Oregon, Ohio State, LSU and the two in-state schools, but this one feels like he'll stay in the Lone Star State.
It's anybody's guess where he will play on Saturdays in 2024, but Black is one to watch.
Aydin Breland, Defensive Lineman
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For the past few weeks, it's felt like the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs were the favorite to get the signature of 4-star defensive tackle Aydin Breland.
The Mater Dei (California) High School prospect from Santa Ana is closing in on a decision on October 14 with three teams at the top of his choices.
While the Bulldogs were considered to be the favorite, Oregon has closed the gap in a big way recently, and On3's Chad Simmons believes the Ducks are in a better spot. Miami is still in the picture, too.
It's odd just how intersected the three coaches battling for Breland are. Oregon coach Dan Lanning, of course, was Kirby Smart's defensive coordinator at UGA before heading to Eugene. He replaced Mario Cristobal, who left UO for his alma mater in Coral Gables where he's manning the Hurricanes.
Breland will know the direction of all the programs, and it's a matter of whether the 6'5", 290-pound defender wants to be a part of a team at the top, a team on its way to the Big Ten and near the national spotlight in Oregon or a team trying to rebuild in Miami.
This one still may have some twists and turns before Breland's announcement.
Grant Brix, Offensive Lineman
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Even though a lot of the top programs in the nation are after potentially elite offensive lineman Grant Brix, he appears to be staying in the Midwest.
But which program is he going to wind up at? Will it be an upstart Oklahoma Sooners program that looks like the Big 12's best in Brent Venables' second season and final one before his program heads to the SEC?
Is Brix sold on Chris Klieman's Kansas State program after it won the Big 12 a year ago but has made a sluggish start this season? Or will he be a part of what Matt Rhule is rebuilding with the Nebraska Cornhuskers?
Brix feels like a Cornhusker lean right now, and his profile on On3 indicates that. Other teams are trying to get in the mix, and Alabama is still in the picture, but he may stay closer to home.
If you're looking for any drama from the Logan, Iowa native, you won't find it. He has surged recently after gaining 30 pounds a season ago, but he doesn't care.
"I have no clue," he told The Athletic's Grace Raynor when asked why his ranking escalated. "To be honest, I don't pay much attention to the rankings. Maybe it was just people looking at my film? I don't know."
Several teams are paying plenty of attention to Brix, and he is going to make one of them very happy as an O-line anchor for years to come. That's exactly the type of commitment the Huskers need to help the offense get back in the right direction.
CJ Jackson, Edge
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You don't often see an elite prospect from the Atlanta area taking his recruitment to the brink these days, especially the way the Georgia Bulldogs are recruiting, but CJ Jackson is still on the market.
The 6'5", 225-pound defender is a 4-star top-100 prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings. He can play with his hand down or as an outside linebacker, and teams are taking notice.
Just last week, the former Georgia Tech commitment backed off his pledge to the Yellow Jackets, and now things get interesting.
Jackson told On3's Chad Simmons his recruitment is "completely wide open" and he mentioned LSU, Colorado, Alabama, UCF and Auburn by name. That's a pretty healthy list, and you can bet other teams are going to try to swoop in and get him on campus.
There simply aren't a lot of difference-making edge-rushers out there, and Jackson has the potential to be one of those quickly. Sitting in the heart of SEC battleground and with a national array of suitors, his could be one of the most intriguing recruitments left.
LJ McCray, Defensive Lineman
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Much like Aydin Breland, another of the nation's top defensive linemen is set to come off the board this month.
That would be 6'6", 260-pound Daytona Beach, Florida (Mainland HS) defender LJ McCray, who has as high of a ceiling as any player on this list. With his frame, he could add 40 pounds and still be a force.
He has massive NFL potential, and this looks like it may be one of those old-school Sunshine State battles from the old days when Florida, Florida State and Miami were all on the national map.
McCray and a teammate (more on him later) are two of the best prospects remaining who are uncommitted, and this race is shaping up to be between the Gators, Seminoles and Hurricanes.
Coach Mike Norvell's Seminoles are firmly in the College Football Playoff picture this season, and while Billy Napier's Gators and Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes are still bouncing along the rebuilding road, all three programs are putting together strong recruiting classes.
McCray could be a centerpiece, and Auburn and Georgia are also in the mix. Surprisingly, there are no 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, so it's anybody's guess where McCray winds up. A lot of things could happen before his name is on the dotted line, no matter where he commits.
Kamron Mikell, Cornerback/Wide Receiver
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One of the most electrifying athletes remaining on anybody's board is Statesboro, Georgia, two-way talent Kam Mikell.
The 6'1", 181-pounder is dynamic and could project a lot of places on the football field. For the longest, it was thought he would wind up in Georgia's vaunted secondary, but now, it's far from a lock.
Teams like Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Colorado and South Carolina are in the mix, and the Vols and Aggies have been making a lot of noise in his recruitment. A big reason is because while a lot of teams want Mikell defending passes, some want him catching them.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel envisions Mikell in his prolific offense as a receiver, and with the Vols needing to replenish the pass-catcher stable, the player is likely to be listening. He's also likely paying attention to the Aggies making strides under new coordinator Bobby Petrino.
"It was good," Mikell told Volquest of his recent visit to Knoxville. "It was just telling me more about how I can fit into the offense with the skills I have. They have real deep ball threats with the way they play with speed and tempo."
You can't ever count out the Bulldogs in a battle for an in-state kid, but the allure of playing offense could make other suitors attractive, too. It doesn't sound like Mikell has made any final decision yet, though.
Zavier Mincey, Safety
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LJ McCray gets a lot of love because he could turn into one of the top defensive players in the country, but the Mainland Buccaneers have more than just him on the defensive side of the ball.
If opposing quarterbacks get away from McCray and have time to throw, they've got to navigate a defensive backfield led by Zavier Mincey.
The 6'3", 180-pound safety is a hard-hitting force who has big-time size and closing speed that is going to make him one of the most coveted prospects down the stretch.
Though he's indicated his recruitment could go into the late signing period (as evidenced by his announcement from his 247Sports profile), a lot of headway in his recruitment will be made this fall.
Gators247's Blake Alderman noted Mincey said he plans to make a silent commitment earlier in the process.
Much like McCray, Mincey has the home state Gators, Seminoles and Hurricanes high on his list. But Alabama is firmly in the mix for the All-America Bowl participant, too.
Right now, it's hard not to like where the Gators are in Mincey's recruitment. They hosted him for their best game of the year so far in a home win over Tennessee, and he told Alderman he is going to return soon.
Others may be playing catch-up right now to Billy Napier's team, but there is a lot of time left to close the gap.
Jordan Seaton, Offensive Lineman
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If you are noticing the Florida Gators a lot on this list, there's a reason for that. Despite their on-field struggles, the program is in the top five in recruiting, with plenty of marquee targets left on the board.
There may not be a bigger one than elite IMG Academy lineman Jordan Seaton, who is an instant-impact type talent for whoever gets him to commit.
At 6'5", 287 pounds, he is the nation's top-ranked interior offensive lineman, but several teams are recruiting him to play tackle. No matter where he winds up, the future is bright for a player who has elite, violent hands and a developed lower body.
Florida and Alabama are deep in Seaton's recruitment, but Tennessee recently made a move when he visited Knoxville for the Vols' win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks and Oklahoma Sooners are in the mix, too, and Seaton isn't discounting others such as Oregon and Colorado, either.
Seaton raved about his visit to Tennessee, then followed it up with another great visit to Gainesville when Florida beat Vanderbilt last week.
Seaton's is one of those recruitments that could wind up being where he feels most comfortable when it comes time to decide. He has visited a lot of places and seems to like everywhere he goes. It's tough to get a read on him.
Whoever gets him will nab a potential star.
Solomon Williams, Edge
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There's never a down year in recruiting for the state of Florida, which is just loaded with star talent every year. This list of uncommitted prospects whose recruitments are up in the air is full of them.
One guy with a major discrepancy in his rankings but who has a ton of potential is 4-star edge-rusher Solomon Williams, the No. 317-ranked prospect in the 247Sports composite, but just a 3-star player on 247Sports. On3, however, believes he's a top-200 prospect, and after watching film, so do we.
The 6'3", 250-pound Carrollwood Day School prospect from Tampa, Florida, hasn't seen any dips in his recruitment, despite the difference of opinions in his skill set. He can do a lot of things, and while he isn't the most twitchy player in the class, he should stand up and has great straight-line speed to the quarterback.
It's also not out of the question that he could bulk up and slide inside, too.
There are a lot of teams who covet a versatile player like Williams, and he is currently focusing on Texas A&M, Alabama, Clemson, Oregon and Texas. This past weekend, he was in College Station to watch the Aggies play the Crimson Tide, and coach Jimbo Fisher's team may have an edge right now.
Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports recently noted just how high on A&M's list Williams is, and others feel the same way. It looks like right now he will leave the Sunshine State, and while he may need a year or two to develop, he is a guy who will be a star down the road.
Ernest Willor Jr., Defensive Lineman
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In a year when there simply aren't a lot of great defensive linemen remaining uncommitted, getting one of the remaining top targets in the boat is a big deal.
That's why a lot of teams are still pursing Ernest Willor Jr., who is a top-tier prospect from Towson, Maryland, who is considered a top-100 prospect on a lot of radars.
At 6'4", 250 pounds, he is big, physical and versatile. He can aggressively get after quarterbacks and appears to be an ideal 4-3 traditional defensive end. Whether playing ball in Baltimore or at IMG Academy, he has suited up against the best.
Right now, his 247Sports profile has some of the "usual suspects" after Willor, and they are the teams that normally recruit the "DMV" very well. That's the nickname given to the prospect-rich area of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and it's anybody's guess where he'll go.
Penn State is hot on Willor's trail, as are the Ohio State Buckeyes. Maryland has kept a lot of those kids home in the Mike Locksley era, and the Terrapins are high on Willor's list.
Last year, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer struck gold in the area with tight end Nyck Harbor, Desmond Umeozulu, Tree Babalade and Zahbari Sandy, and the Gamecocks are in this race, too.
With D.C. 5-star Dylan Stewart in the boat, you can't discount South Carolina in the race for Willor. Auburn is in the mix, too.
This battle could continue for months, and Willor plans on taking all his visits and taking his time. Whether he ends up staying near home or heading to the SEC remains to be seen.
Whoever gets him is going to get a disruptive force.
Ryan Wingo, Wide Receiver
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Ryan Wingo's recruitment has been all over the map throughout this cycle.
The son of former Arkansas running back Ronnie Wingo Jr. is a top-tier prospect from St. Louis, and many want him. He possesses a big, strong lower body and can play all over the field on offense, though he's likely a stellar receiver.
At 6'2", 205 pounds, he can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands.
Early in the recruiting process, Tennessee was a major player, but the Vols likely have faded lately. Georgia was a hot name for a while, but you don't hear much about the Bulldogs anymore.
Now, much of the talk focuses on the Texas Longhorns, Colorado Buffaloes and homestate Missouri Tigers, which became more of a player after luring top defensive tackle Williams Nwaneri.
Wingo obviously loves the recruiting process and tends to "love" everywhere he goes on recruiting visits. When a kid enjoys it this much, he's tough to get a read on, but Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian has won his share of battles like this in the past two cycles.
If Mizzou keeps winning under Eli Drinkwitz this year, the Tigers' pitch gets more resounding, too. Everybody is going to be watching where Wingo ultimately decides.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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