College Football Recruiting Offers of the Week
September 1 marked the beginning of a period when college coaches could reach out to prospective recruits who are entering their junior year of high school.
Labor Day came with a flurry of offers to some of the nation’s top 2016 prospects.
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Four juniors who have earned a coveted 5-star rating were among the players receiving the most attention.
The nation’s top corner, Virginia standout Levonta Taylor, was a player in high demand. Georgia is his latest offer, but the Bulldogs joined Arizona State, Duke, Kentucky and USC in tendering the 5’10”, 170-pound Taylor, per Jamie Oakes of Wahoos247.
Alabama commitment Demetrius Robertson made headlines last weekend when he visited fellow SEC power Georgia for the Bulldogs’ season-opener. Upon returning from Athens, the nation’s top athlete was offered by Miami, Michigan and North Carolina.
Fellow Georgia native Isaac Nauta, the nation’s top tight end in the 2016 class, picked up offers from Pac-12 powers USC, Stanford and Arizona State. Virginia also joined the chase for the 6’5”, 240-pounder.
In Lyndell Wilson and Ben Davis, the state of Alabama is home to two of the nation’s premier outside linebacker prospects in the 2016 class. Davis had a busy week, as three SEC teams—Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee—offered the 6’4”, 225-pounder. Miami also offered Davis, who, as John Talty of AL.com notes, is the son of former Alabama standout Wayne Davis.
While the battles for 2015 prospects are winding down, the race to land the nation's top prep juniors is just heating up.
Ohio State, Alabama Raid Texas
Texas is annually one of the nation’s top breeding grounds for prep talent. While the Lone Star State has its share of in-state college powers, many of the nation’s top programs aggressively recruit in a territory as fertile as any in the country.
Recruiting powerhouses Alabama and Ohio State were among the heavyweights who were active last week in Texas in pursuing the state’s top juniors.
Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide offered a pair of 4-stars in defensive tackle Ed Oliver and receiver Dee Anderson. The 6’2”, 285-pound Oliver is ranked as the nation’s fourth-best defensive tackle and the No. 31 player overall in the 2016 class. Anderson, who is committed to LSU, has caught 12 passes for 242 yards and six touchdowns in his first two games this season, according to Sonny Shipp of Geaux247.
A trio of 4-star prospects—quarterback Tristen Wallace, wide receiver Devin Duvernay and defensive end Justin Madubuike—earned offers from Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.
Duvernay, who also picked up an offer from Washington last week, is the nation’s fifth-best receiver and the No. 38 player overall in the 2016 class. Texas A&M and TCU also offered Madubuike, who recorded 69 tackles and five sacks as a sophomore. Wallace racked up 518 yards of total offense and seven total touchdowns in his debut as the quarterback of Dallas area powerhouse DeSoto High School.
"Just got offered by THE Ohio State University!⭕️
— Devin Duvernay (@Dev_Duv5) September 4, 2014"
Both schools have had success in Texas in recent years, and both schools are increasing their efforts there in the 2016 cycle.
Michigan State after 2016 QBs
With Connor Cook entering his junior season, Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans are searching for a signal-caller in their 2016 class who could potentially be the quarterback of the future in East Lansing.
Dantonio and his staff offered a pair of the nation’s top signal-callers in the 2016 class in 4-star talents Jake Zembiec and Seth Green.
“I was really excited because that’s one of the places I really wanted to get an offer from. I went over there over the summer and did really well at their camp,” Zembiec told SpartanTailgate (subscription required). “I also got along with coach (Brad) Salem really well.”
The 6’3”, 220-pounder, who threw for 1,926 yards and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore, is the top player in the state of New York for 2016.
Meanwhile, Green represents the top talent from Minnesota’s class of juniors, with the Spartans representing his latest offer, according to SpartanTailgate.
The 6’3”, 210-pounder holds offers from Oregon, Wisconsin, Louisville and Minnesota—among others.
Both players are familiar with the Spartans, as each were participants in Dantonio’s summer camp in June.
Ole Miss Trying to Start Fast in 2016
Hugh Freeze and the Ole Miss Rebels are likely to sign a smaller class in 2015 due to a small number of upperclassmen on this year’s squad. However, he and his staff were one of the most aggressive schools to tender offers last week.
The Rebels offered top 2016 prospects in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas.
In addition to their tender to Davis, the Rebels also offered the top corner in Alabama in 4-star John Broussard.
Staying in the south, 4-star quarterback Jawon Pass—the nation’s second-best dual-threat passer—was offered by Freeze. The 6’5”, 225-pounder holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Louisville, Notre Dame and Ohio State, among others.
New Jersey natives Ahmir Mitchell and Jovani Haskins also received offers from Freeze. Mitchell is a 4-star athlete who could play receiver or safety at the next level, while Haskins is a 3-star tight end whose recruitment is in its infant stage.
Another tight end to net an offer from the Rebels is 4-star Ohio product Jake Hausmann. The 6’5”, 235-pounder is rated as the nation’s second-best tight end and the No. 71 player overall in the 2016 class.
Given their numbers situation in the current cycle, expect the Rebels to continue to burn up the recruiting trail in the 2016 class.
2016 Florida OL Piling Up Offers
Included in the Rebels’ offer spree was 3-star Florida offensive lineman Parker Boudreaux.
However, Ole Miss was hardly alone in its interest in the 6’4”, 282-pounder.
Boston College, Clemson, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Temple entered the race for Boudreaux, who is now up to 45 offers.
As Andrew Kulha of Voice of The Hawkeyes notes (subscription required), there’s one school he hopes hops on board sooner than later.
"I'm hoping they offer soon," Boudreaux said of Iowa. "Coach Wallace really likes me and loves my film, and I love that they put lots of offensive lineman in the NFL."
With the lengthy list of teams after him, Boudreaux seems like an early candidate to rise in the next batch of rankings released by sites such as 247Sports, Rivals, Scout and ESPN.
Best of the Rest
- Michigan State also offered 2015 4-star wide receiver Lawrence Cager, according to Sean Scherer of Spartan Tailgate.
- Another 2016 offensive lineman who was greeted with multiple offers last weekend is 4-star Virginia native Clark Yarbrough. Jamie Oakes of Wahoos247 reported that Arkansas, West Virginia and Arizona State are the latest offers for the 6’5”, 255-pound tackle.
- Ohio State also offered another pair of 2016 recruits in 4-star athlete Robbie Robinson and 3-star linebacker Carter Coughlin.
- Ole Miss joined Mississippi State and Texas Tech in tendering 2016 4-star Texas corner Obi Eboh, per Brian Perroni of 247Sports.
- USC offered 2016 4-star athlete Jack Jones, per Adam Gorney of Rivals.
- 2016 4-star receiver and California product Darian Owens picked up an Oregon offer.
- Owens’ teammate at Clovis West High School, 5-star linebacker Caleb Kelly, earned an offer from Wisconsin.
- Pennsylvania 4-star tight end Nasier Upshur picked up a pair of offers from ACC schools. FSU and Virginia are the latest offers for the 6’3”, 233-pound junior.
- LSU is the newest offer for fast-rising 2015 3-star receiver Antonio Callaway, per Ryan Bartow of 247Sports. Bartow also reports that the Tigers tendered an offer to 2016 receiver and 5-star Auburn commit Nate Craig.
- 2016 4-star offensive lineman Ben Bredeson picked up offers from Penn State and NC State, per Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.
- Tennessee native and 2016 4-star safety Joejuan Williams earned offers from Nebraska, Temple and Arkansas.
- B/R’s Tyler Donohue reports that 2016 5-star running back Tavien Feaster received an offer from Virginia.
- 2016 4-star receiver and Florida standout Tavares Chase received offers from Rutgers, Mississippi State and NC State, per Adam Krohn of Rivals.
- Dredrick Snelson is another top junior pass-catcher from the Sunshine State. The 4-star Miami commitment picked up an offer from Florida.
- Staying in Florida, 2016 4-star corner Trayvon Mullen was offered by Florida State, Florida and Mississippi State last week.
- 4-star athlete and Texas standout D’Eriq King earned offers from Rutgers and TCU.
- Rutgers and Kentucky are the latest schools to enter the race for 2016 4-star offensive lineman Richard Merritt.
- Michigan and Wisconsin offered 2016 4-star defensive end Rahshaun Smith.
- 2016 3-star running back Deon McIntosh was offered by Tennesee, Temple, Pittsburgh and Illinois, per Bartow.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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