College Football's Most Important Offers of the Week
With college coaches across the country gearing up for the final push before national signing day, most programs are assessing their most critical needs and attacking the trail with aggressiveness in filling them.
Late last month, Texas head coach Charlie Strong went on an offer spree with a number of 2015 defensive backs.
Last week, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops didn’t go as far as the rival Longhorns in terms of quantity. However, the Sooners did hand out offers to a pair of 3-star corners, Will Lockett and JUCO corner Justin Martin.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
According to Barton Simmons of 247Sports, Martin is one of the nation’s top JUCO prospects. The 6’2”, 192-pounder has offers from schools such as Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Tennessee, among others.
Meanwhile, Lockett is one of the top cover corners in the state of Texas—an area that has been kind to Stoops and the Sooners in recent history.
The 6’0”, 182-pounder—who is committed to UCLA—recorded 12 pass breakups, two interceptions and two forced fumbles as a junior.
The secondary figures to be a primary focus for the Sooners during their stretch run in the 2015 cycle. Per Ourlads, the Sooners will lose a starter in senior Quentin Hayes. Plus, standout corner Zach Sanchez could theoretically test the NFL draft waters as a redshirt sophomore.
With these two new offers out to corners, expect the Sooners to continue to turn up the heat on their current targets at that position.
2016 NJ Athlete Earns Alabama Offer
Alabama has a commitment from the top prospect in New Jersey in the 2015 cycle with corner Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Nick Saban and his staff have gone back to the Garden State to offer 2016 4-star athlete Jordan Fuller.
According to Ryan Bartow of 247Sports (via Charles Power of BamaOnline), Tide assistant Mario Cristobal was in to see Fuller just before the offer was delivered.
The 6’2”, 190-pounder—whose brother Devin plays receiver for UCLA—has offers from powers such as Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina and UCLA, among others.
While the Bruins could be the early favorite, Saban has proven time and again that the Tide are a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail, capable of pulling top players from across the country.
2016 OL Racking Up Offers
Arguably one of the toughest positions to evaluate in recruiting is offensive line.
So when one top line prospect has amassed more than 50 offers prior to his senior season, it’s safe to assume that he represents one of the nation’s elite recruits in his class.
That is the case for 2016 3-star offensive lineman Parker Boudreaux.
The 6’5”, 282-pounder has the prototypical size and athleticism that teams covet at the all-important left tackle spot.
The race to land Boudreaux’s commitment is already one of the most heated recruitments of the 2016 cycle.
2017 WR Nets Trio of Big-Time Offers
While it’s still early to forecast some of the top prospects in the 2017 cycle, there are a handful of recruits who are beginning to establish themselves as elite players.
According to Shea Dixon of Geaux247, Tennessee sophomore wideout Tee Higgins picked up offers from LSU, Tennessee and Clemson last week. His high school coach, Joe Gaddis, called his stud 6’4”, 175-pound playmaker “the total package.”
“He can jump,” Gaddis told Dixon. “He’s got great hands. He can run, runs good routes. He can run away from you with speed, or he can make you miss.”
Given that the word is just starting to get out on Higgins, expect his offer list to expand sooner than later.
Best of the Rest
- According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, Michigan State is the newest offer for 2015 4-star defensive tackle Raequan Williams.
- Luke Stampini of GatorBait reports that Florida offered 2015 3-star offensive lineman Fredrick Johnson—who is committed to Virginia Tech. Stampini also reports that Will Muschamp and the Gators offered a pair prospects in 3-star offensive lineman Martinas Rankin and receiver Dominique Reed.
- Bartow reports that Georgia offered 2015 3-star running back and Tennessee pledge Rocky Reid.
- Michigan is the newest offer for 2015 3-star athlete John Kelly.
- ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren reports that Missouri offered 2015 4-star linebacker and Michigan commitment Darrin Kirkland Jr.
- Tennessee offered 2015 3-star running back and Nebraska commit Kendall Bussey.
- Texas is the newest offer for 2015 4-star running back Jordan Cronkrite. Charlie Strong and the Longhorns also offered 2015 4-star corner and South Carolina pledge Mark Fields.
- 2015 3-star safety Hunter Dale received an offer from North Carolina.
- Texas A&M is the newest tender for 2016 3-star wideout Theo Howard.
- Penn State is the newest offer for 2016 4-star defensive end Malik Barrow. According to Adam Friedman of Rivals, the Nittany Lions also offered 2016 safety Andrew Pryts.
- Wisconsin is the newest offer for 2016 4-star wideout Brad Hawkins.
- Virginia Tech and Penn State are the latest schools to offer 2016 offensive lineman Jay Jay McCargo.
- Alex Gleitman of Bucknuts reports that Michigan State is the newest school to offer Michael Jordan.
- 2016 3-star running back Beau Bisharat picked up an offer from Utah, per Adam Gorney of Rivals.
- USC offered 2016 3-star athlete and UCLA pledge Michael Pittman, per Gorney.
- USC commitment and 2016 4-star Daelin Hayes was offered by Nebraska, per Wiltfong.
- UCLA offered 2016 4-star quarterback Tristen Wallace.
- 2016 offensive lineman Jean Delance picked up offers from Arizona State, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State.
- Arizona State offered 2016 4-star corner Treyjohn Butler. The Sun Devils also tendered 2017 offensive lineman Will Farrar.
- Duke offered 2017 corner Madison Cone.
- Iowa is the newest offer for 2018 running back Ricky Slade.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
