Predictions and Preview for the Biggest Recruiting Day for 2015 Class Thus Far
National signing day is still more than a month away, but fans and schools around the country will catch a glimpse of the madness yet to come on Friday when four recruits rated 4 stars or higher will announce their commitments.
The standouts scheduled to announce include 5-star linebacker Malik Jefferson, 4-star linebacker Ricky DeBerry, 4-star all-purpose back Nyheim Hines and 4-star athlete DeAndre McNeal.
| Malik Jefferson | 5-Star | OLB | 8:45 a.m. EST | Texas A&M, Texas, UCLA |
| DeAndre McNeal | 4-Star | ATH/WR | 8:45 a.m. EST | Alabama, Texas A&M, Ohio State |
| Ricky DeBerry | 4-Star | OLB | 10 a.m. EST | Oklahoma, Ohio State, Virginia |
| Nyheim Hines | 4-Star | APB | 3 p.m. EST | N.C. State, Clemson, North Carolina |
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With the quality and quantity of prospects making their decisions known, Friday will easily mark the biggest day of this recruiting period to date.
Think of it as an appetizer before the feast that will commence.
But who are the main players for these studs and where will they land?
Malik Jefferson
Jefferson is the nation’s top outside linebacker prospect, and he will enroll at his school of choice in January to get a head start on his college career.
The 6’3”, 215-pounder, who was recently announced as the winner of the Butkus Award, has Baylor, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA among his final group.
However, his recruitment appears to be coming down to an in-state tug of war between old rivals in the Longhorns and Aggies—with the Bruins being a potential sleeper.
Considering that he rushes the passer off the edge and drops into coverage against running backs or tight ends with equal fluidity, Jefferson is the rare linebacker prospect who can stay on the field for three downs on the college level.
Regardless of where he lands, Jefferson is a special talent who can fit into any scheme thanks to his versatility.
While this his been a back-and-forth tussle between the Aggies and the Longhorns, the Aggies have the upper hand with current momentum on the recruiting trail. With Kevin Sumlin and his staff pushing for a second consecutive top-five class, adding Jefferson would seemingly cement the 2015 class as one of the nation's top groups.
Prediction: Texas A&M
DeAndre McNeal
Considering that Jefferson and McNeal are prep teammates at Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, there is a strong chance they continue to play together at the next level.
In fact, according to Taylor Hamm of GigEm247 (subscription required), McNeal has stated his intention for he and Jefferson to attend the same school.
The 6’2”, 228-pounder, who accompanied Jefferson on a visit to UCLA last weekend, told Ryan Bartow of 247Sports (subscription required) that playing wide receiver instead of linebacker will play a big role in his decision.
He stands out as a jumbo receiver on offense who can overpower smaller defensive backs and make tough, athletic plays over the middle of the field.
The loss of Texas A&M receivers coach David Beaty—who left to take the head coaching job at Kansas—is a negative for the Aggies.
However, Given that Sumlin’s offense has always been one that is friendly to receivers, the Aggies still have a lot of positives to pitch with the big-bodied pass-catcher.
Prediction: Texas A&M
Ricky DeBerry
DeBerry is perhaps the hardest to read in terms of pegging a favorite of the prospects announcing on Friday.
In December alone, he’s received visits from the staffs at Michigan State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama and Penn State, per 247Sports.
Of that group, Bob Stoops and the Sooners are the only school without multiple pledges at linebacker in the 2015 cycle.
In fact, the Sooners have zero linebacker commitments.
At 6’3”, 240 pounds, the U.S. Army All-American is one of a handful of 2015 prospects who are ready to make an immediate impact in college from a physical standpoint.
While schools such as Virginia and Tennessee are also involved with DeBerry, the Sooners seem to have the most momentum heading into DeBerry’s announcement.
Prediction: Oklahoma
Nyheim Hines
According to Bartow, it will be an ACC battle for Hines—with N.C. State and Virginia Tech neck and neck leading up to his decision.
He visited Blacksburg last weekend and came away impressed with what he saw, per Bartow.
The 5’9”, 187-pound spark plug is one of the nation’s fastest prospects with a recorded time of 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
As a junior, Hines rushed for 3,137 yards with 49 touchdowns while averaging more than 10 yards per carry.
He’s also a potential matchup nightmare for defenses as a receiver coming out the backfield.
While the Hokies have some late momentum, Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack have done a great job with in-state prospects in this cycle as of late.
Expect that trend to continue.
Prediction: N.C. State
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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