Leaders and Wild Cards for Every Uncommitted 2015 5-Star Recruit

Less than a month away from national signing day, only a handful of the nation’s 5-star prospects remain uncommitted.

In fact, only eight of the 34 prospects who have earned the pinnacle recruiting rating are still undecided at this point. 

A trio of standouts from the state of Florida—offensive tackle Martez Ivey and defensive ends Byron Cowart and CeCe Jefferson—headline the list of 5-stars whom top programs are still vigorously pursuing. 

Which schools are sitting pretty, and which schools are lurking in hopes of landing the nation’s uncommitted 5-star prospects in the 2015 cycle?

*Players are listed by the overall 247Sports composite rankings from lowest to highest.

Soso Jamabo

Leader: UCLA

Wild card: Notre Dame 

Soso Jamabo has had a hectic recruitment, and as signing day approaches, UCLA and Notre Dame are the leaders for the nation’s top running back.

As Ryan Bartow of 247Sports notes, the Bruins are also heavily recruiting 4-star offensive lineman Josh Wariboko, who is Jamabo’s cousin. The Bruins could get both in a package deal. 

However, Jamabo notes that he has a strong bond with Irish running backs coach Tony Alford, according to Tom Loy of 247Sports (subscription required).

“Me and Coach Alford have a great relationship,” Jamabo told Loy. “He hits me up daily. I don’t respond every day obviously, but he hits me up and stays on me.”

Both Texas and Texas A&M are also trying to get into the picture with Jamabo, but this one appears as if it will come down to the Bruins and the Irish.

Daylon Mack

Leader: Texas A&M

Wild card: TCU

Even though Daylon Mack decommitted from Texas A&M last month, the Aggies are still in a strong position with the 6’1”, 330-pound defensive tackle after hiring new defensive coordinator John Chavis away from LSU.

According to Chris Hummer of Horns247, Mack—who had named LSU and TCU his top two schools after his decommitment from A&M—has dropped LSU and will now take visits to both the Aggies and Auburn in January.

Mack’s Crystal Ball page lists the Aggies as the favorite.

Auburn recently replaced Texas, which was another school believed to be in the picture, according to Taylor Hamm of GigEm247.

While Auburn will have a chance if he makes his visit, as Hamm notes, Mack's recruitment is likely to come down to the Aggies and Horned Frogs due to his preference to stay close to home.

Terry Beckner Jr.

Leader: Missouri

Wild card: Florida State

With his hometown located less than two hours away from the University of Missouri, analysts have long projected Terry Beckner Jr. to be a Tiger on national signing day, as his Crystal Ball page indicates.

However, his first official visit was to Florida State back in November. 

Missouri will get his final visit before signing day, but he also has trips remaining to Auburn and Ohio State in January. 

While the Tigers are in a good position to keep Beckner close to home, the ‘Noles have a need along the defensive line after losing juniors Mario Edwards Jr. and Eddie Goldman to the NFL draft.

FSU was able to land stud offensive lineman Roderick Johnson from the metro St. Louis area a year ago, and it is hoping lightning strikes twice with Beckner this season.

Rasheem Green

Leader: USC

Wild card: Oregon 

As Ryan Bartow of 247Sports (subscription required) notes, Rasheem Green admits that a decision could come at any time due to him growing weary of the recruiting process.

USC is the heavy favorite to land Green, perhaps due to the pipeline that has formed between Junipero Serra High School and the Trojans in recent years. 

He took visits to Oregon and Miami during the season and has trips remaining to Arizona State and USC. 

The Ducks—who earned Green’s first official—are quietly lurking with the 6’5”, 275-pound defensive tackle. 

“I just like what they have there,” Green told Bartow on the pluses for Oregon. “I like their coaching staff. I like what they have to offer their student-athletes.” 

Given the momentum the Ducks are building within their program, pulling a stud such as Green away from the Trojans is more than a pipe dream at this stage.

CeCe Jefferson

Leader: Florida

Wild card: Auburn 

CeCe Jefferson is one of a group of elite recruits that new Florida head coach Jim McElwain and his staff simply have to land on signing day.

The Gators have been the perceived favorite since the beginning of Jefferson’s recruitment. 

However, with former Gators head coach Will Muschamp now at Auburn as the Tigers defensive coordinator, the relationship that he’s built with Jefferson early in the process could lead the talented pass-rusher to the Plains. 

"It kind of makes it a better situation for Auburn because I was at every Florida home game probably from my freshman year all the way up to my junior year," Jefferson told Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. "Me and Coach Muschamp, we had a great bond, and I feel comfortable with him, and I like the kind of defense he runs.”

He also told Hays that he will visit Auburn on Jan. 16, with trips to Ole Miss and LSU also on deck in January.

Iman Marshall

Leader: USC

Wild card: Florida State

Iman Marshall is another West Coast product who hails from a high school that has been kind to USC over the years. 

The Trojans hold 42 of the 43 predictions on his Crystal Ball page, which indicates how widespread the belief of many in the recruiting community is that Marshall will eventually pick USC.

He’s already visited Notre Dame officially and has trips remaining to Florida State, LSU, Michigan and Oregon in January. 

However, give the fact that their top two corners are leaving school early for the NFL draft, the Seminoles could be the biggest threat to pull Biggie away from the Golden State.

“I’ve always liked Florida State. As a player, I always watched Deion Sanders, and I would watch FSU highlights, stuff like that,” Marshall told Josh Newberg of Noles247 (subscription required) last month.

It will be interesting to see his reaction coming off his visit to Tallahassee, which will take place this weekend. 

Byron Cowart

Leader: Florida

Wild card: Auburn 

Similar to Jefferson, Byron Cowart is another defensive end on McElwain’s radar whom the new Gators coach is hoping to lure to Gainesville.

Cowart is another Sunshine State product who has been projected to the Gators for quite some time.

However, Muschamp's arrival at Auburn is a significant factor, given that he had vigorously recruited Cowart during his tenure in Gainesville. 

The role that Cowart would play in the defense and the bond that the player and coordinator have forged are primary reasons why the Tigers staff likes their chances with Cowart, according to Keith Niebuhr of AuburnUndercover (subscription required).

Martez Ivey

Leader: Florida

Wild card: Auburn

Another potential elite talent that Auburn and Florida will fight until the end for is offensive tackle Martez Ivey—the nation’s top overall prospect in the 2015 class. 

According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports (subscription required), Ivey admits that he grew up as a Florida fan. 

“Just growing up and being a Florida fan and living in the state of Florida and just the atmosphere and feeling over there,” Ivey told Wiltfong. “It just felt comfortable.” 

However, he scrapped plans to announce at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in order to let Auburn and LSU coaches do their in-home visits, per Wiltfong.

Wiltfong told Justin Hokanson of AuburnUndercover that Florida was believed to be the school of choice had Ivey announced during the game. 

However, as Hokanson notes, due to his friendship with prep teammate and current Tigers pledge Chandler Cox, the Tigers will be tough to turn down in the end.

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

Follow @SanjayKirpalani