Top 2026 Recruits Who Could Flip After Coach Firings This Season
The coaching search engine has cranked up across the nation already, and with the wheels already churning, we're liable to have an even wackier offseason than we had in 2021.
With coaches coming and going, that means recruiting is going to turn upside down, as well. That's just a byproduct of the turnover.
All across the nation, you're seeing programs in the precarious position of current coaches on staff trying to hang onto recruits while not knowing if they'll be part of the picture moving forward. How can you sell a school that's going to turn around and cut you soon?
At places like Florida, Penn State, Auburn and LSU, the fallout could translate into losing top-tier recruits. You can't blame the kids. They're scheduling visits, going over contingency plans and playing a wait-and-see approach. Several schools, including Arkansas and Virginia Tech, have already experienced mass departures of players.
Rivals schools see coaching changes as an open door to get in the mix with recruits, and several prospects see it as an open door with a flashing exit sign. Some of those guys are already gone, but let's take a look at a handful of players who could be on their way out soon.
Carsyn Baker, Running Back (Florida)
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This past weekend, Carsyn Baker decided to visit Lexington for Kentucky's game against Florida, and all the Wildcats did was annihilate the Gators in a lopsided rout.
To add insult to injury, Baker is committed to Florida, but that may not last long.
Following his visit, he is highly interested in Mark Stoops' Wildcats and would represent a significant flip for a team seeking good news after recent coaching questions.
One thing is certain: Kentucky is going to run the ball if Stoops is the coach, and the Fairburn, Georgia, native who is the No. 174-ranked overall player and 14th-rated running back, would be one of the best players in their class.
He seemed to enjoy himself.
He's already been to Georgia Tech, and with upcoming trips planned for Ole Miss and North Carolina, it appears Baker is hitting the reset button. Obviously, if the Gators make a splash hire, he could hang on. But several are trying.
Cole Bergeron, Quarterback (Virginia Tech)
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As early as quarterbacks commit in the process, it's difficult to find anybody of any quality this late in the process.
Coaching changes turn everything upside down, though, leading to guys looking around. There are going to be several signal-callers who could seek different destinations, but only one right now has said publicly he's looking around.
Cole Bergeron has been committed to Virginia Tech for a while, but the Hokies quarterback pledge is looking at the Minnesota Golden Gophers, too. He visited the Twin Cities this weekend, and while that's a long way from his Louisiana home, he is considering coach PJ Fleck's program.
"Minnesota became a real option," Bergeron told Sam Spiegelman of Rivals.com. "The staff answered a ton of questions for me in a short time. I'm trying to make a decision on what's best for me, but also be respectful for the college's timeline as well."
The 6'4½", 210-pound quarterback is only a 3-star prospect, but he has a big frame and was highly regarded enough to head to the Elite 11, so he'd be a major coup for the Gophers to flip.
The Hokies are trying to hang onto him, too.
CJ Bronaugh, Cornerback (Florida)
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No matter if you're committed or not, if Ohio State is showing major interest in you as a prospect, most kids at least are listening.
Though Legend Bey has been committed to Tennessee for a while, the Buckeyes flipped the electrifying playmaker from the Vols this past weekend. Now, they've got their sights set on elite cornerback playmaker CJ Bronaugh, who is pledged to the Florida Gators.
The 6'1", 166-pound Windermere, Florida, defensive back is the nation's No. 120-ranked overall player, and with the Buckeyes' recent success recruiting in the Sunshine State, they're taking a big swing here.
Bronaugh is slated to visit Columbus this weekend, and Ohio State is a real threat to flip him.
GatorsOnline's Corey Bender mentioned this week that the Buckeyes' recent commitment from Jay Timmons could impact whether Bronaugh ultimately flips from the Gators, and distance from home could also be a factor.
With Florida fishing in deep waters for a head coach, Bronaugh likely won't rush into a decision, but he is keeping his options open.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Kevin Brown, Offensive Tackle (Penn State)
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It made a lot of sense for 4-star, top-100 offensive line prospect Kevin Smith to stay near his Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, home and play for Penn State.
Then, the Nittany Lions parted ways with James Franklin, and there are plenty of top-tier recruits looking elsewhere. You'll read about a couple more of those later.
Right now, there's no bigger name the Lions are sweating on than Brown, who is a polished prospect with a huge upside at an athletic 6'5", 270 pounds.
Brown's father, Tim, played for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia during Rich Rod's first go-around in Morgantown, and the Mountaineers have reemerged as a major potential flip destination for the younger Brown.
He would be a centerpiece for what Rodriguez is trying to build again at West Virginia, but the Mountaineers aren't the only school trying to get him in the fold. Ohio State hosted Brown for the recent win over Penn State, and the Buckeyes could be a destination, too.
Of course, it would be much better for the Nittany Lions to lose him to Big 12 foe West Virginia than a Big Ten rival, but they'd love for him to remain in the fold. We'll see if he does.
KJ Ford Jr., Edge (Florida)
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If Florida can close the deal on "big fish" Lane Kiffin, the Gators are going to see a massive boost in recruiting in the post-Billy Napier era. As of right now, though, they're struggling to hold onto a few marquee prospects.
Perhaps the best of the bunch who is looking around is 6'3½", 245-pound 4-star edge-rusher KJ Ford, who was coming to Gainesville from Duncanville, Texas. He is the nation's No. 104-ranked overall player and 14th-rated defensive end.
Even though it seemed he was set on the Gators, it's never easy to pull Texas kids from the Lone Star State, and they'll have to battle to hang onto him.
He ultimately chose Florida over Ohio State, but it appears USC and instate schools Texas A&M and Texas Tech are trying to pull him away.
Ford is an elite player who can step onto the field and play right away. He's obviously paying close attention to what the Gators are going to do in their coaching search, but he's at least listening to others.
Carter Gooden, Edge (UCLA)
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There have been a slew of prospects leave UCLA's class since the Bruins parted ways with DeShaun Foster, but there are two big ones still hanging on—one on each side of the trenches.
While we'll discuss the offensive lineman later, the first big flip candidate is 6'4", 260-pound Marion, Massachusetts edge-rusher Carter Gooden, an elite prospect who is rated in the top 100 players in the nation.
He was considered a major coup when the Bruins got him to cross the country, but now he's listening to plenty of teams as UCLA looks for coaches, too. Perhaps the biggest threat is the Miami Hurricanes, where Gooden will visit this weekend.
"It's still the plan to go to Miami," Gooden told CaneSport's Stephen Wagner. "They reached out to me and I see what their two Edges are doing this year (Reuben Bain and Akheem Mesidor). They're both doing great. They said it's a place where they can develop Edges. They're a winning team, stable, so it seems like a good place to check out."
Gooden also may visit Rocky Top to see the Tennessee Vols play, so there are several programs he's considering. He could still stick with the Bruins, but he is exploring options.
Brysten Martinez, Offensive Tackle (LSU)
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One good thing about LSU's recruiting class is that the Bayou Bengals always load up instate, and a lot of those kids want to be Tigers regardless of who the coach is.
When they let go of Brian Kelly earlier this month, LSU set off a storm that has gotten nasty with buyout discussions and general fallout that can't make Baton Rouge an attractive place for a new coach. So far, though, there hasn't been a mass exodus of players.
Brysten Martinez is one of the guys at least looking around, but the fact that he's from Gonzales, Louisiana, bodes well for the Tigers keeping him in the fold. Even so, the nation's No. 106-ranked overall player and eighth-rated tackle is listening to another SEC school.
The Texas Longhorns aren't a long way away, and Martinez is planning on visiting Austin and could wind up flipping. The 6'5½", 300-pound mauler is coveted by everybody, and coach Steve Sarkisian is going to try to lure him away.
Whether he's successful remains to be seen.
Messiah Mickens, Running Back (Penn State)
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Everybody is looking for an elite running back this time of year, so when an elite one begins flirting with the market, you can bet there are going to be teams lining up to get him in the fold.
That's the case with Messiah Mickens, who was all set to be part of James Franklin's class at Penn State before he was fired. Like always, the former Nittany Lions coach had a group of early commits already to play at State College, but Mickens is listening to others now.
The 5'10", 200-pounder is the No. 164-ranked player in the nation and the 13th-rated running back, and he's also a teammate of offensive tackle Kevin Brown at Harrisburg High School near Happy Valley. But he may not wind up there.
With Indiana and South Carolina trying to flip him, Mickens is thinking about things, but he also could be trending toward Oklahoma, according to On3's Steve Wiltfong. The intrigue of playing for the Sooners is a big deal, and he is talking regularly with OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray.
Mickens was the first commit in the 2026 class, so you know the Lions hold a special place in his heart, but it's going to be interesting to see if he winds up there.
Matt Sieg, Safety (Penn State)
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The Indiana Hoosiers have taken college football by storm during the past two years with Curt Cignetti at the helm, and they're the No. 2-ranked team in the College Football Playoff rankings right now.
Recruits are taking notice, too.
This is a gargantuan weekend in Bloomington as the Hoosiers try to let the wins on the football field translate to victories in living rooms. One of the guys they recently impressed on a visit is a safety currently pledged to Penn State who could make an instant impact.
Matt Sieg is from McDonald, Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh and seems destined to stay in the Midwest. Though the No. 180-ranked overall player and 18th-rated safety remains committed to the Nittany Lions and seems to love the school, he's looking around.
As mentioned, he was impressed by the Hoosiers, and he also visited Pittsburgh before making his way to South Bend to watch Notre Dame last weekend.
It sounds like Sieg is looking for a reason to stick with the Lions, but he's exploring his options and crossing all his "T's" right now with a decision to come before signing day.
Micah Smith, Offensive Tackle (UCLA)
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Perhaps the biggest fallout from the end of the Deshaun Foster era at UCLA could come on the recruiting end.
The Bruins already have seen some defections and have the lowest-ranked class in the Big Ten, but they have thus far held onto the biggest prize in 4-star offensive tackle Micah Smith. Still, doing that for the duration of this cycle has got a lot more difficult.
The 6'5½", 325-pound mauler from Vero Beach, Florida, was all set to cross the country to play his college football, pledging to the Bruins in June. But he's keeping his options open and listening to some big-name suitors.
Smith already visited Knoxville for Tennessee's loss to Oklahoma a couple weeks ago, and Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels are prime destination candidates to flip him, too. The Ohio State Buckeyes may also become a bigger player to land him.
Smith is going to have his fair share of suitors, and whoever winds up replacing Foster at UCLA needs to make it his primary responsibility to keep him in the fold. He's a game-changing, potential first-year starter protecting Nico Iamaleava's blind side.
Bralan Womack, Safety (Auburn)
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If Lamar Brown holds on with LSU—and he's given us no reason to think he won't remain in his home state to become a Bayou Bengal—perhaps the biggest prize to be plucked from all this coaching tumult is Auburn star safety commit Bralan Womack.
It looks like he's going to be a major recruiting casualty in the wake of the Hugh Freeze dismissal.
The nation's top-ranked safety is from Flowood, Mississippi, and was set to be the jewel of Freeze's class at Auburn and poised to leave Mississippi. But after telling recruiting services he was still committed to the Tigers, he visited Starkville last weekend.
He left there looking like he could be a Bulldog.
"I thought it was him checking a box move on. That is not what happened in Starkville," 247Sports' national recruiting analyst Tom Loy told Grant Hughes. "He was actually blown away. Mississippi State is a big, big player for Bralan Womack."
Other schools remain in the mix, such as Texas A&M (where he's slated to visit this weekend) and Ole Miss, but Womack looks destined not to be in the closing class at Auburn.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
