Stanford Samuels III Names Top 3: Could 'Noles Legacy Recruit Head to SEC?

A trio of heavyweights is among the schools tied at the top for 2017 4-star corner Stanford Samuels III, according to Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.

Alabama, Florida State and Georgia are the schools that have separated themselves early in the running for the nation’s No. 5 corner and the No. 38 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

However, the Seminoles are the perceived front-runners in his recruitment due to the fact that his father, Stanford Samuels Jr., played corner at FSU from 2000 to 2003.

With the news that two SEC powers are in the running for Samuels, is the possibility becoming more realistic that Samuels could land somewhere other than Tallahassee for college?

Given the success that both Alabama and Georgia have had on the recruiting trail in recent years, it’s tough to discount them as potential threats in the race for Samuels.

Bartow notes that Samuels took visits to all three schools in the summer.

According to Hank South of BamaOnLine, Samuels enjoyed his first visit to Tuscaloosa.

“I talked to Coach (Kirby) Smart and got had a lot of interest from Coach (Nick) Saban while I was up there,” Samuels told South. “They were going over some of the coverages and schemes that they run. Basically they were telling me to keep my head straight and stay focused on getting better at football every day, and not get lost in the process.”

He also visited Georgia for its annual "Dawg Night" camp in July. As Bartow details, Samuels was impressed with the momentum that the Bulldogs have been able to build with the nation’s elite recruits.

However, with that said, Florida State still has reason to feel confident in landing Samuels in the end.

As detailed by Chris Nee of Noles247, while Samuels admits he has grown up a fan of the ‘Noles, he said that he doesn’t feel any added pressure to go to FSU because his father went there.

Instead, the Seminoles coaching staff, particularly defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, has done a good job of building a relationship with him and helping sell the ‘Noles program as being the best fit for him in the end.

"Every time I come up here, he treats me just like I am his son," Samuels III told Nee about his bond with Kelly. "He treats me great. Home-style, makes me feel at home. He makes me feel comfortable."

Additionally, Florida State has a lengthy history of producing elite corners—with both of last year’s starting corners being selected in the first three rounds of the 2015 NFL draft. 

While the Tide and the Bulldogs can boast similar selling points, his comfort level with the FSU program will be tough to beat when it comes time for him to make his decision.

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