Where Will No. 1 Tight End Isaac Nauta Take His 5th Official Visit?

Top-rated 2016 tight end recruit Isaac Nauta spent eight months committed to Florida State but enters his senior season still searching for the right college fit.

He plans to take all five official visits before making a final decision following a late July decommitment from the Seminoles. Nauta announced four of those campus trips earlier this month, leaving the fifth and final destination undetermined.

It appears the 5-star IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) senior is ironing out that detail.

Nauta discussed possibilities with Jeff Sentell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He identified Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss as programs under strong consideration for a closer look. 

The 6'4", 237-pound prospect is already scheduled to attend four games this season while examining potential collegiate landing spots. Georgia, Michigan, TCU and USC will welcome him during a whirlwind tour.

School	Game	Date
Georgia	vs. Alabama	Oct. 3
Michigan	vs. Michigan State	Oct. 17
USC	vs. Arizona	Nov. 7
TCU	vs. Baylor	Nov. 27

Nauta, who holds more than 40 scholarship offers, is the No. 1 overall pass target in composite rankings. He's listed 12th overall among high school seniors and dominated this summer at The Opening, an invite-only player showcase held at Nike's world headquarters in Oregon.

His size, athleticism and polished skill set as a receiver set the stage for Nauta to make an instant impact within a college offensive scheme. He could compete for significant snaps as a true freshman and eventually challenge for John Mackey Award consideration if his trajectory remains on track.

Naturally, a number of teams are still vying for his attention. It seems eight schools stand above the rest, with four already locking in official visits and the rest still hoping to separate from a crowded pack of contenders.

Among interested programs, Alabama emerges as a squad that's relatively new to the party. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and his staff came on strong during the final stretch of summer.

“Alabama is a school that really didn’t recruit me while I was committed. But since I decommitted they have been all over me," Nauta told Sentell. "[Offensive coordinator Lane] Kiffin hits me up all the time on Twitter so they are definitely a school that is going to be contender for that fifth spot.”

The Crimson Tide carry the components of a dynamic attack in coming years with 5-star 2015 signee Blake Barnett and 4-star 2016 commit Jalen Hurts presenting promise at quarterback. Alabama signed the top-ranked wide receiver and running back last cycle and holds three pledges from premier rushers in its 2016 and 2017 classes.

Nauta would further solidify this group by immediately bolstering an outstanding tight end depth chart in Tuscaloosa. His advanced blocking ability and precise route-running approach make him a candidate to carve out a role at Alabama from his first day of training camp.

Another intriguing opportunity for Nauta is found in Oxford, Mississippi. IMG Academy teammate and 5-star quarterback Shea Patterson pledged to Ole Miss last winter, becoming the face of an impressive Rebels recruiting class that continues to improve.

The Elite 11 MVP would love to add Nauta to a 2016 Ole Miss offensive haul that also includes top in-state wide receiver DeKaylin Metcalf and 4-star running back Justin Connor. Though Nauta and Patterson are playing together for the first time this fall, there's a longstanding relationship between him and the Rebels.

“It's a school where I could come in right away and make an impact. That’s a school that was in my Top 4 when I originally committed," he told Sentell.

The history of mutual interest bodes well for Ole Miss, currently rated seventh nationally in composite class rankings.

Ultimately, we expect another SEC team to enter the equation for Nauta's official visit outlook. Expect Alabama or Ole Miss to claim that final spot, with Patterson potentially providing the Rebels with a pivotal edge.

Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.