B/R Recruiting Notebook: 5-Star Breaks Down What's Next After Decommitment
The undivided attention on the 2017 recruiting cycle is still in something of a fledgling process, but more and more athletes are making major headlines. While one 5-star athlete chose to part ways with a Big 12 program, a 4-star athlete with a well-known father decided against committing to his father's old program.
Here are some of the latest updates in 2017 recruiting.
Exclusive: Browning discusses Baylor decommitment, options
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Arguably the biggest news of the weekend came Sunday afternoon, when 5-star linebacker Baron Browning announced his decommitment from Baylor. Browning's announcement means the nation's No. 2 outside linebacker and No. 26 overall player is once again a primary target.
The decision, Browning said, was something that had been weighing on his mind for some time. And while the 6'4", 230-pound athlete still has tons of appreciation for Baylor, he said now is the best time to fully open his recruitment and explore his options:
"— 6️⃣ (@baronbrwnng) February 14, 2016"
"Going into my senior year, I just wanted to make sure I was making the right decision," Browning told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. "I want to see what the other schools have out there, defensewise and education wise. I have a few visits coming up, but right now, I'm just chilling and focusing on my winter sports. Track's about to start, and I'm focusing on winning state in powerlifting. Plus, there's our football season."
Baylor's 2017 class took a hit with Browning's decommitment, but it's still a top-five class. Per 247Sports' composite team rankings, the Bears are ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the Big 12.
Browning, who has passed the SAT and is awaiting scores from recently taking the ACT, said he is hearing a lot from a myriad of schools, including Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA, Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Florida and in-state schools TCU and Texas. He has 34 reported offers.
Don't expect another verbal commitment from Browning anytime soon. He said he will take his time with the process and find a home that will fit what he's looking for not only athletically but also academically. Off the field, Browning said he's interested in studying computer science and engineering.
Athletically, Browning is someone who is comfortable as an outside linebacker, but can easily play inside linebacker and, because of his versatility, could be used as a safety or even a pass-rushing defensive end.
"I'm looking to play outside [linebacker]," he said, "but schools are telling me I can play both inside and outside. I like the 3-4 [formation] style where I can drop back in coverage."
New Clemson pledge: 'I want to make my own name for myself'
For Knoxville, Tennessee, 4-star wide receiver Amari Rodgers, choosing Clemson was easier than some may have expected.
On Sunday, Rodgers committed to Clemson over offers from Tennessee, Florida State, Alabama and Wake Forest. His father, Tee Martin, before establishing himself as one of the premier assistant coaches in college football, was a star quarterback at Tennessee who led the Volunteers to a national championship in 1998.
His father's legacy is something he values, but it's also something that encourages him to build his own legacy.
"I want to make my own name for myself, so that played a part in [my decision]," Rodgers said. "I just know where my heart is and just wanted to get the recruiting process over with so I can focus on my [senior] season."
Rodgers originally committed to USC in June before decommitting in December. Martin, in addition to being the 247Sports Recruiter of the Year for the 2016 cycle, is the offensive coordinator at USC.
Blazing his own path was extremely important to Rodgers, and he'll be able to do that at Clemson.
"[Clemson] won me over by their tradition of getting great receivers in the league and developing them for the next level," Rodgers said. "Also, [I like] how their graduation rate is for their players, because, of course, that's very important. I love the atmosphere there and how their fans interact with the players."
Rodgers is the seventh pledge—and first wide receiver—in Clemson's 2017 class.
ACC, SEC unofficials on deck for red-hot CB Broiles
Oklahoma City 3-star cornerback Justin Broiles wouldn't mind having another week similar to the one he had last week.
After entering last week with only two offers, Broiles watched his recruiting process erupt with nine offers in a six-day span. Oklahoma is the latest offer, which he picked up on a weekend visit to the campus.
Could more offers be on the way? This week, he said he is planning on taking unofficial visits to Miami on Saturday and Ole Miss on Sunday.
"I just want to see what the facilities are like," Broiles said. "I'm really trying to get a feel of the coaches."
A big, aggressive cornerback at 6'0" and 175 pounds, Broiles opened last week with an offer from Kansas State on Monday. Nebraska offered on Tuesday. He received three offers from SMU, Houston and Colorado State on Thursday and three more from Arkansas, Iowa State and Ole Miss on Friday. He landed the Oklahoma offer on Saturday.
"Life hasn't changed a bit. I'm still the same guy," Broiles said. "I feel good, though. I thought some teams were sleeping on me, but once Kansas State offered, it picked up nicely. More teams are starting to notice."
B1G school leads for 4-star RB Benjamin
Wylie, Texas, 4-star running back Eno Benjamin is nearing 20 reported offers, and he added offers from Vanderbilt and West Virginia this past week.
But for a while, Iowa has been the team Benjamin's had on top of his recruitment. It's still early for other schools to take that top spot from the Hawkeyes, but Benjamin will be the first to say the task to unseat Iowa will be tough.
"They've really shown that they want me," Benjamin said of Iowa. "Their coach has come four times in four weeks to my school. That shows how much interest they have in me. I feel it's a program where I can be successful running the ball downhill."
Benjamin said he is preparing for a hectic recruiting schedule. He will take an unofficial visit to Texas on Feb. 27 and an unofficial to Texas A&M on Feb. 28. In March, during his spring break, Benjamin said he will take a Big Ten tour, consisting of unofficials to Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern as well as a stop at Iowa State.
"More schools are starting to show their true colors and reach out to me," he said. "My next step is to just go out to as many colleges as I can. I'm looking for a spot where I can fit in and have a good role in the offense."
Benjamin rushed for 2,652 yards and 41 touchdowns as a junior for Wylie East High School, according to the Dallas Morning News. He also caught 18 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports.com. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles
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