B/R Recruiting Notebook: 4-Stars Discuss Commitments to Ohio State, Clemson
Ohio State and Clemson have top-three 2017 recruiting classes, according to 247Sports' composite team rankings. Both schools landed key players to their classes on Sunday.
With those schools adding commits, the aftermath of last week's The Opening/Elite 11 Los Angeles regional and the big winners from Sunday's The Opening/Elite 11 Miami, it's easy to see that recruiting is in full swing for the 2017 class. Here are a few updates.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
New Ohio State commit Dobbins ready to recruit
Ohio State added to its top-ranked 2017 class on Sunday when La Grange, Texas, 4-star all-purpose back J.K. Dobbins announced his verbal commitment. As the nation's No. 4 all-purpose back in the 2017 class added to an already impressive class, a big question emerged.
Who's next?
"I'm not sure yet," Dobbins said, "but we have a lot of talent in Texas, so I'm going to get one of those guys to come with me."
Three Texans who the Buckeyes are hoping to close on by next February are 5-star safety Jeffrey Okudah, 5-star linebacker Baron Browning and 4-star linebacker Anthony Hines III. Dobbins said he is ready to do his part as a player-recruiter to bring the top players from the Lone Star State to Columbus, Ohio.
For Dobbins, choosing Ohio State was an easy pick. He chose the Buckeyes over schools like Notre Dame, Oklahoma and in-state schools Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor. He said the school's winning tradition and player development were major factors in his decision, along with the coaching staff.
Dobbins said he doesn't have a set time of when he'll visit Ohio State but plans on making the trip soon. For now, he said he will focus on persuading some of the best from Texas to make the move with him.
Clemson APB commit Richardson: 'It's a special place'
Clemson's 2017 class received great news Sunday afternoon when Memphis, Tennessee, 4-star running back Cordarrian Richardson gave his verbal commitment following an unofficial visit over the weekend.
In short, Richardson told Bleacher Report that it was easy to fall in love with the ACC power, which now has nine pledges in the 2017 class and is ranked No. 3 in 247Sports' composite team rankings.
"It's a special place," Richardson said. "Once I first got on campus, I felt at home. Everything was phenomenal."
At 5'11" and 220 pounds, Richardson is a big back who will follow in the footsteps of recent well-known backs. In the last five years, Clemson has signed Wayne Gallman (2013 signee), Tyshon Dye (2013) and, most recently, Tavien Feaster, the top-ranked all-purpose back of the 2016 class.
"It played a huge factor, especially with what Coach [co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott] does with the running backs," said Richardson, who is ranked as the No. 5 running back in the 2017 class. "I love how he treats those guys and how he respects them."
Recruiting on the rise for Elite 11 LA MVP
In one week's time, Chase Garbers went from a national unknown to one of the hottest recruiting names in the state of California.
After earning MVP honors at the Elite 11 Los Angeles regional, Garbers has watched his recruiting stock rise tremendously. The Newport Beach, California, 3-star pro-style quarterback went from four offers to 10, the latest coming Sunday morning from Hawaii. Garbers added offers from Arizona State, Wake Forest, Illinois and Ivy League schools Cornell and Brown following his Elite 11 performance.
"⚜ E L I T E 1 1 B O U N D ⚜ pic.twitter.com/o37QCPuhwM
— Tate Martell™ (@TheTateMartell) March 4, 2016"
"Recruiting has changed a lot since Elite 11. A bunch of schools from all over country have been trying to contact me," Garbers said. "It's really picked up after my first offer from Boise State, but I'm definitely going to wait to make a decision.
"It was huge for me to win [Elite 11] MVP," he explained. "I think it opened some eyes across the country. But with me, nothing's really changed. I think I'm just doing more interviews, but I'm still living the same life and trying to get better."
Garbers said he's looking into taking unofficial visits to Cal, Wake Forest and Duke sometime this spring. In April, he said he wants to take a recruiting tour that includes Washington, Washington State, Boise State, Colorado and Colorado State.
2018 Spina a versatile athlete to watch
St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, has its share of athletes. Some athletes even come in larger packages.
At 6'3" and 270 pounds, Sal Spina is, indeed, an athlete.
Spina, a rising 2018 two-way standout considered by Bosco head coach Jason Negro as one of the team's most important players, can line up as a defensive tackle, defensive end, middle linebacker, tight end and H-back. He's being recruited primarily at defensive tackle.
"Right now, I'm most comfortable at defensive tackle, but I'm also real comfortable at the H-back position," said Spina, who has a Fresno State offer and is hearing from schools such as UCLA and Washington.
"I feel like I can utilize my speed and my strength," Spina explained. "I feel like the combination of the two is what makes me go. I haven't really had coaches tell me what position they want me, but because I play defensive tackle the majority of the time, that's where they're seeing me."
"He's got an athletic skill set about him, but his pad level and the way he plays on the inside has been really impressive," Negro added. "He started for us as a freshman, which is extremely hard to do at this level, and he's also athletic enough to play tight end. He's physical and super strong."
Spina was impressive at The Opening Los Angeles regional. He's hoping to gain additional interest throughout the spring and add to his offer list.
"I just want to get to a school and get better," Spina said. "I don't want to just flatten out. A good coaching staff is a big deal for me."
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
