Biggest Recruiting Visits Planned for Spring Football Games
Spring games present an opportunity for college football coaching staffs to gauge roster strengths and weaknesses well in advance of the season. These events are also key in recruiting efforts, as prospects across the country join fans in the bleachers for an early look at 2016 squads.
Several premier high school playmakers will be on the move during upcoming weekends, and their on-campus experiences could prove pivotal when decisions are finalized on national signing day. Here's a look at 10 coveted recruits expected to attend spring games.
Ohio State: 5-Star RB Najee Harris
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Class: 2017
High School: Antioch (Antioch, California)
Size: 6'2", 220 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 running back, No. 1 overall
The nation's top-rated rising senior recruit will spend time at Ohio State on April 16, according to Brandon Huffman of Scout.com. Najee Harris, who pledged to Alabama last spring, continues to explore alternative options.
UCLA and USC would love to flip Harris away from his longstanding Crimson Tide commitment, and the Buckeyes certainly fall into the category of a heavyweight contender here. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is considered an offensive mastermind, and several offensive stars were featured during each of his three national title runs.
Top NFL draft running back prospect Ezekiel Elliott flourished in Columbus as a workhorse, while Ohio State adds 4-star 2016 standouts Antonio Williams and Demario McCall to the backfield. Harris has gained 5,007 yards on the ground since 2014, rushing for 59 touchdowns in the process.
Florida: 4-Star OT Alex Leatherwood
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Class: 2017
High School: Washington (Pensacola, Florida)
Size: 6'5", 297 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 9 offensive tackle; No. 55 overall
The Florida Gators have assembled an impressive guest list for a Friday night spring game April 8. Alex Leatherwood is among headliners, as he shared on Twitter, and the in-state lineman represents a pivotal target for head coach Jim McElwain.
Like Harris, Leatherwood is committed to play in Tuscaloosa. He pledged to the Crimson Tide last June, joining a long line of top-tier offensive linemen secured by Alabama's staff under head coach Nick Saban.
Florida won't stop fighting to keep this dominant big man on home turf, two cycles after McElwain managed to land No. 1 offensive tackle prospect Martez Ivey. There's been a lot of focus on the Gators' efforts to upgrade their attack to a level unseen since Urban Meyer departed, and Leatherwood projects as a multi-year bookend starter who can further along that development.
Clemson: 4-Star LB Drew Singleton
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Class: 2017
High School: Paramus Catholic (Paramus, New Jersey)
Size: 6'2", 215 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 outside linebacker; No. 72 overall
Drew Singleton emerges from the shadow of former teammate and No. 1 overall 2016 prospect Rashan Gary, prepared to experience his own widespread recruitment. He's headed to Clemson alongside fellow 4-star Paramus Catholic product Corey Bolds, the cycle's No. 18 defensive tackle.
Both players attended Michigan's spring game last weekend, reuniting with former Paramus Catholic head coach Chris Partridge. The Wolverines hold a vast advantage in their respective 247Sports crystal balls, with 18 of 19 total expert predictions projecting Bolds and Singleton to land in Ann Arbor.
Clemson is considered a contender in both cases and could further bolster a young, promising linebacker corps with Singleton, who tallied 77 tackles—12 for loss—and 5.5 sacks in nine games last fall, per Matthew Birchenough of NorthJersey.com. The Tigers signed a pair of top-10 2016 linebackers in Tre Lamar and Shaq Smith.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Texas: 4-Star OT Walker Little
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Class: 2017
High School: Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas)
Size: 6'7", 301 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 25 offensive tackle; No. 147 overall
Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong has dealt with recruiting challenges in the Lone Star State, where competition between local programs is at an all-time high. Texas finished strong last signing day and aims to build a strong early foundation for 2017 despite back-to-back sub-.500 seasons.
Walker Little is a key in-state target for a staff that already carries commitments from three of Texas' top 25 recruits in composite rankings (defensive end Lagaryonn Carson, quarterback Sam Ehlinger and wide receiver Damion Miller). Rated No. 21 among Texans, the mammoth lineman holds more than 30 scholarship offers.
The Longhorns have suffered through stretches of offensive ineptitude in recent years, and a consistently strong front is the quickest way to fuel a turnaround. Little would challenge for an immediate role on the two-deep depth chart as a true freshman in Austin.
Penn State: 4-Star LB Avery Roberts
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Class: 2017
High School: Concord (Wilmington, Delaware)
Size: 6'1", 215 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 inside linebacker; No. 185 overall
Penn State established its "Linebacker U" reputation over the course of decades, and Avery Roberts now enters the crosshairs as a wanted man in Happy Valley. Considered one of the Mid-Atlantic region's most impressive defenders, Roberts stars in a region that has been very good to head coach James Franklin on the recruiting trail.
Roberts emerged as a national prospect during a sophomore season that featured 112 tackles—19 for loss—and 6.5 sacks. Penn State faces stiff competition from fellow Big Ten Conference member Nebraska.
The Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers are considered his finalists, according to Michael Matya of Rivals. Roberts will announce his choice April 21, per Greg Pickel of PennLive.com, so this visit presents a pivotal opportunity for Penn State to work toward sealing the deal.
Florida: 5-Star QB Trevor Lawrence
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Class: 2018
High School: Cartersville (Cartersville, Georgia)
Size: 6'6", 196 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 pro-style quarterback; No. 1 overall
Trevor Lawrence, considered the top prize in a class of prospects approaching the end of their sophomore years, is expected in The Swamp on April 8, per Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. The hype surrounding this Peach State passer has grown since the earliest tosses of his high school career, and he's continued to validate it all with performances in games and at camps.
Elite 11 coach Matt James lauded his latest effort at The Opening's Atlanta regional.
"He was really as good as advertised," James told Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. "We got what we expected from him.”
Lawrence, who threw for 3,655 yards, 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 2015, visited Tennessee and Clemson last month. Florida head coach Jim McElwain landed an Elite 11 finalist in 2016 signee Feleipe Franks and carries a commitment from 4-star 2017 recruit Jake Allen, but this Gators roster is devoid of any quarterbacks who've enjoyed sustained success at the collegiate level.
Auburn: 4-Star ATH Malcolm Askew
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Class: 2017
High School: McAdory (McCalla, Alabama)
Size: 5'10 ½", 183 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 11 athlete; No. 177 overall
Auburn currently holds an advantage as leader in Malcolm Askew's widespread recruitment, he told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles earlier this month. The Tigers are contending with a tremendous volume of universities, as he recently reached 50 total scholarship offers.
Askew, a versatile playmaker who presents promise at safety, cornerback and wide receiver, will attend A-Day to watch Auburn in action April 9, per Sayles. The Tigers must deal with significant competition within the SEC, as Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss are among contenders.
Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and Clemson are just a few programs that hope to lure him beyond the region. Askew, who probably projects most favorably in the defensive backfield, could provide another major boost for a Tigers staff that continues to recruit well on that side of the ball despite coaching changes.
“I’m leaning more toward DB because of the longevity," Askew told Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. "Defensive players usually last longer playing the game in comparison to offensive players, and that’s why I’m leaning toward defense right now."
Florida State: 5-Star Stanford Samuels III
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Class: 2017
High School: Flanagan (Hollywood, Florida)
Size: 6'2", 175 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 cornerback; No. 27 overall
The Florida State Seminoles legacy is expected to return to Tallahassee for an April 9 spring game, according to Jeff Sentell of Dawg Nation. Florida State, long viewed as the leader to land Stanford Samuels III due to family ties, will have yet another opportunity to showcase his potential fit with the program.
His father, Stanford Samuels II, played defensive back at the school from 1999 to 2003 under head coach Bobby Bowden. Now charting his own course, Samuels III may be primed to follow a similar path by joining a star-studded Seminoles secondary.
“[My father] put a football in my hands," he told Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. "Since I was born, that’s what I’ve loved to do. I always expected to be here because that was what was expected of me growing up.”
Georgia and Michigan are among other suitors to watch here. New Wolverines assistant Devin Bush Sr., a former Florida State defensive back himself, previously served as head coach at Flanagan.
Ohio State: 5-Star WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
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Class: 2017
High School: Cass Tech (Detroit, Michigan)
Size: 6'2", 192 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 wide receiver; No. 5 overall
Along with welcoming No. 1 running back recruit Najee Harris for spring game festivities, Ohio State will host the country's top-rated wide receiver. Donovan Peoples-Jones, who recently visited Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Florida State, is also headed to Columbus, according to Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com.
The visit was initially revealed on Twitter by 2016 Ohio State quarterback signee Dwayne Haskins. Ohio State landed top-20 pass-catchers Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack this past signing day, and the Buckeyes have also emerged as a favorite for 5-star Florida receiver Trevon Grimes.
Peoples-Jones, the 2015 Nike Football Ratings national champion (based on combine-like drills), caught 68 passes for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior, according to the Detroit News. This shapes up as an epic showdown between Big Ten Conference rivals, as Michigan and Michigan State aim to sign the homegrown standout.
Nebraska: 5-Star WR Tyjon Lindsey
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Class: 2017
High School: Centennial (Corona, California)
Size: 5'8.5", 180 lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 5 wide receiver; No. 21 overall
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have enjoyed an immensely successful recruiting cycle in California. Nebraska netted commitments from Calabasas High School teammates Tristan Gebbia (4-star quarterback) and Keyshawn Johnson Jr. (4-star wide receiver) since late March, creating momentum for head coach Mike Riley.
Another West Coast playmaker is headed to Lincoln for the Cornhuskers spring game, as Tyjon Lindsey announced intentions to attend on Twitter. Last week, he named Nebraska as one of his top 10 collegiate choices, alongside contenders such as Ohio State, Texas A&M and USC.
Lindsey collected 79 catches during the past two seasons at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School before transferring to Centennial. He routinely showed off big-play abilities downfield, turning those receptions into 2,001 yards and 29 touchdowns during two state title runs, per MaxPreps.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
