Tee Higgins Tweets Top 10: Odds on Where 5-Star WR Lands
The race to land 5-star wide receiver Tee Higgins is beginning to take shape.
The nation’s No. 3 receiver and No. 16 prospect overall in the 2017 cycle dropped his list of 10 finalists on Twitter Sunday afternoon:
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The standout from Oak Ridge High School (Tennessee) narrowed his top 10 to include Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
The top overall prospect from the Volunteer State was once committed to the homestanding Tennessee Volunteers for nearly six months before reopening his recruitment in February.
As he told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles, Higgins has maintained a desire to give each of the schools recruiting him a fair opportunity at landing him.
"A lot of schools are on me, but I'm looking into all of them and just making sure I talk to every school,” Higgins told Sayles.
Can the Volunteers reel in this homegrown playmaker or will another powerhouse program lure him away?
Let’s break down the odds for each of the finalists still in the running to land a pledge from Higgins.
Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Ole Miss: 15-1
As Ryan Bartow of 247Sports reported, Higgins plans to graduate high school in December and become an early enrollee at whichever program he decides to attend.
That means that the coming months will be critical for the programs among his group of finalists in getting him on campus when he decides to take visits in the summer and fall.
Of his top 10 schools, Higgins has already visited Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Additionally, according to Ryan Callahan of GoVols247, the 6’4 ½”, 188-pounder has plans on visiting Florida State and Michigan soon.
That means the clock is ticking for programs such as Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State. For the Rebels, they would hope to get Higgins back in Oxford for the first time since June 2015.
In absence of a visit, it’s unlikely any of these programs can overcome the other schools on his list in the end.
Alabama, Florida State and Michigan: 10-1
Assuming Higgins follows through on his wish to visit both Tallahassee and Ann Arbor, both the Seminoles and the Wolverines have to feel good about their positions at this point in his recruitment.
“I know I want to get down to Michigan and Florida State,” Higgins told Callahan. “(Michigan’s coaches) really want me to get on campus, so I just told them I’d get down there. … I plan on going down (to Florida State). I love (co-offensive coordinator Randy Sanders). Coach is a funny guy. He’s cool, laid-back, so I like him. That’s how I am.”
Higgins already made two visits to Alabama last summer—which means he’s familiar with the Tide’s program and how he could fit into their offensive attack.
Considering the success that Alabama has had with elite receivers in recent years, counting out head coach Nick Saban and his staff in this instance would be foolish.
Still, these three powerhouses still have work to do in inching up to the forefront of the leaderboard for Higgins.
Tennessee: 6-1
Last month, Higgins confirmed to Bartow that Clemson and Tennessee are “two of his top schools.”
As Callahan detailed, one factor that Higgins will be paying close attention to this fall is whether the Vols’ passing attack can improve.
Still, he admits that he’s still got a great bond with the Tennessee coaching staff—with head coach Butch Jones, receivers coach Zach Azzanni and offensive coordinator Mike DeBord leading the charge in his recruitment.
“I’ve been talking to Coach Z a lot lately,” Higgins told Callahan. “They want me on campus. I’ve just been looking into it and talking to them a lot. We text almost every day on Twitter. They want Tennessee guys to stay home.”
The Vols are primed to have a strong season in the fall, and that could help their chances of locking up the state’s top overall prospect when he arrives at a conclusion in his recruitment.
Clemson: 5-1
While Higgins may have concerns about the usage of receivers in Tennessee’s offense, he has no such queries about Clemson’s potent attack.
It’s also worth noting that Higgins backed off his pledge to Tennessee just days after his most recent visit to Clemson in late January.
As reported by Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, the Tigers jumped into the lead for Higgins in the immediate aftermath of his decommitment—a fact that was reflected in the movement in his "crystal ball" predictions.
Should Higgins select Clemson, he could potentially become the replacement for Tigers junior playmaker Mike Williams—who could be a first-rounder in next year’s NFL draft, according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller.
Regardless, as things currently stand, the Tigers have positioned themselves well to add one of 2017’s premier skill talents to an already-stellar class.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand, and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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