B/R Recruiting Notebook: No. 1 Center Trims List; 4-Star WR Talks Decommitment
The weekend was a busy one for college football recruiting, as followers saw several big-name commits end their processes.
Among those was 5-star offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, who committed to Ohio State Friday afternoon. Davis, who plays tackle for St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, is ranked by 247Sports as the nation's top guard, as well as the No. 14 overall recruit in the 2017 class.
LSU added two 4-star wide receivers to its 2017 class in Jhamon Ausbon and Mannie Netherly, two athletes who were once committed to Baylor and Texas A&M, respectively. Florida improved its class Friday with the commitment of 4-star defensive end Zachary Carter, and Rutgers scored a key get Sunday in 4-star linebacker Tyshon Fogg, who is the Scarlet Knights' top-ranked defensive pledge.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Several other schools landed 2017 pledges, but there are still plenty of athletes nationwide who remain uncommitted. Here are some updates on a few of the nation's top targets.
List goes from 12 to 8 for No. 1 center Ruiz
IMG Academy offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz, the nation's top-ranked center in the 2017 class, took an extra step in finishing his recruiting process. After releasing a top 12 in April, the Camden, New Jersey, native released a video featuring his top eight schools—LSU, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Florida State, North Carolina and Auburn.
"I'm now starting to get real serious with everything and do research," said Ruiz, who's now 6'3" and 320 pounds. "I'm still weeding a couple of schools out. In July, maybe by The Opening, I may drop a top five. We'll see."
"TOP 8️⃣ God Bless pic.twitter.com/XNNvp254tN
— S A U C Y ™ (@_OverCees) June 26, 2016"
Ruiz, who claims 35 offers, said he is looking into summer visits to Alabama and Auburn, as well as a potential visit to Florida State. Ruiz is considering all eight schools for potential official visits. Per his 247Sports "crystal ball" predictions, Michigan is the school many are keeping an eye on.
Ruiz said he will use the rest of the summer to weigh his options and make a well-informed decision to benefit him athletically and academically.
"It's an important decision, and I want to make a lifetime decision," he said. "After I graduate, I want to know that I have connections and that my degree holds weight. Of course, I want to play early. I want to have the opportunity as a true freshman to take someone's spot. I'm also looking for a good environment. If I didn't play, I'd want to be at a place where I can live comfortably."
Vols decommit Nixon explains decision
A week after Tennessee had one of the best recruiting streaks in all of college football for this recruiting cycle, the Volunteers were dealt a blow in losing their top-ranked offensive player, KD Nixon.
The 4-star wide receiver from DeSoto, Texas, had been considered a soft commit for weeks, and he finally reopened his process Sunday evening. A slot receiver at the next level, Nixon has 18 reported offers.
"I just needed more time," said Nixon, who originally committed to Tennessee on April 16. "At the end of the day, you have to make the best decision, and it takes time. I have to put myself in the best situation possible."
Nixon said he's now focusing on a handful of schools, among those are Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oregon, TCU and SMU. Nixon added that Tennessee is still a school he's considering, and that the Volunteers are still in the running to get an official visit.
Nixon is a top-40 receiver nationally who caught 26 passes for 411 yards and five touchdowns during a junior season that was hampered by injuries. Nixon decommitted after Tenneessee landed eight commitments last week by way of its Orange Carpet Day event.
SEC, Pac-12 battle for 4-star LB McBride
Vidalia, Georgia, 4-star linebacker Nate McBride released a top five last week of Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, Auburn and Stanford. McBride said a final decision could come in January during the U.S. Army All-American Game or even earlier, sometime during his senior year.
And while the SEC battles the Pac-12 for the nation's No. 2 inside linebacker, McBride said he's weighing his options to choose the right university.
"Everybody likes to win if you have a competitive side. They're all great schools and love to win," McBride said of his five schools. "There's a lot of great history behind them. The last 10 years, all of the schools have been successful.
"The SEC is supposed to be best conference in the nation, as some people might say. The Pac-12 is a great conference as well, especially with Stanford and Oregon. Stanford has great academics and is a powerhouse program, and Oregon is a great program that's all about speed. I think I can fit in well with any of the schools."
Georgia received McBride's last visit in April. With Athens being roughly 3.5 hours away from Vidalia, McBride is able to drive to campus on occasion for unofficial visits.
McBride, however, said one school in general has been a school to keep close watch on.
"I've always liked Oregon," McBride said. "Oregon's always been a favorite. I like watching them play; they play with a lot of speed. They've been my favorite team for a while."
The 6'2", 230-pound linebacker said he may consider a few more unofficial visits this summer before focusing on setting up official visits. McBride is ranked No. 73 overall in the 2017 class.
Top 5 for DB Short; decision date set
July 3 is the big day for Los Angeles 3-star safety Rhedi Short. After decommitting from UCLA on May 8, Short tweeted his top five Sunday and said he's looking forward to making an announcement on July 3, which is his uncle's birthday.
"It's been hard, especially because in this recruiting process, you build great relationships with coaches," Short said. "Knowing that when you drop a top five, you could damage a relationship with a coach you build, that's definitely hard. I don't want to burn any bridges."
The 6'1", 187-pound, Cathedral High School standout has four Pac-12 schools in his top five in Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State and Cal. The fifth school, however, may be the wild card of the group. Penn State made his top five, and it's a school to watch for the next few days.
"I've always been a fan since I was younger," Short said. "I've talked to their corners and safeties coaches (Terry Smith and Tim Banks, respectively), and I really like them both. Of course, with the Penn State tradition of them usually being a good team, that's also a bonus."
Arizona is the trending school in Short's 247Sports crystal ball predictions, and Oregon has been a school to keep an eye on, but he said all five schools are on equal turf.
Texas State has monstrous recruiting week
Schools like Ohio State and Alabama are consistently in the news for their impressive recruiting efforts—and rightfully so. The two powerhouses have 29 commits combined and are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the latest 247Sports composite team rankings.
But even Ohio State and Alabama would love to have the run that Texas State had this past week. The Bobcats, under new head coach Everett Withers, have scored 10 commitments since last Monday, the latest being speedy defensive end Jakharious Smith from Grand Prairie, Texas.
Texas State more than doubled its recruiting class in a matter of seven days. The Bobcats now have 17 commits, and the class is headlined by Duncanville, Texas, athlete Jaylin Nelson, who can play wide receiver and quarterback.
The Bobcats are hoping the week's success can help land a few more targets, even though the battles for some of the 5- and 4-star talents will be uphill. A couple of players on the Bobcats' radar include 4-star tight end Kedrick James, a former Baylor commit, and 4-star offensive lineman Stephan Zabie, a top-25 offensive tackle nationally.
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")
