B/R Recruiting Notebook: 4-Star DB Talks Busy Week; New LSU Commit Eyeing 5-Star
The weekend was productive for North Carolina State, Troy, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech. Collectively, the four schools landed 14 commitments between Friday and Sunday.
It's that time of year where we see commitments in bunches around the country. As we prepare for the month of August, more athletes are looking to solidify their college futures before the start of their senior seasons. Look for several big names to make verbal commitments in the near future.
Recruiting is hot, and here are a few updates from the 2017 class.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Busy week of traveling for 4-star JKP
Ohio State increased its lead in the 247Sports recruiting composite team rankings after landing 4-star defensive end Chase Young during its Friday Night Lights camp and 4-star cornerback Amir Riep the day after.
The Buckeyes have 16 commits and are hoping to add to the class with Detroit 4-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell. The Cass Technical High School standout was in Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend for the Friday event and gave the trip high marks.
"It was great. I spent time with all the coaches and all my [Cass Tech] alumni brothers like Mike Weber, Damon Webb and Josh Alabi," Kelly-Powell said. "We watched some film, played games and watched the camp. The stands were filled with a bunch of fans wanting all the recruits to commit."
The Ohio State trip capped a busy week for Kelly-Powell, a top-20 safety and top-300 player overall in the 2017 class. He visited Kentucky last Sunday, Alabama on Monday, Auburn on Tuesday, Tennessee on Wednesday and Thursday and Missouri on Saturday.
In addition to Ohio State, the trip to Auburn, Kelly-Powell said, was one that impressed. The 6'0", 175-pound defensive back described the visit as "amazing."
"I'd never got a chance to really see the campus," Kelly-Powell said. "The campus is pretty cool. The Heisman statues on campus was real cool. The dorm rooms there are like apartments. I had a lot of fun, and I got to talk to the coaches and see the team in a relaxed environment."
Kelly-Powell has 42 reported offers and said he's still "taking everything day by day" with his process. He doesn't plan on making any major decisions soon and added he's using this time to start weeding out schools.
New LSU cornerback commit targeting 5-star
LSU won a big recruiting battle Sunday when Port Arthur, Texas, 4-star cornerback Kary Vincent Jr. gave the Tigers his verbal commitment. A Texas A&M legacy, Vincent chose LSU over offers from the Aggies, TCU, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn and others.
Vincent was in Baton Rouge over the weekend for an LSU picnic catered to some of the program's top targets. He made the trip as a silent LSU pledge and later made his commitment public Sunday evening by way of a Campus Insiders video.
Vincent said the "home feeling" received on the visits played a role in his decision. He also credited LSU's history of producing solid defensive backs. Lastly, Vincent said his decision was a "gut feeling."
"It was really tough but really fun knowing you can go wherever you want in the country," said Vincent, a 5'11", 170-pound cornerback who has 32 reported offers.
Combined with the commitment of 3-star offensive tackle Seth Stewart on Saturday, LSU now has 17 commitments in its 2017 class. Vincent said he hopes to bring in pledge No. 18 in a fellow Texan who would be a huge get for the LSU secondary.
"Jeffrey Okudah," Vincent said, referring to the 5-star defensive back with 34 reported offers. "I feel that we have the same mindset. He's a leader and is focused on the bigger picture, and that's winning and making the people around him better."
Time it takes for Jeudy to impress: 70 seconds
Pompano Beach, Florida, 4-star wide receiver Jerry Jeudy gave the 32 schools that reportedly offered him scholarships yet another reason why his every move in recruiting is important.
Over the weekend, Jeudy posted a 70-second video on Twitter showcasing his speed, acceleration, pass-catching ability and, perhaps most importantly, his route running. Entering Monday morning, the video had more than 1,400 retweets and more than 1,900 likes.
Alabama is the school to watch for Jeudy. Per his 247Sports Crystal Ball, Alabama is a heavy favorite in the recruiting race, but in-state schools Florida, Miami and Florida State will be doing their parts to sell Jeudy before national signing day. On Friday, Jeudy dominated at Florida's Friday Night Lights camp, according to 247Sports' Luke Stampini.
At 6'1", 177 pounds, Jeudy is ranked the No. 6 receiver and No. 35 overall player in the 2017 class. He was a major contributor for Vapor Speed, the team that won the seven-on-seven championship at The Opening.
16 to choose from for 4-star offensive lineman Banks
It's game-on for 4-star offensive lineman Aaron Banks.
The El Cerrito, California, standout—who, at 6'7" and 344 pounds, can play tackle or guard at the next level—nearly trimmed his list of schools in half Sunday evening. Banks, who has 29 reported offers, announced a top 16 on Twitter.
"My Top Schools at this point in Alphabetical Order pic.twitter.com/Q7SxTTDHNY
— BANKSofAMERICA™ (@bigaaronbanks) July 24, 2016"
Of the 16 schools, half of them represent the Pac-12: Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, USC and Washington. The SEC is represented by Arkansas, Florida and Vanderbilt, and the Big Ten is represented by Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Miami and Notre Dame also made Banks' cut.
Banks' 247Sports profile has USC, Michigan and Oregon as three schools "warm" on his list. Notre Dame is the latest school to offer.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player rankings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
