B/R Recruiting Notebook: 5-Star Talks Official Visit, 4-Star Planning Next Steps

The weekend was one giant roller-coaster ride for college football fans, and there were fans of national programs who got off the ride sick to their stomachs.

Clemson, Michigan and Washington, the previous Nos. 2-4 in the College Football Playoff rankings, all suffered losses. The new rankings will be released Tuesday.

Fortunately for college football recruiting fans, the news was easier to digest. The biggest news occurred in the Pac-12 with two teams who collided Saturday in USC and Washington.

Although the Huskies lost to USC, they were huge winners in recruiting, landing commitments from cornerback Elijah Molden and offensive lineman Henry Bainivalu, two 4-star prospects. Washington now has 11 4-star pledges, according to Scout.com.

And while USC played spoiler to Washington, it also played spoiler to Duke on the recruiting trail. Jack Sears, a 4-star quarterback, was the Blue Devils' highest-ranked pledge until Sunday, when he flipped his commitment to the Trojans. Sears is a San Clemente, California, prospect who could be the heir apparent of USC's offense after another San Clemente alum, Sam Darnold.

Here's the latest news on a few other stud athletes looking to solidify their college plans soon.

5-star Okudah to visit Ohio State

Credit: Student Sports

The high school season for 5-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah came to an end over the weekend, and his focus has now shifted completely on where he will play college ball.

Okudah on Sunday told Bleacher Report that Ohio State will get his fourth official visit the weekend of Nov. 26. The Buckeyes will host Big Ten rival Michigan that weekend.

Ohio State has been a longtime favorite for Okudah, and that weekend could be huge for the athlete who can play cornerback, safety and wide receiver at the next level.

"It'll be the first time with my mom taking an official [visit] with me," Okudah said. "I've been there three times, but I'll be interested to see how she see things. Her opinion carries a lot of weight."

Ohio State is hoping to close the deal, but Okudah has been on successful visits to Oklahoma, Georgia and Florida State. There's no guarantee that he will take a fifth visit.

Ohio State is in contention for Okudah, as are Florida State, Georgia, Clemson, USC and Oklahoma. Okudah said he's looking for a place that will develop him for next-level competition and a possibly to play professionally.

As for the recruiting experience, Okudah has taken all of the pros and cons in stride.

"It's been crazy all in all, but I would say it's been a blessing," he said. "Some guys are ready to get it over with, but some guys are ready just to get it started. To get the chance of being recruited by some of the best schools in the country, it's a blessing."

Leaner, meaner OL Banks has 2 visits left

Credit: Scout.com

A healthy diet and a lot of cardiovascular workouts have turned 4-star offensive lineman Aaron Banks into a 6'7", 315-pound machine. At one time weighing 345 pounds, Banks said he has lost 30 pounds since the end of this past spring.

Banks is someone who can play guard or tackle at the next level, but he's ranked as the nation's No. 7 guard in the 2017 class. Banks is looking to end his recruiting process by the beginning of December, but on Sunday, he said nothing has been set in stone.

"I've got two more [official] visits left, and I want to take both of them," said Banks, who visited Oregon and Notre Dame in September and, most recently, Michigan the weekend of Nov. 5.

Banks, who announced a top 10 in August, said he's looking at Nebraska as a definite official visit. As for the fifth and final visit, Banks said he is keeping all current plans to himself.

The winning school, Banks said, will get a player who will "go in and give all I've got." He said he's looking for a place that can meet all of his criteria, whether that means it's close to his El Cerrito, California, home or far away.

"The family environment, if you can't bond with guys on your team, you can't play with them," he said. "The education there has to be solid, and the alumni base has to be strong. The whereabouts of where I go doesn't matter to me. I feel like I can deal with being far from home."

QB's performance on time for new Ole Miss pledge

Credit: Student Sports

New Ole Miss commit R.J. Sneed watched his future team earn a come-from-behind victory against Texas A&M Saturday. The 6'2", 180-pound wide receiver saw freshman quarterback Shea Patterson overcome a 21-6 deficit to get a huge SEC victory.

While Sneed said his decision was made privately before the game, Saturday's game made him even more excited about the future.

"

I would like to announce that I am committed to... pic.twitter.com/b1ymISDUKl

— RJ Sneed II (@Rjsneed2) November 13, 2016"

"Before the game, I knew I was sold, but seeing Shea go out and have a good game, and knowing he still has three more years after this, it made it even easier for me," said Sneed, a former TCU commit who ultimately chose Ole Miss over UCLA, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin.

"I like his style of play. He threw a lot of nice passes [Saturday]. I like the way he extends plays and tries to find the open receiver. It's good to know that I'll go in having a really good quarterback."

Sneed took an official visit to Ole Miss the weekend of Sept. 24, when the Rebels played Georgia. He decommitted from TCU on Sept. 25. Sneed said he was a fan of Ole Miss' family environment, as well as head coach Hugh Freeze and wide receivers coach Grant Heard.

Schools to watch after 3-star WR decommitted from KU

Kansas lost a pledge Saturday in 3-star wide receiver Reggie Roberson, and while he said the Jayhawks are still a team to consider, there are a few schools to keep an eye on as national signing day approaches.

Roberson has taken an official visit to Illinois, and he has a scheduled visit to East Carolina this weekend. He has three visits remaining, and he said he will take his time with any future decisions.

"

God Has A Plan! #GOD pic.twitter.com/xnZOxzRD1u

— Loading........™ (@TheKingReggie) November 13, 2016"

"The rest of my visits are open to whomever," he said. "My recruitment is fully open. I'm just trying to see my options and make the best decision for me and my family."

Roberson said he parted ways with Kansas because he wanted to do further research and "be 100 percent sure about my decision and the school I pick."

As he continues researching, Roberson is hoping to receive a few more offers. Two schools that interest him are Oklahoma and Houston. Offers have not been extended, but Roberson said he has been in contact with the programs and hopes to add them to his list of more than a dozen offers.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of Scout.com. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles