B/R Recruiting Notebook: 4-Star Talks New Pledge; 5-Star Commit Eyeing Targets

The weekend before Christmas—and the Monday before it—turned out to be one of the most active days of recruiting all year.

Monday morning, Michigan added a big piece to its recruiting puzzle in landing 4-star offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz from IMG Academy. Ruiz is a top-100 player nationally who is ranked the nation's No. 2 center by Scout.com.

Clairton, Pennsylvania, 4-star cornerback Lamont Wade made Penn State fans very happy Friday when he committed to the Nittany Lions over offers from West Virginia, Pitt, UCLA, Tennessee and others. Wade, who had more than 20 offers, said on VSporto's Recruitniks podcast that overall campus comfort, education and potential legacy opportunity would be among the factors in his decision.

There was a time when LSU had two quarterback commits, though it had none. After losing the pledge of 4-star quarterback Lowell Narcisse last Monday, the Louisiana native tweeted early Monday that he has recommitted to the Tigers. Narcisse rejoins 4-star quarterback pledge Myles Brennan in the class. Brennan, from Mississippi, wavered with his commitment late in November but confirmed last week that he has shut down his recruitment and will play in Baton Rouge.

While many schools celebrated commitments, Georgia dealt with losing a player in Houston 4-star running back Toneil Carter, who announced via Twitter that he decommitted on Monday. Carter said his decision was affected by "two seniors" choosing not to test the NFL waters. Those athletes, incoming seniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, have rushed for a combined 1,741 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.

"

This was so hard but i gotta do what's best for me . #ingoditrust pic.twitter.com/BhOVV1OuYI

— Toneil Carter (@CarterToneil) December 19, 2016"

Here are some additional updates from athletes as December continues to make news:

4-star OL Ruiz: Michigan 'felt like home'

There wasn't a lot of surprise Monday morning when Cesar Ruiz committed to Michigan. The IMG Academy center picked the Wolverines over offers from Florida, Auburn and others.

For Ruiz, the decision was simple. And the decision had been simple for him for a while.

"I picked this school because it's felt like home from the beginning," he said. "I am going to get a great education, and I've been able to build a relationship with not only the coaches but current players and commits, as well."

At 6'3", 321 pounds, Ruiz was the fourth 4-star-or-better player the Wolverines have landed this month. Detroit cornerback Ambry Thomas kicked things off on Dec. 7. Cheshire, Connecticut wide receiver Tarik Black committed seven days later and Detroit 5-star receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones followed the day after.

Ruiz's decision helped Michigan jump to No. 4 in Scout.com's team recruiting rankings, behind Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Ruiz, a Camden, New Jersey, native, will be the latest in New Jersey athletes to play for coach Jim Harbaugh, as he's done a solid job in recruiting the state.

UCLA pledge Phillips putting on recruiter's cap

Credit: Student Sports

Minutes after committing to UCLA on April 14, Redlands, California, standout Jaelan Phillips turned into a player-recruiter and went to work in doing his part building the Bruins' 2017 class. Along with Phillips, a 5-star defensive end, the class features the 4-star trio of defensive tackle Greg Rogers, tight end Jimmy Jaggers and cornerback Jaylan Shaw.

Being on the other side of the recruiting process—reaching out to targets and selling the program he loves—is something he said he's enjoyed just as much as being recruited.

"This part has been good for me. I really feel like part of the team," said Phillips, the nation's top-ranked defensive end and the No. 7 player overall in the 2017 class. "Coach [Jim] Mora trusts my words when I say I like this guy or that guy. It feels good having the coaches listen to me."

The Bruins have some work to do with their class, as they are still without double-digit pledges. However, Phillips said he's focused on calling two in-state athletes his teammate after signing day on Feb. 1—Oklahoma commit Addison Gumbs and 5-star cornerback/athlete Darnay Holmes.

"[Gumbs] is a dynamic player. You need guys who are good edge-rushers," Phillips said. "He's tall, lengthy and athletic. I know the coaches are high on him, and we're trying to get him.

"With Darnay, I mean, what isn't there to like? He and I have really gotten close. We are very like-minded when it comes to football. He can be a game-changer in the secondary. Him coming [to UCLA] would be big."

Landing both Gumbs and Holmes would give the Bruins a huge boost in the Scout.com team recruiting rankings. UCLA currently is ranked in the top 50 nationally.

Sleeper alert: 2017 safety brings solid numbers

Colleyville Heritage High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a team with a reputation for its offensive firepower. According to the Dallas Morning News, the team averaged 452 yards per contest this season.

Defensively, Ger'von Thothion made a name for himself on a team that advanced four rounds deep in the Texas Class 5A playoffs, losing to eventual 5A Division I champion Ryan. Thothion finished the year with 88 tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. Both picks were returned for touchdowns.

Additionally, Thothion served as a reliable punt returner. He had six returns and averaged nearly 21 yards per return. He also scored a touchdown on a return during a Nov. 10 game against Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth.

Thothion, at 6'1", 182 pounds is a big safety who always is looking to make big plays. He has a twin brother, Ger'mon, who was a receiver for Colleyville Heritage.

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