B/R Recruiting Notebook: Action Heats Up During the Holiday Season

The holiday season has been good to a few programs in regards to the recruiting trail. A number of athletes chose to end their recruiting processes either on Christmas Day or a day or two before.

Two of the biggest gets on Christmas were 4-star linebacker Nate McBride and 4-star offensive tackle T.J. Moore, who both chose to play in the SEC. Georgia managed to score a big in-state prospect in McBride, the nation's No. 6 inside linebacker. Moore, from Charlotte, North Carolina, filled a need at the offensive line position for Florida.

Also on Christmas, Oregon got a commitment from 3-star defensive tackle Jordon Scott, a former Florida commit. Scott is the third pledge for new Oregon coach Willie Taggart and the second for Taggart—the former head coach at South Florida—with Florida ties.

Arguably the biggest recruiting news of the weekend came on Friday when IMG Academy 5-star defensive end Joshua Kaindoh ended his process by committing to Florida State. Kaindoh, a former Maryland pledge, picked the Seminoles over offers from Penn State, Alabama and Georgia.

Michigan's impressive month of December continued when it added 4-star linebacker Drew Singleton to the 2017 class. Singleton is the seventh Michigan pledge this month and the fifth this month ranked in Scout.com's top 100.

Additionally, Texas got a much-needed recruiting boost when it landed two in-state commits Friday in 3-star tight end Cade Brewer and 3-star running back Daniel Young. New head coach Tom Herman managed to flip both athletes, as Brewer was committed to SMU and Young was committed to Herman's old school, Houston.

Here are additional recruiting nuggets from athletes around the country looking to announce their verbal commitments before national signing day on Feb. 1:

4-star ATH Wedington praises Notre Dame offer

Credit: Student Sports

Is a new Notre Dame offer enough to sway 4-star athlete Connor Wedington? One thing is for certain: The offer definitely impressed the Sumner, Washington, standout.

Wedington picked up an offer from the Irish last Wednesday and said Notre Dame is in the hunt as he prepares for national signing day. The one-time Washington pledge said it's easy to appreciate a program like Notre Dame on and off the field.

"Notre Dame is a great academic school, and it has a great historical program," Wedington said. "The tradition there is just amazing. I want to get there and check it out, for sure. It's a school you just can't pass up on."

Notre Dame will be in a fight with Stanford, UCLA, Baylor, Oregon State and Cal for Wedington, who can be effective on both sides of the field either as a cornerback, wide receiver or running back. He told Bleacher Report that he has an official visit to Stanford set for the weekend of Jan. 13.

Whether Wedington visits Notre Dame because of timing, however, is still to be determined. He said he wants to fit in at least three visits before signing day. Whether he adds a fourth will depend on if he plays in the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii on Jan. 21.

3-star DB Fields on committing: 'I want to do this once'

Credit: Scout.com

Oklahoma City 3-star safety Evan Fields said he has one goal when it comes to recruiting.

He wants to get it right the first time.

"I'm not really into the decommitting thing. That's why I'm not committed yet," Fields said. "I know things happen, but I want to do this once. If I'm not sure, I'm not going to commit."

Fields, now standing 6'2" and weighing 193 pounds, most recently picked up an offer from Baylor, a team desperately in need of recruits that now has a new, hardworking staff in place led by head coach Matt Rhule. Baylor is a school Fields said he's considering, along with Oregon, Arizona State, Kansas State, UCLA and Notre Dame.

Fields, a reliable cover safety who claims 29 offers, has taken official visits to Kansas State (weekend of Nov. 4), Oklahoma State (Nov. 11) and, most recently, Arizona State (Dec. 9). He told Bleacher Report that he will visit Notre Dame the weekend of Jan. 20, and he may fit in a fifth visit the weekend of Jan. 13.

For Fields, a final decision will be all about comfort within the program and with his future coaches and teammates.

"I'm going to be there three or four years. I have to be at a place where you can be yourself," he said. "I want to have a good opportunity with both school and football. I want to get my degree and possibly make it to the [NFL]. On the field, I want [the coaches] to be able to help me, so I can help them."

Can Texas get another former Houston pledge?

With Herman leaving Houston to take over head coaching duties at Texas, many expected him to offer a handful of players committed to Houston. Running back Daniel Young, a Houston commit since September, flipped on Friday.

Brenham, Texas, 3-star outside linebacker Marqez Bimage decommitted from Houston on Friday after first giving his verbal pledge on Dec. 14, 2015. The question now involves whether Bimage, at 6'3" and 234 pounds, will follow Herman to Texas or choose a different path.

"Two weeks ago, everything got pretty crazy when Houston was trying to find a new head coach," said Bimage (full name pronounced mar-KEZ BIM-medge). "After more than a year, my head coach, my recruiter and my position coach were leaving."

Bimage said Herman, defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and assistant coach Craig Naivar all were key in him committing to Houston. Now that they all are coaching at Texas, and after landing a Texas offer on Dec. 11, playing in the Big 12 is something he's strongly considering.

The good news for Baylor: Bimage said playing in the Big 12 could mean wearing green and gold.

"I talk to [assistant] Coach [Joey] McGuire over there," Bimage said. "Baylor's a place I feel I can come in and compete to start right away. I know they have their issues right now, but they are figuring it all out and have a good head coach and staff."

Bimage said he wants to make a final decision before national signing day.

Sleeper alert: New Jersey ATH puts up huge numbers

New Jersey has had its share of talented players to make past recruiting news, and the South Jersey area has an under-the-radar athlete who didn't put up under-the-radar numbers his senior season.

Sicklerville, New Jersey, athlete Ezrah Archie was instrumental in Timber Creek Regional High School's run for a second consecutive South Jersey sectional championship. Archie was Timber Creek's go-to receiver, finishing the year with 74 catches for 1,285 yards and 20 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. Per Phil Anastasia of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Archie's 20 touchdowns rank second all time on South Jersey's single-season high school list. His 1,285 yards rank third all time and his 74 receptions rank fifth.

"I want to believe this year would have allowed me to make a name for my self across college boards of many nationwide programs," Archie said, "but as of now, recruitment has not really been what I thought it would be, coming off the year I had. Recruitment has been very slow."

Archie, a 6'1", 185-pound athlete, is still looking to claim his first FBS offer. He told Bleacher Report he has offers from Monmouth, Colgate, New Hampshire, Bryant, The Citadel, Stetson and Ivy League schools Penn and Cornell. He recently decommitted from Penn to entertain other opportunities. Archie added that he has received recent FBS interest from Iowa. Syracuse, Temple and others have shown past interest.

And what will a lucky school get out of Archie?

"A well-rounded kid that will come in ready to work, not just on the field but off [it]," he said. "I will bring leadership, maturity and a skill set that I believe is one of a kind. I can change the game with the ball in my hands. Any school who picks me up will get a steal."

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.