Rivals nationwide recruiting director Adam Gorney is joined by nationwide recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman, Jack Knowlton from TideIllustrated.com and Nikki Edwards of CUSportsReport.com to sort out three subjects and decide whether or not they imagine every assertion is FACT or FICTION.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Georgia might very nicely shut on Justus Terry and that’s that, no shock, however the phrase I’m getting is that there’s guarded optimism by the Alabama teaching employees as a result of if Terry needed to commit he’s had loads of time to do it already. The five-star defensive lineman from Manchester, Ga., might be biding his time and needs to make it extra attention-grabbing nearer to signing day (nobody could be stunned if the Bulldogs received out) however Alabama is certainly a serious contender right here.
Knowlton’s take: FACT. Alabama getting Terry on campus for the South Florida sport for a shock go to was a big transfer for the Crimson Tide. Alabama stays the one critical contender for Georgia and the employees is pushing laborious to land one of many high defensive linemen within the nation to fill the Tide’s largest remaining want within the 2025 class. Terry might not make it for the Alabama-Georgia sport resulting from his highschool sport being pushed again to Saturday. Nevertheless, Alabama will very doubtless get him on campus once more this fall. A choice shouldn’t be anticipated till Nationwide Signing Day, which also needs to favor the Crimson Tide by giving it extra time to shut the hole on Georgia. Nonetheless an uphill battle, however Alabama is definitely a contender right here.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. LSU is certainly a serious participant and there’s little question that the Tigers have made Jahkeem Stewart a high precedence however I simply don’t suppose he has a front-runner at this level. He has been very intrigued by the NIL alternatives at USC and the event below place coach Eric Henderson and others. Oregon has lots to supply. Taking part in for place coach Larry Johnson – and seeing his NFL growth – is big. And naturally LSU is near residence, he might play SEC ball there and be coached by a few of the greatest as nicely. He might find yourself with the Tigers however I don’t suppose Stewart is pondering by way of a workforce to beat in his recruitment but.
Spiegelman’s take: FACT. There are a whole lot of unknowns swirling round five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart proper now, together with when he’ll graduate and whether or not he’ll be part of the 2025 or 2026 class. One factor for sure is the truth that LSU shall be concerned on this recruitment till the top. Stewart has a lead group comprised of the Tigers, USC, Ohio State and Oregon, and has made a number of stops at every campus this 12 months, together with one other journey again for the UCLA sport. If Stewart winds up reclassifying and would not get to see the sphere as a senior, there are a lot of causes to imagine that Baton Rouge would take advantage of sense. Bo Davis and Frank Wilson have been on high of this recruitment for years. USC and Ohio State each have made this very shut at occasions, however I anticipate the Tigers to be concerned till the top on this one.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Travis Hunter definitely has the flexibility to play both large receiver or defensive again within the NFL. He’s that particular from an athletic and playmaking standpoint however I extremely doubt any group goes to pay him astronomical cash solely to grind him down so rapidly within the NFL.
What folks get away with in highschool and school more often than not can’t be carried out within the NFL. Taking part in at that degree is really a craft and whereas I do imagine some groups will need him first at receiver (despite the fact that Richard Sherman known as him a “bland” receiver earlier than strolling again these feedback on a telephone name with Hunter himself (how about that for a flex), different groups will like him on protection.
The previous five-star and No. 1 total participant might positively play receiver or defensive again within the NFL. However I doubt he does each.
Edwards’ take: FACT. NFL coaches could be remiss to not use Travis Hunter’s elite talents on each side of the ball. Sure, the sport is elevated within the NFL with higher opponents, extra movie research and the psychological and bodily toll is the biggest deterrent in enjoying two methods. Nevertheless, Hunter has modified the two-way panorama in school and is on observe to alter it on the professional degree.
Final week in opposition to Baylor, Hunter performed 145 snaps, 82 on offense and 63 on protection. In these offensive snaps he recorded seven receptions for 130 yards. On protection, he had three tackles and the game-sealing pressured fumble. Hunter turned the primary Colorado receiver with 5 consecutive video games (together with Utah final 12 months) with 100 yards or extra and now has the sixth-most receiving yards within the FBS at 472.
In line with PFF, Hunter has an 83.6 receiving grade, an 86.3 run-defense grade and an 85.5 protection grade and has allowed zero touchdowns this season. There hasn’t been anybody in latest historical past that has completed what Hunter has in school.
“I hold listening to there’s others that carried out it, no there has not,” City Meyer mentioned on The Triple Possibility podcast. “…Our personal Charles Woodson received the Heisman, however he didn’t do it at this degree.”
Hunter is a real school soccer anomaly that has put him in his personal class, one which Charles Woodson wasn’t even in.
