Headed into OC Weekend, below is my Top 15 most wanted to fill out the class. Please note that I even assuming McClay doesn't sign I realize that would put us at 26. I'm just going to roll with that for now.
Also note that there are more than 7.5 months until NSD and there will be many kids who aren't currently on the board pop up as the process continues. Finally, I'm only including kids who I think are at very realistic possibilities (or, with Blades, at least a chance in Hades). Here we go:
1 OL Carvin - stud OL would cap a ridiculous run of OL recruiting from 2015-2018 that, given the importance of OL play in the SEC, has put the program on incredibly firm footing going forward. Could he be a surprise OC Day commit?
2 WR Austin - could go with Jean-Louis or Chase, and one could argue J-L is a much better chance. But I love Austin as an overall prospect
3 RB Dixon
4 RB Grant - he and Dixon are the top 2 RBs left on the board. I think at least one commits this weekend. I wonder though, if we do land one and not the other soon, if the staff decides to sit back and let the process play out a bit and see what shakes out...
5 TE Mitchell - could also go with Tremble, especially since we'd be beating out UGA. Wouldn't shock me if Tremble actually commits this weekend anyway...
6 DE Emerson - no comment necessary
7 DE Gerald - instant contributor in 2018
8 DE Olujari
9 DE Tannor - between him and Olujari and Davis and Jibunor we are competing with UGA/AU/Bama for quite a few bigtime DEs. I think we're in deeper with Tannor than some do...
10 DE Davis - obviously I'm heavy on DEs on this list, but we have a huge need and suddenly find ourselves deep in the mix with a ton of bigtimers. Davis seems to be the biggest reach on this list, but I'm hoping we can take a huge step this weekend
11 DE/LB Jibunor - one of my favorites, @wmcneeley11 thinks he commits this weekend
12 LB Jones - commits this weekend
13 LB Gotay - I think we need to sign 2 LBs, and this guy is a speedy tackling machine
14 Horn - Vols must make up ground this weekend, but he clearly likes the Vols a lot given this is his 3rd trip to campus this spring. Hoping Harris can help here as well. Divaad Wilson (UF commit) is another guy we're recruiting very hard and Warren/Beard/Scott have him listening...
15 Blades - the biggest longshot on here according to @Jesse_Simonton but as he said Beard has juice and IMO if Blades was a stone cold lock he'd already be committed to Miami and wouldn't be spending his own money and time to visit. I think this weekend opens his eyes to what bigtime CFB is all about and we become a player here to the end. Jaylon King is the more likely CB in this spot though...
Thoughts welcome of course...
Also note that there are more than 7.5 months until NSD and there will be many kids who aren't currently on the board pop up as the process continues. Finally, I'm only including kids who I think are at very realistic possibilities (or, with Blades, at least a chance in Hades). Here we go:
1 OL Carvin - stud OL would cap a ridiculous run of OL recruiting from 2015-2018 that, given the importance of OL play in the SEC, has put the program on incredibly firm footing going forward. Could he be a surprise OC Day commit?
2 WR Austin - could go with Jean-Louis or Chase, and one could argue J-L is a much better chance. But I love Austin as an overall prospect
3 RB Dixon
4 RB Grant - he and Dixon are the top 2 RBs left on the board. I think at least one commits this weekend. I wonder though, if we do land one and not the other soon, if the staff decides to sit back and let the process play out a bit and see what shakes out...
5 TE Mitchell - could also go with Tremble, especially since we'd be beating out UGA. Wouldn't shock me if Tremble actually commits this weekend anyway...
6 DE Emerson - no comment necessary
7 DE Gerald - instant contributor in 2018
8 DE Olujari
9 DE Tannor - between him and Olujari and Davis and Jibunor we are competing with UGA/AU/Bama for quite a few bigtime DEs. I think we're in deeper with Tannor than some do...
10 DE Davis - obviously I'm heavy on DEs on this list, but we have a huge need and suddenly find ourselves deep in the mix with a ton of bigtimers. Davis seems to be the biggest reach on this list, but I'm hoping we can take a huge step this weekend
11 DE/LB Jibunor - one of my favorites, @wmcneeley11 thinks he commits this weekend
12 LB Jones - commits this weekend
13 LB Gotay - I think we need to sign 2 LBs, and this guy is a speedy tackling machine
14 Horn - Vols must make up ground this weekend, but he clearly likes the Vols a lot given this is his 3rd trip to campus this spring. Hoping Harris can help here as well. Divaad Wilson (UF commit) is another guy we're recruiting very hard and Warren/Beard/Scott have him listening...
15 Blades - the biggest longshot on here according to @Jesse_Simonton but as he said Beard has juice and IMO if Blades was a stone cold lock he'd already be committed to Miami and wouldn't be spending his own money and time to visit. I think this weekend opens his eyes to what bigtime CFB is all about and we become a player here to the end. Jaylon King is the more likely CB in this spot though...
Thoughts welcome of course...
