SEC recruiting news and notes: Harris sticks with Alabama
The latest recruiting news and notes from Scout.com
Recruit of the week: Najee Harris
Scout's No. 1 prospect in the country, running back Najee Harris of Antioch (Calif.) was all over the news last week in San Antonio (Texas) as an Army All-American. Some of the chatter was about his performance at practice and how he looked daily, but it was much more about his recruitment. At one time the 6-foot-3, 225 pounder was set to announce his final decision after the game Saturday, but then he scrapped that plan. He was then going to fly home to talk things over with those close to him one last time before he deciding to fly to Tuscaloosa (Ala.) or Ann Arbor (Mich.), but in the end, on Sunday, the five star showed at the school he had been committed to since April of 2015, Alabama. The recruitment of Harris seems to be officially over and he has moved into his new home, Tuscaloosa. He will be able to watch his team play for the national championship from there Monday night.
Underclassman of the week: Kobe Hudson
After starring in the freshman All-American game late Saturday night in San Antonio, 2020 athlete Kobe Hudson picked up offers from Appalachian State, Auburn and Georgia. The 6-1, 183 pound freshman scored a touchdown on offense and defense Saturday night and he is expected to be one of the most highly recruited prospects in the South for his class. He prefers the wide receiver position, but he is very good at defensive back as well. He grew up a fan of Auburn and he lives less than an hour from their campus. Hudson had a cousin, Quan Bray, play at Auburn, and he has a cousin playing at Georgia now in Tae Crowder. In 2016 as a freshman, Hudson scored a total of 14 touchdowns and he had over 800 yards receiving.
Prospect on the rise: Malik Willis
During the dead period, Malik Willis flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to Auburn after playing for the state championship. He was a big part of the run that Roswell (Ga.) made to get to the Georgia Dome to play game 15. Willis finished with 2,562 yards passing and 27 touchdowns, then he added 1,033 yards rushing and another 10 touchdowns. He plays a lot like former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall who made plenty of exciting plays with his arm and legs. Willis is currently ranked as the No. 73 athlete in the country, but that will change soon. When the final rankings are revealed by Scout in a couple of weeks, the Auburn fans will be very happy. Willis is such a natural athlete and he has so much potential at a number of different positions, but in the Auburn offense, he will scare defenses at quarterback.
A look at the future: Analyzing '17 recruiting hauls of Alabama, Clemson
Visit of the week: Devonta Smith
Can LSU keep Devonta Smith at home? Not all that long ago, it seemed like the Tigers were on the outside looking in, but over the past three months, LSU has put themselves right in the thick of this race and it could be down to them and Alabama. This weekend, the five-star wide receiver out of Amite (La.) will make the short trip to Baton Rouge (La.) to sit down with new head coach Ed Orgeron, new offensive coordinator Matt Canada and the rest of the Tiger staff. This is LSU's chance. This may be make or break for them. Smith is a true playmaker on the outside and he has the ability to be a vertical threat for the team he chooses. LSU has made up a lot of ground, and they have become a threat to Alabama, but they still have a real battle on their hands to keep this prospect at home. Miami is the third school in the mix here, but at this time, the Crimson Tide is viewed as the leader.
Commitment watch: Tamorrion Terry
A name not many have talked about a lot in recent months is Tamorrion Terry. The 6-4, 205 pound athlete out of Ashburn (Ga.) Turner County is one to watch. He is set to visit Auburn this weekend, and the Tigers have done a good job recruiting him. He still has some work to do academically, but he is close to making the score he needs to put himself into position to be qualified. Those close to him feel he will make it. The Tigers have been recruiting him as long as anyone, maybe longer. He has official visits scheduled to Mississippi the weekend after he visits Auburn, then will head to Florida State the weekend before signing day. Others continue to recruit and monitor Terry, and rightfully so due to his talent, upside and potential as a wide receiver. A couple of schools even like the four star as a defensive back. He really likes Auburn and Florida State right now. Florida was his favorite as a kid and the Gators have their eye on him as well. He could be on a visit and commit at any time, so he is one to watch.
