Commitment Plans, Intel on Top Uncommitted CFB Recruits
The SI99 is the SI All-American measure of the top college football recruits in the country. It was released in the preseason and will be updated in the coming weeks.
Of those 99 prospects, 85 have made verbal commitments to this point, a day before the Early Signing Period kicks off and these pledges can begin to become official.
What of the 14 still left to decide? SIAA breaks down the commitment timeline, contenders and more on the doorstep of the biggest day in the recruiting game.
(Prospects listed by SI99 ranking)
2. DE J.T. Tuimoloau - Sammamish, Wash. (Eastside Catholic)
Timeline: February
Contenders: Washington, Ohio State, Alabama, USC, Oregon, Oklahoma, Michigan
News: Tuimioloau will not make a decision during the ESP window but will have the biggest individual impact on the race for the No. 1 recruiting class, right now centered on Ohio State and Alabama, two of the programs most consistently involved in the conversation around where JTT may end up. Can the West Coast programs make a move into the New Year?
4. IDL Korey Foreman - Corona, Calif. (Centennial)
Timeline: Silent signing Dec. 16, announcing Jan. 2
Contenders: USC, Arizona State, Clemson, LSU, Georgia
News: Foreman is one of several elite prospects planning on signing Wednesday without making an announcement, asking the winning program to do the same until he goes public with the news January 2 during the All-American Bowl's Declaration Day. In the meantime, the chatter has fluctuated considerably surrounding the leading contender, from USC, to Clemson and back to Georgia in the last few weeks. Recent visits to Clemson and ASU create optimism, but the last we heard there may be more confidence in Los Angeles and Athens.
9. RB Camar Wheaton - Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial)
Timeline: Announcing Dec. 23
Contenders: Oklahoma, Alabama
News: Wheaton keeps things pretty close to the vest but when he cut his list down to the Sooners and Crimson Tide, the longtime trend centering around him in Norman continued to be communicated both in the region and nationally. An old recruiting rule is to never count out Nick Saban and company but this one feels like Lincoln Riley's to lose in what should be another star-studded skill position haul for OU.
16. IDL Tywone Malone - Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic)
Timeline: February
Contenders: Rutgers, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Florida State
News: The two-sport star (baseball) told SIAA the pandemic and lack of time to make visits, especially given his national list of contenders, has slowed his evaluation process ahead of making the final call. The sooner the better if you're an Ole Miss fan, given the Lane Kiffin momentum at the moment, but we suspect this one has twists and turns to come.
17. LB Xavian Sorey - Graceville, Fla. (IMG Academy)
Timeline: Wednesday afternoon (1:45 pm ET)
Contenders: Alabama, Florida, Georgia
News: Sorey was back in Gainesville over the weekend with close friend Terrion Arnold (more on him later) but this recruitment has trended elsewhere of late. An IMG source recently told SIAA it was more of a "Georgia vs. 'Bama" battle and we see it that way as well. If either program has more buzz surrounding landing Sorey, it's Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs at this time.
27. LB Terrence Lewis - Miami, Fla. (Central)
Timeline: Silent signing Dec. 16, announcing Jan. 2
Contenders: Tennessee, Maryland
News: Lewis, like Foreman, will be signing this week and holding off on an announcement for another two-plus weeks. Earlier in December this race felt larger with contenders like Florida, where he was once committed, as well as Auburn and local Miami in the mix to a degree. Many in the industry were surprised when Lewis announced a final two of UT, where he was most recently committed, and Maryland on Monday. The Terps are late to the party here so we'd lean UT in the projection game at this time.
30. IOL Bryce Foster - Katy, Texas (Taylor)
Timeline: Announcing, signing Dec. 18
Contenders: Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Oregon
News: Foster has ties to every program on the list in some way, shape or form, but the regional powers appear to be in the best shape at this stage of the waiting game -- particularly OU and A&M. A commitment elsewhere would play as a mild surprise this week but there was still plenty of evaluation to be had as of earlier this month.
36. IDL Maason Smith - Houma, La. (Terrebonne)
Timeline: Wednesday afternoon (4:30 pm ET)
Contenders: LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Miami
News: When Smith told us he was down to the four programs, Miami was an interesting addition and the Canes signing the Louisiana native would be a major shockwave moment should it go down. We have a hard time seeing him outside of the SEC, especially given the need of LSU keeping him within state lines for perceptional and on-field reasons. Of course Alabama and Georgia, which has hosted him as much as any program not named LSU, won't go quietly.
41. S Terrion Arnold - Tallahassee, Fla. (St. John Paul II)
Timeline: February
Contenders: Florida, Georgia, Alabama
News: Arnold was in the Swamp with Sorey over the weekend but it didn't accelerate his recruiting timeline. This week he confirmed to SIAA he still plans on signing in February. Perhaps the more interesting angle here is the relationship with Sorey and whether or not the package deal conversation will continue. We hear that element is '50/50' so don't necessarily tie Arnold to the program Sorey inks with on Wednesday. Florida has done well in the buzz department here, though.
48. DE Elijah Jeudy - Philadelphia, Pa. (Northeast)
Timeline: Announcing January 2
Contenders: Georgia, Texas A&M
News: Jeudy is a former Georgia commitment and the Bulldogs may be looking up at A&M the sooner he looks to make the internal decision. The Aggies appear poised to have a big run here this week, after adding two prospects last week, and Jeudy can compliment that haul in the coming weeks. If there is something to watch beforehand, keep an eye on Tunmise Adeleye, another defensive lineman with A&M at the forefront of his recruitment. He comes off the board this week.
61. OT Tristan Leigh - Fairfax, Va. (Robinson Secondary)
Timeline: Announcing January 2
Contenders: Oklahoma, LSU, Ohio State, Florida, Clemson, Alabama
News: Leigh was another elite uncommitted prospect at Florida over the weekend, with family in-tow, and the Gators are all of a sudden a late contender for his services. Prior, there had long been more buzz for programs like OU, LSU and Clemson, with multiple visits to those campuses as well. The Sooners appear to be building up to a strong late push for offensive lineman like Foster, Leigh and Savion Byrd, so the conversation still begins there on our end despite some heavy hitters still in the mix.
63. SLOT Destyn Hill - New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr)
Timeline: February
Contenders: Florida, Florida State, LSU
News: Hill, formerly known as Destyn Pazon, is one of the top slot prospects in the country (with positional flexibility) but his recruitment has been a quiet one. LSU may not have a lot of spots at the position, same for Florida, placing most eyes on FSU for quite some time. Of course the 2020 in Tallahassee hasn't helped and now Seminole fans will have to wait a bit longer to get their answer on where Hill ends up.
74. WR Brian Thomas - Walker, La.
Timeline: TBD
Contenders: LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M and others
News: Speaking of quiet, outside of Camar Wheaton, there may not be an elite recruit with less tangible information surrounding his recruitment than Thomas. LSU has long been the easy assumption given his status as a big-time prospect in the state, at that position. As it gets closer to pen meeting paper, though, we know Alabama is in the hunt for another wideout (Thomas or Michigan commitment Xavier Worthy) and A&M is one of the few programs that can dip into the state and content for any top talent.
97. RB Armoni Goodwin - Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville)
Timeline: Wednesday evening (6:00 pm ET)
Contenders: Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State
News: Goodwin decommitted from Auburn on November 30 and the thought was he'd move on from the Tigers at the time, but now there is some traction about a possible return. That said, the program holding the most buzz from the moment he made the decision to go public and take a step back has been LSU. Those Tigers may be the team to beat over the next 24 hours while FSU and others push.
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