Checking in on the Top Five Uncommitted Recruits in the SI99 Rankings
College football is officially back. As Week 1 ramps up across the country, it seems like the usual conversation is dominating the talk leading up to kick, including curiosity about the next wave of college football stars.
The latter is the steady focus at SI All-American, including where the nation's best prospects will suit up. About a third of the Preseason SI99 members remain undecided on their college destination, including several in the top 10 overall.
SIAA checks in on the recruitment of the nation's top five uncommitted prospects.
Walter Nolen, No. 2 Overall, No. 1 IDL
The Powell (Tenn.) High School prospect has suited up for his new squad and there hasn't been a lack of buzz in the area since. His public top three remains in Tennessee, Texas A&M and Georgia, released August 24. The next day, though, Nolen made sure to remind fans of all the programs in pursuit, like Michigan, Florida, Alabama and others, that the race wasn't over and that the top group wasn't a final group.
Nolen has featured fluidity on his lists of top schools for every release, as programs that were seemingly out for his services flew back in following visits to campus. Now it would appear that college game visits could add to the influence on America's top defender, pushing the race further into wide open status. However, as anyone on social media would relay, Nolen could end his recruitment at any time. He challenged followers to drive up his Instagram to a certain level and he would make a commitment, a move that of course paid off near immediately as Nolen flew up the follower mark.
Nolen, Sr. recently told SI All-American a decision would come through the family when his son woke up with "that feeling" of knowing where he wants to play, without additional doubt. A&M has the most recent momentum and Tennessee is now the local school following the offseason move from Mississippi, so the conversation probably begins with the pair.
Nolen, Jr. will be in attendance at the Georgia-Clemson showdown in Charlotte for Saturday, so Kirby Smart's program will get the first live impression in front of the nation's best.
Denver Harris, No. 6 Overall, No. 1 CB
The nation's top cornerback projection will soon narrow his list, that much we know. Harris has been hinting at cutting his list to a top two for some time, and like Nolen is using social media followers (or the increase of) to get to that point. Of course the fans responded and got his Instagram up to the 10,000-follower mark, though Harris has yet to go public with the pair he will focus his recruitment on down the stretch.
Harris is considering Alabama, LSU and in-state programs Texas and Texas A&M and was busy on the trail seeing each over the summer. Most sources indicate the Crimson Tide, with just one potential cornerback committed at this time, are major players in this race. If they secure one spot, it's anyone's guess on the second. A&M has recruited the Houston area well, Texas has general momentum under its new staff and LSU's reputation at the position continues to carry considerable weight.
As far as a decision timeline, there is increased conversation around an in-season decision but Harris would theoretically drop the top group first.
Shemar Stewart, No. 7 Overall, No. 2 Edge
One of Florida's best has been a national name for several years to this point but Stewart has one thing in common with Nolen and Harris on this list, Texas A&M is a rising contender for his services. Like with Nolen, it stemmed from the first impression he got of College Station late in the summertime, when Jimbo Fisher and company had several elite recruits on campus at the same time.
Miami and LSU seemingly jockeyed for position among his early favorites, with the hometown Hurricanes possibly positioning themselves for one of the biggest local wins in several cycles, but Stewart told SI All-American he continues to play patient with the process and could take his recruitment to the end of the 2022 cycle in December or possibly later.
Action in the chase did take a turn last week as Stewart released his top five programs, of course including Miami and A&M, in addition to Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson. It means LSU has faded in the chase for his services following trips to several of his options over the summer. Few of the trips were official visits, so returns to College Station, Columbus and Athens seem all but guaranteed as long as he remains on the same decision timeline.
Marvin Jones, Jr., No. 8 Overall, No. 3 Edge
The Florida State legacy prospect has been pretty clear on his intentions throughout his recruitment and it remains true as of the last check in with SIAA. Jones is in no rush, plans to take several official visits in the fall ahead of a December decision between a wide variety of programs.
"Ohio State September 11, Oklahoma September 25, Alabama November 6, Florida State November 13," Jones said in late August.
The business-like approach from Jones comes as no surprise given how long he has been coveted by most of the programs on his list. There hasn't been any top schools edits or official cuts, but the official visits are indicators of where his recruitment may go. He took several trips in the offseason, mostly within state lines to see Florida State, Miami and Florida.
It's safe to assume the official visits, particularly out of state, will hold considerable weight if he is to depart the area.
Jaheim Singletary, No. 9 Overall, No. 2 CB
The longtime Ohio State commitment backed off of the Buckeyes to kick off the month of August and speculation has been fluid since, especially with a lighter summer visit load than most on this list. It means there is along way to go in the chase for Florida's top secondary prospect.
Singletary still weighs Ohio State in his recruitment, but momentum with Florida, Georgia and Miami influenced his decision to take a step back and only UGA has hosted him on campus for an official visit between the three. It means we should expect him back in Coral Gables and Gainesville, home of his childhood dream school, at least once this fall. Ohio State hosted him officially in June, so three program-funded trips remain.
As far as the front-runner to reel in the lengthy defensive back, that has been viewed with some fluidity, too. Immediately after the decommitment, Georgia held the strongest buzz but the connections in-state between the Gator program and his long term relationship with Miami secondary coach Travaris Robinson make us think the odds of him staying in-state versus departing make the most sense at the start of the college football season.