Countdown to Signing Day - December 8, 2020
As SI All-American tracks college football's top prospects in the class of 2021, there have been spikes in movement each day leading up to the Early Signing Period kicking off December 16.
From prospect commitments to decommitments, new scholarship offers, the shuffling of top schools to deciding whether or not to sign in December or wait until the traditional period beginning February 3, there hasn't been a lack of news items to stay on top of.
In our attempt to keep our audience informed each step of the way in the race for America's top college football recruiting class, we will chronicle the latest news as it comes across our desk in one-stop shop fashion.
(All times Eastern Standard Time)
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6:21 pm - OT Dylan Rollins picks BYU
SI All-American candidate Dylan Rollins, the only prospect from Montana named as an SI All-American team finalist in November, is off the board. BYU keeps him in the region following 2020 offers from the likes of Minnesota, Nebraska and Oregon State and others. The Missoula (Mont.) Sentinel helped the program to a state championship earlier this fall and now he's set to ink with the Cougars.
3:05 pm - No. 1 WR Egbuka set for Friday commitment
The nation's No. 1 wide receiver prospect, Emeka Egbuka, will come off the board this week. The Steilacoom (Wash.) star has cut his list to Ohio State, Oklahoma and Ohio State. He spent the weekend at Oklahoma, spending considerable time with No. 1 recruit and Sooner QB commitment Caleb Williams. Was it enough to push OU across the finish line? Ohio State has long been considered the favorite over the hometown Huskies.
2:15 pm - Big Baby firm to The U
Laurence Seymore, a.k.a. Big Baby, is sticking with one of the longest standing verbal commitments in the class of 2021, he announced Tuesday. The Miami (Fla.) Central star interior lineman has been committed to Manny Diaz and company since the spring of 2018 but a Florida offer in April began to make the in-state conversation interesting. LSU was also courting Seymore, among others, but in part of the statement he admitted Miami was "truly where" his heart is at.
1:15 pm - Senior riser Boston commits to Louisiana
The news of Billy Napier staying at Louisiana has its first tangible win in Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin defensive end Kason Boston picking the program on Tuesday. The senior riser stands 6-foot-4, 240 pounds and collected 13 sacks in seven games this fall, collecting offers from programs like Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Nebraska and others. Louisiana is up to 14 verbal commitments in the class.
12:30 pm - Coveted OT Barber likely signing in February
Late Monday evening news of a scholarship offer to Miami was a "very big one" to Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Academy offensive tackle Austin Barber, but he continues to evaluate since decommitting from Minnesota November 9. Programs like Miami, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Maryland are among those vying for a commitment and signature, something likely coming in February as opposed to the Early Signing Period.
Barber says the primary reason is because TCA is still playing ball this season, punching their ticket to the state championship game on Friday night. The title game takes place on December 16, yes the first day of the Early Signing Period, against Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna.
"That is my main focus," Barber told SI All-American.
12:00 pm - Mizzou QB commitment Macon locked in
Not that he was on radar to potentially make a change, but Elite 11 passer and longtime Missouri quarterback pledge Tyler Macon spoke for the entire Tiger recruiting class perhaps in response to dozens of decommitments going down across the country. MU has 20 pledges in the class at this time.
11:52 am - Can USC keep LB Ma'a Gaoteote committed?
Yesterday, USC starting LB Palaie Gaoteote announced his intention to leave the Trojans and enter the transfer portal. USC currently has a commitment from Gaoteote's younger brother, Ma'a, a 2021 prospect who also plays LB. With his older brother now set to escape from L.A., it remains to be seen if Ma'a will choose to follow his brother and play elsewhere as well.
10:15 am - DB Nyland Green commits to Georgia
The long and rangy two-way athlete out of Covington (Ga.) Newton picks in-state Georgia over Tennessee, Auburn and others who made a push. This is one of the top uncommitted secondary prospects remaining in the class of 2021 and provides UGA with more momentum after dipping a bit in the November team rankings release, checking in at No. 6.
Green, who checked in as a top 10 SI All-American safety in the preseason rankings, combines with fellow recent in-state commitment Smael Mondon to bump the Bulldogs back into the top five of the rankings, to be formally updated and released on Monday. Green's future coach kicked off Tuesday the right way.
8:15 am - LB John Lewis commits to Mississippi State
Not only did Mike Leach's program maintain the pledge of defensive class headliner MJ Daniels on Tuesday morning, but it got another top in-state front seven type in John Lewis. The senior out of Madison (Miss.) Germantown also announced plans to sign a National Letter of Intent for MSU when the Early Signing Period opens next Wednesday.
Mississippi State, which was ranked outside of the top 25 in November, is now up to 18 verbal commitments in the class of 2021.
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