College Football HQ

No. 2 QB Locks in Visits to Five Major College Football Programs

This four-star QB has some surprising teams on his list for visits.
Joe Cox|
New Kentucky head coach Will Stein has the Wildcats getting an official visit from one of the nation's top prep QBs.
New Kentucky head coach Will Stein has the Wildcats getting an official visit from one of the nation's top prep QBs. | Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Auburn TigersPurdue BoilermakersKentucky WildcatsFlorida State SeminolesTennessee Volunteers

A top prep QB has his list of five official vists, and the list includes plenty of teams that will suprise outsiders. While the top prep QBs generally focus on the top handful of programs, one of the top 2027 passers has gone in a different direction. The opportunity to build up a program is clearly a priority for at least one top prep passer.

Illinois prep standout Israel Abrams is one of the handful of top passers in the 2027 national recruiting class. 247sports ranks Abrams second among QBs in the class, while On3/Rivals ranks him third. Both services rank Abrams as a high four-star prospect and one of the top 50 players in the entire national class.

Abrams picks his five schools for official visits

A recent update from On3sports had Auburn and Purdue as the leaders for Abrams, and both of those schools are on the list for official visits from Abrams. Auburn is starting a rebuild with former South Florida coach Alex Golesh, while Purdue is in the second year of its rebuild under former Missouri coach Barry Odom. The opportunity to create a culture shift is obviously significant for Abrams.

Kentucky is another surprising team on the list of official visit targets. The Wildcats are also rebuilding under former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein. While Stein has added Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey ahead of the 2026 season, Abrams seems to be taking the Wildcats seriously as a future destination.

The other two teams on the list come closest to the sort of traditional powers usually in the race for a top prep QB. Tennessee reached the College Football Playoff in 2024, but took a step back in 2025. Josh Heupel's team is also in the midst of a potential QB transition this season, with Joey Aguilar's eligibility for another season being litigated.

Florida State seemed to have returned to elite status under Mike Norvell in 2023 wtih a 13-1 season. But FSU is just 7-17 in the ensuing two seasons and FSU has struggled with portal quarterbacks with both DJ Uiagalelei and Tommy Castellanos having significant trouble putting together solid passing attacks.

The calendar for Abrams

Abrams plans to visit Purdue first on May 22nd, following by Auburn next on June 5th. Visits to Florida State and Kentucky will follow on each of the next two weekends, with a date not yet set for the Tennessee visit. Auburn is the current favorite among On3's expert predictors, but Abrams seems to have plenty of time ahead of his decision.

Golesh
Auburn coach Alex Golesh may be the leader for QB Israel Abrams | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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