No. 6 College Football RB Recruit Announces Top 6 Schools

A top 2027 running back recruit is trying to narrow in his recruiting favorites. That said, it's something of a mixed bag, because the player named a top five schools in November, and has dropped one of those but added two others to form a top six schools now. With a massive jump in the Rivals rankings, there may be plenty of twists and turns left in this recruiting.

A Growing List of Top Schools

Georgia running back Nigel Newkirk made a recent leap in the Rivals rankings, rising to the No. 6 running back in the nation and No. 89 overall recruit in the class of 2027. Newkirk is fresh off a junior season in which he ran for 1,496 yards and 19 touchdowns. But even when Newkirk was a good deal farther back in the ranking of four-star recruits, he had some big schools involved.

Newkirk's Favorites-- Old and New

Newkirk's November top five included Miami, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Florida State. But those final two teams are now off of Newkirk's top list, although he has added a trio of new schools to the bunch. LSU, USC and Ohio State are all now on Newkirk's list, according to Rivals' Hayes Fawcett.

NEWS: Four-Star RB Nigel Newkirk is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals

The 5’11 195 RB from Gainesville, GA is ranked as the No. 6 RB in the 2027 Rivals300

Where Should He Go?⁰https://t.co/EIPNdNv1xD pic.twitter.com/1cGY6BTCLf
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 18, 2026

Alabama may be the leader for Newkirk and he has scheduled an official visit to Tuscaloosa in late May. "The standard there is different," Newkirk told Fawcett in regard to Alabama. Newkirk also recently told Rivals' Simmons, "Alabama shows me love."

Interestingly, Gainesville, Georgia, where Newkirk is from, has been a major recruiting hub recently for Alabama. The Tide took a pair of 2026 signees from there, including star linebacker Xavier Griffin.

The Recruiting Outlook on Newkirk's Top Teams

Of Newkirk's top schools, Ohio State is the one that has been busiest in the 2027 recruiting class. The Buckeyes are No. 2 in Rivals' team rankings with nine 2027 commits already on board, none of which are running backs.

USC is sitting at No. 7 in the Rivals rankings and none of the incoming recruits is a running back, assuming ATH Honor Fa'alave-Johnson doesn't land at that position.

Miami is right behind the Trojans at the No. 8 ranking and none of their five commitments are running backs to this point.

None of the other three major finalists for Newkirk have picked up many commitments so far. Alabama is 16th in the Rivals rankings with just three commits and No. 23 Michigan likewise has taken just three verbal commitments. LSU isn't even included in the rankings because the Tigers have just two commits so far.

An expanding list of top schools suggests that Newkirk's recruitment could have far to go. Of course, he can't sign anywhere until Early Signing Day in November.

Kirby Smart and Georgia were in the top five for in-state standout Nigel Newkirk in November, but have disappeared from his top six list in March. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images