The big visit month of June is coming up so before all of that happens, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney takes a look at the top five uncommitted prospects at each position. We move to tight ends.
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The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout just returned from a trip to Ole Miss and while he has family connections to coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels’ offense suits him, this still feels like a long shot.
Bowman is not visiting Miami this weekend as had been planned (and could be rescheduled) with Oregon, Ohio State, USC, Georgia and Texas in his top group. From early on, Georgia has set the pace in Bowman’s recruitment and that has not changed. USC could be making an interesting move but the Bulldogs are the frontrunner.
Prediction: Georgia
Georgia has a commitment from four-star Lincoln Keyes. The Dawgs lead for Mark Bowman. But the UGA coaching staff is pitching to Prothro not a traditional tight end role but bringing him in as a bigger pass catcher – possibly on the outside – and with his size and athleticism, it’s a role that could definitely suit him.
Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Texas are the top five for the Bowdon, Ga., standout and the Tigers could be the biggest threat (although there is serious intrigue in the Gators and Longhorns, too) and visits will be important in the coming weeks. But the Bulldogs might still hold the edge.
Prediction: Georgia
Illinois continues to push very hard for the Dunlap, Ill., four-star standout and recently sent nearly the entire coaching staff on a recruiting visit. That is making an impact but the Illini do have a little uphill battle to climb.
Alabama has been seen as the front-runner in Sutter’s recruitment as the Crimson Tide offense suits him and playing in Tuscaloosa on the biggest stage appeals to him. Ole Miss, Ohio State and Penn State round out his favorites.
Prediction: Alabama
The difficulty in getting a gauge on Premer’s recruitment is a little more difficult than others because the Great Bend, Kan., four-star standout does not talk a whole lot about where things exactly stand in his recruitment.
But Iowa State has made a massive impression on Premer as he loves the coaching staff there and being in Ames has a home-away-from-home feel. Kansas is definitely right there for the in-state standout and the appeal of playing with Kansas State freshman tight end Linkon Cure could be temping as well.
But the Cyclones have the edge.
Prediction: Iowa State
Anderson will be at Ole Miss this weekend followed by a trip to Auburn and then North Carolina, but all three of those programs are trailing Illinois at this point in his recruitment.
The Mt. Zion, Ill., standout lives about an hour from Champaign and the coaching staff sent a whole host of people to visit with him in recent days so he’s felt like a major priority there. The bet is that he reciprocates that attention and plays down the road.
Prediction: Illinois