Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
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THE STORYLINE
The recruitment of Zachary Evans is one for the books, filled with rumors and speculation like we maybe have never seen before.
He is about to commit to Georgia. No, Texas A&M has taken the lead after he visited College Station and hung out with five-star commit Demond Demas. No, Alabama and LSU are now surging for the five-star running back from Houston (Texas) North Shore.
There have been so many changes and alterations to Evans’ list of front-runners that it’s impossible to keep up, but the days are ticking by and soon the five-star is going to have to make a decision.
From all reporting, the Crimson Tide and the Tigers have emerged as the most serious contenders in Evans’ recruitment - this week. Things are constantly fluid with him so there a prediction might be worthless but as things stand now, does he end up at one of those two SEC powerhouses or are Texas A&M and Georgia still players for him?
FIRST TAKE: SAM SPIEGELMAN, TEXAS AND LOUISIANA ANALYST
“The one word you cannot use to describe Evans’ recruitment is predictable. There have been so many twists and turns and you can confidently say that Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU and Alabama have each had some momentum at different junctures dating back to the summer.
"Right now, there are whispers that LSU and Alabama are making some noise with the five-star running back, but I’m also told that Georgia remains squarely in it and there’s no reason to believe that Texas A&M — with a hometown edge — isn’t going to be a factor down the stretch. Based on what’s happened recently, there is no reason to expect things to stay put, so I’m fully expecting some more twists and some more turns as we inch closer and closer to his decision.
“At the moment, I have a FutureCast pick in favor of the Aggies, but I can’t count out Georgia or LSU. The Dawgs were in the driver’s seat for some time and want to pair Evans with Kendall Milton for what would be the nation’s best running back haul. LSU has successfully recruited North Shore and haven’t found their 2020 back yet, and Texas A&M, of course, has a hometown edge to consider.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“There is almost no way to make a prediction. The kid is not coming out and saying all this stuff. This is from sources and speculation. Maybe he was never going to commit to Georgia. Maybe he was never leaning toward Texas A&M after that visit with Demas. Maybe now he’s not LSU and Alabama. We really don’t know.
“LSU put on a show for him, especially since they ran the ball better than they have all season. That has to be an attractive offense for him. You can’t count out Georgia, Alabama is always in the mix for top players and I still think A&M is going to be a serious consideration. It might come down to which teams sort of say, ‘Enough. I’m moving on to another running back.’ My prediction is that he still goes to Texas A&M, but my No. 2 right now is LSU.”
