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.
MORE: Ringo planning big weekend trip | Ringo could vie for No. 1 | 2020 CB rankings
THE STORYLINE
Kelee Ringo is a five-star cornerback, twice the winner of the Fastest on the Field competition at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas and a freak athlete who is being coveted by the best programs in the country.
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro recruit is taking another visit to Georgia this weekend as the Bulldogs have emerged as a frontrunner – if not the favorite – in his recruitment.
Ringo has a great relationship with coach Kirby Smart. He and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren are hitting it off. And after it seemed Texas had taken the early lead in his recruitment, in recent months Georgia appears to be the hot pick for the nation’s No. 2 cornerback.
But Ringo said this past weekend that he is still planning a full round of official visits through the fall to his top five schools: Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon. A decision timetable is still up in the air as the five-star said he could make his pledge at any time.
Has Georgia emerged as the clear frontrunner for Ringo or with more visits coming up is it still too early to make that determination?
FIRST TAKE: JASON SUCHOMEL, ORANGEBLOODS.COM
“Texas had a commanding lead and Ringo has visited Texas four times but he’s been to Georgia multiple times since his most recent trip to Austin. Keeping that in mind, I think Georgia is the team to beat and all the signals seem to be pointing Georgia’s way for now but Ringo has told me repeatedly he will definitely take an official visit to Texas, maybe even one more unofficial. There is a chance for Texas to regain momentum but right now I do think it’s trending Georgia’s way.
“He mentions other schools from time to time but I really do think it’s a two-team race and I would be really surprised if his ultimate decision is anything other Georgia or Texas.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“Georgia is the team to beat now. When he was at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge there were a bunch of kids he knew walking around him saying he’s going to UGA. As of late June, Georgia was trending for him. Now that he’s taking additional visits, I’m not saying it’s a lock or anything like that, he has a lot of great schools to choose from, but you’d have to think Georgia is in the driver’s seat to get Ringo.
“It speaks to the national recruiting power of programs such as Georgia, Clemson and Alabama – and LSU to some extent as well – these Southeast programs that can go anywhere and not only get recruits but get a five-star, No. 2 cornerback in the country. It speaks to that national recruiting power that the SEC and the ACC in Clemson have and a lot of it is due to USC’s downfall.”
