I'm thinking the Gators could be hard to beat but if it isn't them, I think we are probably #2 and that's without a visit yet. I think if this visit goes well, we could establish ourselves as a legitimate threat to sign him.
I agree, he & Bailey would top off the best OL class in Elliot's tenure.
Turning out to be a big weekend starting today, hosting :
- 4* RB Bradrick Shaw ( Thurs )
- 3* CB Damon Arnette
- 4* RB TySon Williams
- 4* OL Jalen Merrick
- 3* DB Alexander
I understand that Alexander could be on commitment watch along with Arnette. Given we are going to take 2 more Cbs, I hope if /when Arnette commits we stay pat for the time being. I loved the additions of Wilder, Henry & Whitlow. That said, we would only have 1 DB spot left & a long way to go in this class with targets like Carlton Davis, Micah Abernathy, Jalen Thompson, Rashard Causey, Jeremy McDuffie, Octavis Johnson, etc. We had a great class last year & that would be 3 really solid ones so far this yr ( Fields, Wilder & Arnette ). I just feel we should be really selective with that last spot, as Brown does such a great job recruiting, there are still quiet a few top notch targets left, it's so early in the process, we always seem to garner interest from a hand-full of top caliber prospects later in the process particularly when we have a great year ( which I believe will be the case this yr ) & I believe we could probably still get Alexander later in the process if we do miss all of these targets atop the board.
Not to mention, Thompson & Davis are both suppose to visit soon & are both guys that have been a priority for us. Davis has been probably #2 on our board behind Fields all along & Thompson has emerged as a legitimate interested prospect more recently. Davis has named us his leader on multiple occasions without even visiting, is a fast rising prospect with a great relationship with Brown who was 1 of if not the 1st major BCS schools, definitely upper SEC powers to offer him & having prioritized him for a very long time. Thompson is a 4* guy who seems pretty open & has us in his top 4 having not visited. I believe his top 4 is UK, Miss St, Louisville & USC or something like that if I'm not mistaken so we could probably make a big move for him as the best school on his list. Also, Rashard Causey is a guy I'd like to see the staff continue to evaluate through the summer & into the season as he really seems to love USC, is friends with a lot of Gamecocks & potential commits. Judging by Kornblut's interview with elite RB Jordan Scarlett ( huge positional need ), having Moore, Harris Jr, Arnette & Causey could prove to make USC very attractive to him along with what he cited as being in the SEC, the Top10 a lot, not being too far from home, having a lot of friends playing with him & depth chart / playing time as factors that have USC in decent shape to flip him. It sounds like the STA staff is really making an effort to work out the logistics for him to visit & I'm pretty sure he is closest with Causey of all those guys.
Regardless of Scarlett, I just personally hope we stay pat at DB, particularly if we get Arnette this weekend & wait until later in the process to select that last DB of the class.
