• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Midland County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News Local News

Amid Signing Day Chaos, SEC Powers Grab Top Recruits – Midland Daily News

amid-signing-day-chaos,-sec-powers-grab-top-recruits-–-midland-daily-news
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Ohio State University commit Dallan Hayden signs his letter of intent during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)
1of20Ohio State University commit Dallan Hayden signs his letter of intent during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)Patrick Lantrip/APShow MoreShow Less
Collins Hill's Travis Hunter (12) reaches for the ball during the 2021 Corky Kell Classic high school football game on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Atlanta. Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
2of20Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter (12) reaches for the ball during the 2021 Corky Kell Classic high school football game on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Atlanta. Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)Hyosub Shin/APShow MoreShow Less
3of20
Collins Hill High School wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) watches warm-ups before the Class 7A title high school football game against Milton at Georgia State Center Parc Stadium, on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Atlanta. Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
4of20Collins Hill High School wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) watches warm-ups before the Class 7A title high school football game against Milton at Georgia State Center Parc Stadium, on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Atlanta. Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)Jason Getz/APShow MoreShow Less
Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher walks the sideline during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.
5of20Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher walks the sideline during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.Derick Hingle/APShow MoreShow Less
6of20
University of Arkansas commit Patrick Kutas Jr. signs his letter of intent during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)
7of20University of Arkansas commit Patrick Kutas Jr. signs his letter of intent during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)Patrick Lantrip/APShow MoreShow Less
Ohio State University commit Dallan Hayden (right) and teammate and University of Arkansas commit Patrick Kutas Jr. share a laugh with their classmates during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)
8of20Ohio State University commit Dallan Hayden (right) and teammate and University of Arkansas commit Patrick Kutas Jr. share a laugh with their classmates during a signing day event at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)Patrick Lantrip/APShow MoreShow Less
9of20
FILE - Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders points during an NCAA football game against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Monroe, La. Travis Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months.
10of20FILE – Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders points during an NCAA football game against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Monroe, La. Travis Hunter, the No. 1 high school football recruit in the country, pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months.Matthew Hinton/APShow MoreShow Less
St. Thomas More High School quarterback, Walker Howard speaks with the media after announcing his intentions to attend LSU and play NCAA college football during a signing ceremony at St. Thomas More High School, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, in Lafayette, La. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)
11of20St. Thomas More High School quarterback, Walker Howard speaks with the media after announcing his intentions to attend LSU and play NCAA college football during a signing ceremony at St. Thomas More High School, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, in Lafayette, La. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)Scott Clause/APShow MoreShow Less
12of20
St. Thomas More High School quarterback, Walker Howard announces his intentions to attend LSU and play NCAA college football during a signing ceremony at St. Thomas More High School, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, in Lafayette, La. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)
13of20St. Thomas More High School quarterback, Walker Howard announces his intentions to attend LSU and play NCAA college football during a signing ceremony at St. Thomas More High School, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, in Lafayette, La. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)Scott Clause/APShow MoreShow Less
Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway is interviewed after signing his national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
14of20Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway is interviewed after signing his national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)Trent Sprague/APShow MoreShow Less
15of20
Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway signs a national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
16of20Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway signs a national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)Trent Sprague/APShow MoreShow Less
Green Run High School defensive tackle Lemar Law signs a national letter of intent for Virginia Tech during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
17of20Green Run High School defensive tackle Lemar Law signs a national letter of intent for Virginia Tech during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)Trent Sprague/APShow MoreShow Less
18of20
Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway is interviewed after signing his national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
19of20Green Run High School cornerback Tayon Holloway is interviewed after signing his national letter of intent for the University of North Carolina during a national signing day event at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Trent Sprague /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)Trent Sprague/APShow MoreShow Less
20of20

Through all the changes to the college sports landscape with money-making opportunities for athletes and open transfers, one thing remains the same.

A bunch of Southeastern Conference schools along with venerable programs like Ohio State and Texas are at or near the top of the national recruiting rankings.

The three-day December signing period opened Wednesday, with Texas A&M finishing the day with the lead according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher put together his fourth straight top-10 class. Alabama, which won nine of the previous 11 recruiting titles, was No. 2. Georgia was No. 3, marking the fifth straight year the Bulldogs have been in the top five.

The team rankings could change with the next letter-of-intent period beginning Feb. 2.

Coaches said the recruiting process now has players taking into consideration where they could make the most money through endorsement work. The NCAA in July began allowing athletes to monetize use of their name, image and likeness. Some schools are better positioned than others in this new frontier and millions of dollars are swirling around the biggest programs..

“NIL has been going on for a long time. It just hasn’t been above board,” Fisher said.

The rapid increase in number of players entering the transfer portal and moving to another school with immediate eligibility has also changed the way coaches build their recruiting classes.

Instead of trying to sign a high school player and develop him, a coach might instead pursue experienced players in the portal. And players interested in transferring also might be looking at NIL potential.

All things considered, signing day isn’t what it used to be, Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin said.

“That’s basically your draft class,” he said, “but then you’re going to have your free agent class. I don’t think people really say it this way, but let’s not make a mistake. I mean, we have free agency in college football. The kids a lot of times go to where they’re going to get paid the most.

“No one else is saying that maybe, but the kid says, ‘This is what I’m getting here for NIL.’ It is what it is,” Kiffin added. “Free agency has been created in college football — except you can’t lock people into a contract. They can go any time. It’s a new world that we’re in.”

TOP OF THE HEAP

Texas A&M signed 12 players ranked in the top 100 nationally. Two of its three five-star prospects are defensive linemen: Walter Nolen of Powell, Tennessee, and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy of Lakeland, Florida. The other is quarterback Conner Weigman of Cypress, Texas. The Aggies have 17 four-stars.

Alabama brought in three five-star players and 16 four-stars, with edge rusher Jeremiah Alexander of Alabaster, Alabama, the highest rated of the 21 signed by coach Nick Saban. Five-star Ty Simpson of Martin, Tennessee, joins a deep quarterback room led by Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.

Georgia signed 21 players, including four five-stars and 12 four-stars. Coach Kirby Smart downplayed the importance of those rankings.

“I care a whole lot more about how they play,” he said. “We’ve seen evidence of the guys who have played a big role on our team, some of those guys were not the guys we talked about on this day during their career.”

Completing the 247Sports Composite rankings were Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Michigan and Oklahoma.

FLIPPING OUT

Amid all the decommitments shadowing the coaching changes this fall, the most surprising came Wednesday when cornerback Travis Hunter of Suwanee, Georgia, rated the No. 1 overall national recruit, spurned Florida State to sign with Deion Sanders and Jackson State of the lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision.

There were some notable flips among four-star recruits:

DB Terrance Brooks (Little Elm, Texas) signed with Texas after having pledged to Ohio State; CB Robert Woodyard (Mobile, Alabama) became the top player in Auburn’s class after de-committing from Alabama; DL Tyre West (Tifton, Georgia) switched from Georgia to Tennessee; and LB Jaishawn Barham (Baltimore) became Maryland’s highest ranked player when he flipped from South Carolina.

BEARCATS BOUNTY

Cincinnati’s run to the College Football Playoff isn’t all that helped Luke Fickell sign what’s shaping up to be the Bearcats’ highest-ranked class at No. 38. Other factors, he said, are the coming move to the Big 12 and the development of QB Desmond Ridder and CB Ahmad Gardner into NFL draft prospects.

Two four-stars, DE Mario Eugenio (Tampa, Florida) and DB Jonquis “JQ” Hardaway (Phenix City, Alabama), head a class of 20.

“Were there some doors that could possibly open and some hurdles taken down? No doubt,” Fickell said of the upcoming move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12. “The biggest thing that has been a point of emphasis and a sticking point with a lot of recruits was the league and that P5 connotation… And winning takes care of a lot of things in a lot of ways.”

KELLY KEEPS 5-STAR QB

Five-star QB Walker Howard (Lafayette, Louisiana) made good on his pledge and signed with LSU and new coach Brian Kelly.

Howard was expected to follow through on his verbal commitment after appearing in a promotional video with Kelly on social media that led some to poke fun at the coach’s dancing.

Kelly also beat out Alabama and Florida for four-star defensive lineman Quency Wiggins (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), but he lost four-star receiver Shazz Preston (Saint James, Louisiana) to ‘Bama.

___

AP Sports Writers Brett Martel, Steve Megargee, Charles Odum and John Zenor contributed.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

Midland County News Online

© 2021 Midland County News Online

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Midland County News Online

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT