Recruiting Rumor Mill: Massive recruiting month of June hits the midpoint
Another loaded weekend of camps and visits means even more rumors than ever. Here’s the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney in this week’s Recruiting Rumor Mill.
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Auburn has emerged as the front-runner after his official visit with the Tigers but trips to Maryland and Miami remain before a decision is made. UCF and Rutgers are the others to watch for the three-star safety from Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange and if Auburn can dodge a late push from the in-state programs, it should look good heading into his early July decision.
Atkinson took his 15th visit to Georgia and it was an official he “will never forget.” If the five-star linebacker from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson doesn’t end up with the Bulldogs it would be a major surprise after he spent a ton of time with coach Kirby Smart, defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and co-DC Travaris Robinson. Ohio State, Clemson, Oregon and others are involved but Georgia keeps setting the pace here.
If Ohio State ends up landing Bala it’s because the 2027 running back from Melville (N.Y.) St. Anthony’s loved working with position coach Carlos Locklyn at camp and landed an offer from the Buckeyes. Ohio State is “high up” on Bala’s early list but he also loved his experience at Nebraska. Rutgers, Boston College, Syracuse, Michigan, Michigan State and Maryland are others to watch.
There are a lot of moving pieces in Bergeron’s recruitment as Georgia Tech has been the favorite but he absolutely loved his visit to Florida Atlantic and then a bunch of other stuff is happening. The three-star from Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More threw for LSU on Thursday and the Tigers said they’ll follow up after he visits Georgia Tech. He threw for Florida State on Sunday and then will throw for the Hokies on Wednesday. Still a lot going on so Bergeron is not expected to commit yet.
After working out with position coach Brian Hartline and assistant Devin Jordan at Ohio State’s camp and landing an offer from the Buckeyes, they’re “definitely near the top” in Burrell’s recruitment. The 2027 four-star receiver from Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel has also loved Notre Dame, Michigan and Missouri and then sees Arizona State, Alabama and Penn State soon as his front-runners are taking shape.
Georgia is “definitely in a good spot” in Eisenhower’s recruitment following his offer at the Bulldogs’ summer camp in recent days. There is also a “good possibility” that the 2027 offensive tackle from Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes makes an early commitment as Georgia has always been high on his list. Florida State offered on Sunday.
After his recent trip to Florida State, the Seminoles unseated Florida as the front-runner. But there has been another change as Michigan looks to be the team to beat after he was in Ann Arbor over the weekend. The four-star linebacker from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy loves that Michigan “has it all” and that even after football he could “accomplish anything in life” if he went there. Any decision has now been pushed back.
In the end, it could be tough to beat LSU for the high four-star defensive end from New Orleans (La.) Jesuit but USC has made great in-roads there along with numerous SEC teams. Add Georgia to that list of top contenders as he’s “been waiting for the longest” to get that offer and he’s “beyond excited” to have the Bulldogs under consideration now.
Ohio State could be tough to beat but LSU recently blew Geralds away and now a visit to Ole Miss has him thinking even more about his future home. An Ole Miss legacy whose dad played for the Rebels, playing for Randall Joyner and Pete Golding is a massive draw and how they’d let him use his skillset on the defensive line is another major draw as well. Others are absolutely heavily in the running but Ole Miss definitely has the Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill standout thinking. He was at Oregon, another favorite, over the weekend.
Georgia Tech, Georgia and Alabama have been the front-runners in Gilbert’s recruitment but after getting a Clemson offer, the Tigers have moved into that top list as well. The 2027 four-star safety from Sharpsburg (Ga.) East Coweta knows not many players get Clemson offers so it’s big and the religious aspect of the Tigers could be a key consideration as his recruitment continues.
It’s early for the 2028 defensive end from Louisville (Ky.) Christian Academy but Ohio State is definitely in his top three after visiting there in recent days and getting his newest offer. All the resources within the program from academics to player development and beyond along with some great conversations with position coach Larry Johnson impressed Hall, who also has Tennessee, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan, SMU and Oklahoma high on the list.
Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, Oregon, Georgia Tech and Miami are the other ones to watch but after Georgia offered in recent days, the Bulldogs could have shot right to the top. The Georgia offer “means a lot” as he’s been a Dawgs fan his entire life and after working out for them recently and getting offered, Georgia has moved way up for the 2027 athlete from Buford, Ga.
USC is making Houston its clear top priority in the 2027 class and there is significant mutual interest as the four-star quarterback made another trip to Los Angeles recently to work out with a select group of top recruits and commits. Oklahoma has been considered an earlier front-runner with Texas, Texas A&M and LSU all involved but the Trojans are shopping hard to get the Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian standout aboard.
Tennessee is coming hard after the 2027 four-star linebacker from Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel and it was one of the teams standing out most early in is recruitment. Igwebuike already has more than 30 offers and beyond Tennessee, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Florida and Missouri have been making the biggest impression.
Oregon is “definitely a top-three school” for the five-star edge rusher after his weekend visit as he loves the consistency and how the coaches have treated him throughout the process along with so much more about Eugene. The Ducks have made a big impact but the question is whether Oregon can eclipse Alabama, Texas A&M and others.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer told the four-star Miami running back commit he fits perfectly in the Crimson Tide’s offensive system and then the coaching staff sold Mallory on how many elite running backs have been produced in Tuscaloosa. The Boca Raton (Fla.) West Boca Raton standout sees DeBoer “continuing that coach (Nick) Saban culture and adding his own touch to it” as he remains committed to the Hurricanes but Alabama has given him a lot to think about.
Ole Miss has been very high with Florida State, North Carolina and others involved but LSU is the front-runner now in his recruitment as the four-star receiver from Morton, Miss. absolutely loved his time in Baton Rouge. The message from the LSU coaches was that he would have a “better opportunity” for success there and that a degree from LSU would set him up for life after football. They made a convincing pitch because the Tigers look strongest.
Nothing has been set in stone but UCLA made a serious move for the four-star Texas A&M edge commit over the weekend. Washington, Texas and others are working on a flip but the coaching staff has been really aggressive and laid out a lot this weekend to have him thinking.
His brother, Elijah, who’s in the NFL played at Washington but the Huskies aren’t one of the front-runners for the 2027 four-star cornerback from West Linn, Ore. Molden’s visit to Ohio State was “way better than expected” as he loved the culture and the coaches in Columbus and is already planning a return trip. Alabama and Texas are two others to watch and of course Oregon since it’s so close to home and recruiting him hard already.
Ohio State was the dream school for Moses growing up even though his one brother, Dylan, signed with Alabama and his other, Keylan, signed with LSU in its 2025 recruiting class. Moses was offered by the Buckeyes after camp in recent days and they’re now right at the top of his recruitment with Texas A&M. The 2027 safety from Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab should also get considerable attention from LSU as his recruitment continues but Ohio State will be one right at the top until the end.
The 2028 quarterback from Princeton (N.J.) Hun School has all the time in the world to figure out his recruitment but getting an offer from Ohio State in recent days is huge. The Buckeyes are already “very high” in Prock’s recruitment as he builds a relationship with coach Ryan Day and position coach Billy Fessler. Illinois a place where Prock feels like a top priority and Penn State has started to show more serious interest. Alabama was the dream school of his growing up.
The standout four-star tight end from Bowdon, Ga., was at Florida over the weekend as the Gators remain one of the four front-runners – and they could have moved up after his visit to Gainesville – but the word is still that Georgia is No. 1 on his list and Auburn is second in the running. With five-star TE Mark Bowman picking USC over the Bulldogs, Prothro becomes an even bigger target for the in-state power.
The four-star tight end has been committed to Tennessee since last August but the Nashville (Tenn.) Donelson Christian Academy has been taking visits amid concerns that the Vols don’t throw to their tight ends enough and Florida made a significant impression over the weekend. The Gators “shot up” on his board and a final decision on everything should happen in the next couple weeks.
Miami is making a serious move for the four-star tight end from Duncanville, Texas after his visit there as he loved the development piece especially at his position and the history there. SMU, Pitt and Oklahoma are the three others to watch. The Sooners are believed to have an edge but Miami is making this one very interesting.
Arguably the top 2028 quarterback nationally, the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout who’s originally from the Los Angeles area worked out at Oregon and “loved working with their staff” as the Ducks are one of the early favorites. Oregon is right there but Georgia and Ohio State could be battling it out early for him with Washington and Texas rounding out an early top list.
A new offer from LSU could be a game-changer in Williams’ recruitment as it was “one of my dreams” growing up to get an offer from the Tigers. The 2027 four-star receiver from New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine has more than 20 offers but now with an offer, LSU is “playing a big part” in Williams’ recruitment and could be considered the team to beat.
