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SEC EAST
FLORIDA (National rank: 8th; SEC rank: 5th)
The Gators are in good position to land DT Shavar Manuel of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy; Manuel, a Tampa native, favors Florida over FSU, LSU and USF. Florida also is in great position to land DE Brian Burns of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage. The Gators would love to add firepower at wide receiver and remain in the hunt for Nate Craig-Myers of Tampa Catholic and Binjimen Victor of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High. Florida is battling Alabama hard for outside linebacker Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver. He is scheduled to visit Georgia (weekend of January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29) this month. The Gators would love to flip WR Sam Bruce of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas; he is a Miami commitment. A visit to Gainesville is on his itinerary.
GEORGIA (National rank: 15th; SEC rank: 6th)
The Bulldogs are expected to land five-star DT Derrick Brown of Buford (Ga.) Lanier. He has official visits scheduled to Georgia (weekend of January 15), Auburn (January 22) and Tennessee (January 29). The nation’s top tight end, Isaac Nauta of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, likely is headed to Athens as well; Nauta is a Buford native. Georgia also looks good for four-star OT E.J. Price of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. He will visit LSU (January 22) and Auburn (January 29). Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss. Georgia is battling hard for OLB Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver; he will visit Georgia (January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29). The Bulldogs appear to be in good shape with ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County. Four-star S Nigel Warrior of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge has the Bulldogs in the mix with Alabama, LSU and Tennessee.
KENTUCKY (National rank: 29th; SEC rank: 10th)
The Wildcats need to close strong to keep pace with the rest of the league. They are battling South Carolina for DT Kobe Smith of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. Smith visited Kentucky in the fall. ATH TaDarryl Marshall of Leeds (Ala.) High is strongly considering Kentucky and Virginia Tech. He has a scheduled official visit to Lexington on January 22. The Wildcats look like they are in good shape with junior college DT Naquez Pringle of Itawamba CC (Miss.) as well as QB Stephen Johnson II of College of the Desert (Calif).
MISSOURI (National rank: 58th; SEC rank: 14th)
The Tigers only have a dozen pledges to date. TE Chase Allen of Nixa (Mo.) High is a good possibility, but the Tigers have to fend off Michigan, among others. G Mackenzie Nworah of Manvel (Texas) High favors Missouri at this time. OL Trevour Sims of East St. Louis (Ill.) High goes back and forth between the Tigers and Illinois. Mizzou has a great shot at landing Sims.
SOUTH CAROLINA (National rank: 33rd; SEC rank: 10th)
The Gameocks received a commitment from WR Cavin Ridley of Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High, but he backed off the pledge the next day. The Gamecocks would love to reel him back in. Another south Florida standout who will check out the Gamecocks is WR Sam Bruce of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, a Miami commitment. South Carolina is battling Kentucky for DT Kobe Smith of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. They are fighting Arkansas, among others, for DE Allen Cater of Kennesaw (Ga.) Mount Paran Christian School. South Carolina has a shot at G John Simpson of North Charleston (S.C.) Fort Dorchester. RB Rico Dowdle of Asheville (N.C.) Reynolds favors the Gamecocks and will visit on the weekend of January 22.
TENNESSEE (National rank: 20th; SEC rank: 7th)
The Vols would love to land ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County, but he appears to favor Georgia. Four-star S Nigel Warrior of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge is the son of former Tennessee and NFL CB Dale Carter, and is visiting Knoxville on the weekend of January 22. Alabama, Georgia and LSU also are in the mix. Four-star OL Landon Dickerson of Hudson (N.C.) South Caldwell is seriously considering the Vols, along with Virginia Tech, FSU and Auburn. Four-star WR Binjimen Victor of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High will visit Tennessee on the weekend of January 15. Another wide receiver interested in the Vols is Mykel Jones of Patterson (La.) High. He has visits scheduled to Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
VANDERBILT (National rank: 57th; SEC rank: 13th)
The Commodores are in good shape with DE Kelvin Lucky of Elmore (Ala.) Edgewood Academy. He will visit on the weekend of January 22. OT Grayson Stover of Hudson (Fla.) High and WR Kalijiah Lipscomb of New Orleans Jesuit also have high interest in the Commodores.
SEC WEST
Alabama (National rank: 4th; SEC rank: 2nd)
Five-star ILB Ben Davis of Gordo (Ala.) High has visits set to Auburn (the weekend of January 22) and Alabama (January 29), with the Crimson Tide the team to beat at this time. Georgia remains in the mix. Another ‘backer the Tide wants is Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver. He will visit Georgia (January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29). The Tide is in the hunt for five-star ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County; Georgia and Tennessee are the others in the hunt. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County likely will on Alabama, Mississippi State or Ole Miss. Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss, and four-star CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown could play his college football in Tuscaloosa.
ARKANSAS (National rank: 24th; SEC rank: 9th)
The Hogs are hoping to add LB/RB Devin White of Springhill (La.) North Webster; they are fighting Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss. Another prospect Arkansas wants from Louisiana is CB Kristian Fulton of Metairie Archbishop Rummel. Fulton is visiting Arkansas and Florida, though LSU could prove tough to beat. The Hogs would like four-star RB Kyle Porter of Katy (Texas) High. Oregon, TCU and Texas are also in the mix. DE Allen Cater of Kennesaw (Ga.) Mount Paran Christian School has visited Arkansas, and South Carolina recently offered. Junior college OT Paul Ramirez of San Bernardino (Calif.) CC is another to keep an eye on.
AUBURN (National rank: 7th; SEC rank: 4th)
Five-star ILB Ben Davis of Gordo (Ala.) High will visit Auburn on the weekend of January 22, but Alabama is the team to beat at this time. No one knows what four-star WR Nate Craig-Myers of Tampa Catholic will do, but Auburn certainly has a great shot at getting him. He previously was committed to the Tigers and will visit the weekend of January 15. Florida, Florida State, North Carolina and Ole Miss also are in the hunt. The Tigers are in the mix with the nation’s top-ranked prospect, DT Rashan Gary of Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, though he’s likely headed to Michigan. Five-star DT Derrick Brown of Buford (Ga.) Lanier will visit Auburn on the weekend of January 15, though Georgia is the favorite.
LSU (National rank: 1st; SEC rank: 1st)
LSU should close with a bang. Five-star DT Rashard Lawrence of Neville (La.) Monroe also is considering Alabama and Ohio State, but LSU will prove tough to beat for Lawrence. The Tigers have a commitment from CB Saivion Smith of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and want to close with CB Trayvon Mullen of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High. He will visit LSU on the weekend of January 29. Another top-end corner high on the Tigers is Kristian Fulton of Metairie (La.) Archbishop Rummel; Arkansas and Florida remain in the hunt for Fulton. OT Willie Allen of River Ridge (La.) John Curtis is expected to pick the Tigers; so is LB/RB Devin White of Springhill (La.) North Webster.
MISSISSIPPI STATE (National rank: 44th; SEC rank: 12th)
It would be a huge recruiting upset if Starkville (Miss.) High four-star WR A.J. Brown didn’t pick the hometown Bulldogs. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County appears to be down to Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Others the Bulldogs wpuld like to close with are CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown, OT Scott Lashley of West Point (Miss.) High and DT Kobe Jones of Starkville (Miss.) High.
OLE MISS (National rank: 6th; SEC rank: 3rd)
Ole Miss could be the team to beat for four-star S Deontay Anderson of Manvel (Texas) High. LSU, Texas and Texas A&M also are after Anderson. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County appears to be down to Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss, and the Rebels are trying to keep CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown in his home state. DE Terrell Hall of Washington (D.C.) St. Johns College High is scheduled to visit on the weekend of January 29. A wide receiver to watch is Mykel Jones of Patterson (La.) High, who also will visit on the weekend of January 29.
TEXAS A&M (National rank: 21st; SEC rank: 8th)
The Aggies still have work to do on defense. A&M would like to close with Brandon Jones of Nacogdoches (Texas) High, the nation’s top-ranked safety. He already has visited A&M and has trips scheduled to Texas (the weekend of January 15) and Auburn (January 29). Another safety prospect is Deontay Anderson of Manvel (Texas) High; LSU, Texas and Ole Miss also are in the hunt. OLB Jeffrey McCulloch of Houston Davis is another possibility. The Aggies are a long shot for ATH Jack Jones of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly). He visited A&M during the fall, but he likely stays home and plays for USC or UCLA. DT Ross Blacklock of Missouri City (Texas) Elkins is in play for A&M. Quarterback has become of a huge need. The Aggies are actively pursuing Maryland pledge Dwayne Haskins of Potomac (Md.) The Bullis School.
SEC EAST
FLORIDA (National rank: 8th; SEC rank: 5th)
The Gators are in good position to land DT Shavar Manuel of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy; Manuel, a Tampa native, favors Florida over FSU, LSU and USF. Florida also is in great position to land DE Brian Burns of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage. The Gators would love to add firepower at wide receiver and remain in the hunt for Nate Craig-Myers of Tampa Catholic and Binjimen Victor of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High. Florida is battling Alabama hard for outside linebacker Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver. He is scheduled to visit Georgia (weekend of January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29) this month. The Gators would love to flip WR Sam Bruce of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas; he is a Miami commitment. A visit to Gainesville is on his itinerary.
GEORGIA (National rank: 15th; SEC rank: 6th)
The Bulldogs are expected to land five-star DT Derrick Brown of Buford (Ga.) Lanier. He has official visits scheduled to Georgia (weekend of January 15), Auburn (January 22) and Tennessee (January 29). The nation’s top tight end, Isaac Nauta of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, likely is headed to Athens as well; Nauta is a Buford native. Georgia also looks good for four-star OT E.J. Price of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. He will visit LSU (January 22) and Auburn (January 29). Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss. Georgia is battling hard for OLB Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver; he will visit Georgia (January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29). The Bulldogs appear to be in good shape with ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County. Four-star S Nigel Warrior of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge has the Bulldogs in the mix with Alabama, LSU and Tennessee.
KENTUCKY (National rank: 29th; SEC rank: 10th)
The Wildcats need to close strong to keep pace with the rest of the league. They are battling South Carolina for DT Kobe Smith of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. Smith visited Kentucky in the fall. ATH TaDarryl Marshall of Leeds (Ala.) High is strongly considering Kentucky and Virginia Tech. He has a scheduled official visit to Lexington on January 22. The Wildcats look like they are in good shape with junior college DT Naquez Pringle of Itawamba CC (Miss.) as well as QB Stephen Johnson II of College of the Desert (Calif).
MISSOURI (National rank: 58th; SEC rank: 14th)
The Tigers only have a dozen pledges to date. TE Chase Allen of Nixa (Mo.) High is a good possibility, but the Tigers have to fend off Michigan, among others. G Mackenzie Nworah of Manvel (Texas) High favors Missouri at this time. OL Trevour Sims of East St. Louis (Ill.) High goes back and forth between the Tigers and Illinois. Mizzou has a great shot at landing Sims.
SOUTH CAROLINA (National rank: 33rd; SEC rank: 10th)
The Gameocks received a commitment from WR Cavin Ridley of Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High, but he backed off the pledge the next day. The Gamecocks would love to reel him back in. Another south Florida standout who will check out the Gamecocks is WR Sam Bruce of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, a Miami commitment. South Carolina is battling Kentucky for DT Kobe Smith of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer. They are fighting Arkansas, among others, for DE Allen Cater of Kennesaw (Ga.) Mount Paran Christian School. South Carolina has a shot at G John Simpson of North Charleston (S.C.) Fort Dorchester. RB Rico Dowdle of Asheville (N.C.) Reynolds favors the Gamecocks and will visit on the weekend of January 22.
TENNESSEE (National rank: 20th; SEC rank: 7th)
The Vols would love to land ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County, but he appears to favor Georgia. Four-star S Nigel Warrior of Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge is the son of former Tennessee and NFL CB Dale Carter, and is visiting Knoxville on the weekend of January 22. Alabama, Georgia and LSU also are in the mix. Four-star OL Landon Dickerson of Hudson (N.C.) South Caldwell is seriously considering the Vols, along with Virginia Tech, FSU and Auburn. Four-star WR Binjimen Victor of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High will visit Tennessee on the weekend of January 15. Another wide receiver interested in the Vols is Mykel Jones of Patterson (La.) High. He has visits scheduled to Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
VANDERBILT (National rank: 57th; SEC rank: 13th)
The Commodores are in good shape with DE Kelvin Lucky of Elmore (Ala.) Edgewood Academy. He will visit on the weekend of January 22. OT Grayson Stover of Hudson (Fla.) High and WR Kalijiah Lipscomb of New Orleans Jesuit also have high interest in the Commodores.
SEC WEST
Alabama (National rank: 4th; SEC rank: 2nd)
Five-star ILB Ben Davis of Gordo (Ala.) High has visits set to Auburn (the weekend of January 22) and Alabama (January 29), with the Crimson Tide the team to beat at this time. Georgia remains in the mix. Another ‘backer the Tide wants is Lyndell Wilson of Montgomery (Ala.) Carver. He will visit Georgia (January 15), Alabama (January 22) and Florida (January 29). The Tide is in the hunt for five-star ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. of Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County; Georgia and Tennessee are the others in the hunt. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County likely will on Alabama, Mississippi State or Ole Miss. Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss, and four-star CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown could play his college football in Tuscaloosa.
ARKANSAS (National rank: 24th; SEC rank: 9th)
The Hogs are hoping to add LB/RB Devin White of Springhill (La.) North Webster; they are fighting Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss. Another prospect Arkansas wants from Louisiana is CB Kristian Fulton of Metairie Archbishop Rummel. Fulton is visiting Arkansas and Florida, though LSU could prove tough to beat. The Hogs would like four-star RB Kyle Porter of Katy (Texas) High. Oregon, TCU and Texas are also in the mix. DE Allen Cater of Kennesaw (Ga.) Mount Paran Christian School has visited Arkansas, and South Carolina recently offered. Junior college OT Paul Ramirez of San Bernardino (Calif.) CC is another to keep an eye on.
AUBURN (National rank: 7th; SEC rank: 4th)
Five-star ILB Ben Davis of Gordo (Ala.) High will visit Auburn on the weekend of January 22, but Alabama is the team to beat at this time. No one knows what four-star WR Nate Craig-Myers of Tampa Catholic will do, but Auburn certainly has a great shot at getting him. He previously was committed to the Tigers and will visit the weekend of January 15. Florida, Florida State, North Carolina and Ole Miss also are in the hunt. The Tigers are in the mix with the nation’s top-ranked prospect, DT Rashan Gary of Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, though he’s likely headed to Michigan. Five-star DT Derrick Brown of Buford (Ga.) Lanier will visit Auburn on the weekend of January 15, though Georgia is the favorite.
LSU (National rank: 1st; SEC rank: 1st)
LSU should close with a bang. Five-star DT Rashard Lawrence of Neville (La.) Monroe also is considering Alabama and Ohio State, but LSU will prove tough to beat for Lawrence. The Tigers have a commitment from CB Saivion Smith of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and want to close with CB Trayvon Mullen of Coconut Creek (Fla.) High. He will visit LSU on the weekend of January 29. Another top-end corner high on the Tigers is Kristian Fulton of Metairie (La.) Archbishop Rummel; Arkansas and Florida remain in the hunt for Fulton. OT Willie Allen of River Ridge (La.) John Curtis is expected to pick the Tigers; so is LB/RB Devin White of Springhill (La.) North Webster.
MISSISSIPPI STATE (National rank: 44th; SEC rank: 12th)
It would be a huge recruiting upset if Starkville (Miss.) High four-star WR A.J. Brown didn’t pick the hometown Bulldogs. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County appears to be down to Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Others the Bulldogs wpuld like to close with are CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown, OT Scott Lashley of West Point (Miss.) High and DT Kobe Jones of Starkville (Miss.) High.
OLE MISS (National rank: 6th; SEC rank: 3rd)
Ole Miss could be the team to beat for four-star S Deontay Anderson of Manvel (Texas) High. LSU, Texas and Texas A&M also are after Anderson. DE Jeffery Simmons of Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County appears to be down to Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Four-star CB Shyheim Carter of Kentwood (La.) High likes Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss, and the Rebels are trying to keep CB Nigel Knott of Madison (Miss.) Germantown in his home state. DE Terrell Hall of Washington (D.C.) St. Johns College High is scheduled to visit on the weekend of January 29. A wide receiver to watch is Mykel Jones of Patterson (La.) High, who also will visit on the weekend of January 29.
TEXAS A&M (National rank: 21st; SEC rank: 8th)
The Aggies still have work to do on defense. A&M would like to close with Brandon Jones of Nacogdoches (Texas) High, the nation’s top-ranked safety. He already has visited A&M and has trips scheduled to Texas (the weekend of January 15) and Auburn (January 29). Another safety prospect is Deontay Anderson of Manvel (Texas) High; LSU, Texas and Ole Miss also are in the hunt. OLB Jeffrey McCulloch of Houston Davis is another possibility. The Aggies are a long shot for ATH Jack Jones of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly). He visited A&M during the fall, but he likely stays home and plays for USC or UCLA. DT Ross Blacklock of Missouri City (Texas) Elkins is in play for A&M. Quarterback has become of a huge need. The Aggies are actively pursuing Maryland pledge Dwayne Haskins of Potomac (Md.) The Bullis School.
