ANDREW BONE: SEC leading the way on recruiting
Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 28, 2009 at 10:38 p.m.
There are many reasons why recruits decide to play football in the Southeastern Conference, but one of the main reasons is the opportunity to play in a conference which will likely see the winner of the league championship compete for the national title.
The SEC has three teams ranked in the top five — Florida, Alabama and LSU. Ole Miss was a fourth team in the Top 10 until its loss last week to South Carolina.
The SEC is dominating the recruiting rankings as well. Six schools rank in the Top 25 in the Scout.com team recruiting rankings, with five in the top 10.
Tennessee is rated the No. 1 class in the SEC and No. 3 overall behind Oklahoma and Texas. Alabama sits at No. 5, with LSU sixth, Georgia seventh, Florida ninth and Auburn at No. 25.
That compares to five schools from the Big 12 in the Top 25, with three in the top 10. The Pac-10 has three schools in the top 25, with Stanford leading the way at No. 8.
The SEC has more National 100 recruits committed than any other conference with 20. The conference holds 13 of 50 five-star commitments and 58 of 250 four-star recruits in the nation.
The Big 12 has 15 National 100 recruits, seven five-stars and 42 four-stars. The Big Ten comes in third with 10 National 100 commitments, five five-stars and 35 four-stars.
Of the 18 uncommitted five-star recruits in the nation, all except one are considering at least one SEC school.
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin has made a lot of headlines since his arrival, but one thing for sure is that recruits are wanting to become a part of the program. The Volunteers hold the top spot in the SEC with 21 commitments and five reeled in five top-100 recruits.
The headliners of the class include Jacques Smith, Scout.com five-star defensive end from Ooltewah (Tenn.) High School; Bruce Irvin, five-star junior college defensive tackle from Mount San Antonio in Walnut, Calif.; Brandon Willis, five-star defensive end from Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C.; and Demarco Cobbs, five-star wide receiver from Central High School in Tulsa, Okla.
Alabama is on the heels of the one of its biggest opponents, only 20 points behind Tennessee in the recruiting rankings. The de-commitment of JaWuan James, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga., would have the Tide still in the top spot in the SEC. The next contenders for his signature appear to be Tennessee and Georgia.
Alabama has landed the in-state cream of the crop and elite out-of-staters as well.
The class, as it stands now, includes the No. 1 player in Alabama, Demarcus Milliner, Scout.com five-star cornerback from Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, and the No. 1 player in Virginia in Phillip Sims, Scout.com five-star quarterback from Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake.
LSU has 22 commitments with three National 100 players. The top recruits in the class include Mike Davis, Scout.com five-star wide receiver from Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas; Justin Maclin, four-star outside linebacker from Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tenn.; and Eric Reid, four-star safety from Dutchtown High School in Geismar, La.
The Tigers have a pair of players committed from the state of Alabama in Sam Gibson, Scout.com three-star safety from Prattville High School (the Lions’ quarterback) and Dexter Blackmon, two-star defensive tackle from Selma High School. The two prospects never received an offer from Alabama.
The Georgia Bulldogs have benefited from an outstanding in-state class and have reeled in seven Scout.com 300 recruits from the Peach State, including five National 100 commitments. Georgia’s headliners include Garrison Smith, Scout.com five-star defensive tackle from Douglass High in Atlanta; Alec Ogletree, five-star safety from Newnan (Ga.) High School; T.J. Stripling, four-star defensive end from Southwest Dekalb High in Decatur, Ga.; and Da’Rick Rogers, four-star wide receiver from Calhoun High School in Georgia.
Georgia’s top out-of-state commitment is from Brent Benedict, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla.
Florida has 15 commitments to date, but still ranks in the Top 10 in the national recruiting rankings. The Gators have landed a pair of the best safeties in the country in Matt Elam, five-star from Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Jonathan Dowling, five-star from Southeast High School in Bradenton, Fla.
Coach Urban Meyer grabbed one from the Peach State in Mack Brown, Scout.com five-star running back from King High School in Lithonia, Ga. Meyer also took one out of Alabama’s backyard in Solomon Patton, Scout.com four-star wide receiver from Murphy High School in Mobile.
The Auburn Tigers have landed in the Top 25 in the recruiting rankings but do not have any commitments from National 100 recruits as of yet. Auburn does have several top players committed, especially at linebacker with LaDarius Owens, Scout.com four-star from Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer; Jawara White, three-star from Charles Henderson High School in Troy; Jake Holland, three-star from Pelham High School; and Jessel Curry, three-star from Buford (Ga.) High School.
The top out-of-state commitment for Auburn is Antonio Goodwin, four-star wide receiver from Washington High School in Atlanta.
South Carolina and Vanderbilt are the only other two SEC schools in the Top 50. The Gamecocks check in at No. 26 and Vanderbilt at No. 27.
Alabama returns to Bryant-Denny Stadium in three weeks to host South Carolina for homecoming. Look for several recruits to visit for the game, especially Johnavon Fulton, who has an official visit scheduled for the weekend to see his current leader, the Gamecocks, in action.
Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 28, 2009 at 10:38 p.m.
There are many reasons why recruits decide to play football in the Southeastern Conference, but one of the main reasons is the opportunity to play in a conference which will likely see the winner of the league championship compete for the national title.
The SEC has three teams ranked in the top five — Florida, Alabama and LSU. Ole Miss was a fourth team in the Top 10 until its loss last week to South Carolina.
The SEC is dominating the recruiting rankings as well. Six schools rank in the Top 25 in the Scout.com team recruiting rankings, with five in the top 10.
Tennessee is rated the No. 1 class in the SEC and No. 3 overall behind Oklahoma and Texas. Alabama sits at No. 5, with LSU sixth, Georgia seventh, Florida ninth and Auburn at No. 25.
That compares to five schools from the Big 12 in the Top 25, with three in the top 10. The Pac-10 has three schools in the top 25, with Stanford leading the way at No. 8.
The SEC has more National 100 recruits committed than any other conference with 20. The conference holds 13 of 50 five-star commitments and 58 of 250 four-star recruits in the nation.
The Big 12 has 15 National 100 recruits, seven five-stars and 42 four-stars. The Big Ten comes in third with 10 National 100 commitments, five five-stars and 35 four-stars.
Of the 18 uncommitted five-star recruits in the nation, all except one are considering at least one SEC school.
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin has made a lot of headlines since his arrival, but one thing for sure is that recruits are wanting to become a part of the program. The Volunteers hold the top spot in the SEC with 21 commitments and five reeled in five top-100 recruits.
The headliners of the class include Jacques Smith, Scout.com five-star defensive end from Ooltewah (Tenn.) High School; Bruce Irvin, five-star junior college defensive tackle from Mount San Antonio in Walnut, Calif.; Brandon Willis, five-star defensive end from Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C.; and Demarco Cobbs, five-star wide receiver from Central High School in Tulsa, Okla.
Alabama is on the heels of the one of its biggest opponents, only 20 points behind Tennessee in the recruiting rankings. The de-commitment of JaWuan James, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga., would have the Tide still in the top spot in the SEC. The next contenders for his signature appear to be Tennessee and Georgia.
Alabama has landed the in-state cream of the crop and elite out-of-staters as well.
The class, as it stands now, includes the No. 1 player in Alabama, Demarcus Milliner, Scout.com five-star cornerback from Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, and the No. 1 player in Virginia in Phillip Sims, Scout.com five-star quarterback from Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake.
LSU has 22 commitments with three National 100 players. The top recruits in the class include Mike Davis, Scout.com five-star wide receiver from Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas; Justin Maclin, four-star outside linebacker from Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tenn.; and Eric Reid, four-star safety from Dutchtown High School in Geismar, La.
The Tigers have a pair of players committed from the state of Alabama in Sam Gibson, Scout.com three-star safety from Prattville High School (the Lions’ quarterback) and Dexter Blackmon, two-star defensive tackle from Selma High School. The two prospects never received an offer from Alabama.
The Georgia Bulldogs have benefited from an outstanding in-state class and have reeled in seven Scout.com 300 recruits from the Peach State, including five National 100 commitments. Georgia’s headliners include Garrison Smith, Scout.com five-star defensive tackle from Douglass High in Atlanta; Alec Ogletree, five-star safety from Newnan (Ga.) High School; T.J. Stripling, four-star defensive end from Southwest Dekalb High in Decatur, Ga.; and Da’Rick Rogers, four-star wide receiver from Calhoun High School in Georgia.
Georgia’s top out-of-state commitment is from Brent Benedict, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla.
Florida has 15 commitments to date, but still ranks in the Top 10 in the national recruiting rankings. The Gators have landed a pair of the best safeties in the country in Matt Elam, five-star from Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Jonathan Dowling, five-star from Southeast High School in Bradenton, Fla.
Coach Urban Meyer grabbed one from the Peach State in Mack Brown, Scout.com five-star running back from King High School in Lithonia, Ga. Meyer also took one out of Alabama’s backyard in Solomon Patton, Scout.com four-star wide receiver from Murphy High School in Mobile.
The Auburn Tigers have landed in the Top 25 in the recruiting rankings but do not have any commitments from National 100 recruits as of yet. Auburn does have several top players committed, especially at linebacker with LaDarius Owens, Scout.com four-star from Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer; Jawara White, three-star from Charles Henderson High School in Troy; Jake Holland, three-star from Pelham High School; and Jessel Curry, three-star from Buford (Ga.) High School.
The top out-of-state commitment for Auburn is Antonio Goodwin, four-star wide receiver from Washington High School in Atlanta.
South Carolina and Vanderbilt are the only other two SEC schools in the Top 50. The Gamecocks check in at No. 26 and Vanderbilt at No. 27.
Alabama returns to Bryant-Denny Stadium in three weeks to host South Carolina for homecoming. Look for several recruits to visit for the game, especially Johnavon Fulton, who has an official visit scheduled for the weekend to see his current leader, the Gamecocks, in action.
