Recruiting heats up as high-profile commitments near
By early October, most top prospects have taken their final rounds of unofficial and official visits, spent countless hours on the phone with recruiters and traded thousands of text messages with coaches. For many, there’s enough information for them to go ahead and make decisions.
That’s why the next three weeks are shaping up as some of the biggest in the 2022 cycle with six On300 players scheduled to announce decisions. Their commitments could go a long way toward determining who finishes with top-10 recruiting classes.
On3 previews the upcoming commitments from Jaleel Skinner, Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Jayden Gibson, Oscar Delp, Gentry Williams and Luther Burden and where they are trending toward.
5-star TE Jaleel Skinner
Background: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Ranking: On300 No. 17
Commitment info: Noon ET, Oct. 8
Figuring out where five-star Jaleel Skinner is going to end up has been one of the biggest mysteries of the 2022 recruiting cycle. Many believed the Greer, S.C., native was leaning toward Texas at one point. Then Florida State gained momentum. But questions about the Seminoles’ start have slowed that down some. Florida got a visit from the star from IMG Academy a couple of weeks ago, so the Gators are a school still being considered. Alabama is the school over the past week or so to be talked up by insiders. Plus, Miami and Clemson are also factors and got final visits from him
Skinner says he has never officially ruled anyone out and how teams have done this season will impact his decision.
“The most important thing to me is who utilizes my position best in their offense,” Skinner told On3’s Chad Simmons. “That is what I have focused on all season. I want to be developed, I want to be coached up, and I want to be a player that is used in the offense. Wins come with work. I am not worried about that.”
5-star DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy
Background: Lakeland (Fla.) High
Ranking: On300 No. 3
Commitment info: Noon ET, Oct. 12
Five star Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy has been down to two schools – Oklahoma and Texas A&M – for about a month. He officially set his announcement date and time three days ago.
Brownlow-Dindy took a recent official visit to Oklahoma on the Sept. 11 weekend and was on an unofficial visit to Texas A&M this past weekend. He’s visited both places several times throughout the process, but the Sooners are the team trending.
Brownlow-Dindy’s parents attended school at Oklahoma and intel indicates the official visit moved the needle heavily toward the Sooners’ direction. But Brownlow-Dindy’s family will be moving to College Station, Texas, in January when his father starts a new job as the director of the Texas School of Preaching.
4-star WR Jayden Gibson
Background: Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange
Ranking: On300 No. 180
Commitment info: 2 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Jayden Gibson is closing in on a decision and all indications are the Gators are in a very good spot to land the four-star receiver. Gibson has been a regular visitor on UF’s campus since the dead period ended. He was on campus again a few weeks back for the game against Alabama. He’s already taken official visits to Baylor and Miami and lists South Carolina as another top team. But Florida is the only place he’s been for games this fall. He’s also close with numerous Gator 2022 commits, so this seems like an almost sure thing for UF.
4-star TE Oscar Delp
Background: Cumming (Ga.) West Forsyth
Ranking: On300 No. 86
Commitment info: 6:50 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Oscar Delp told Simmons last week he will be committing to Clemson, Georgia, Michigan or South Carolina. He cut his list to the final four schools in the middle of August, and he has since taken visits to Clemson, Georgia and South Carolina. Michigan will not receive a visit, but Delp has family there, he knows a lot about the history in Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines are still a strong contender. However, all indications are Georgia is the team to beat for Delp.
4-star CB Gentry Williams
Background: Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington
Ranking: On300 No. 34
Commitment info: Oct. 18
Gentry Williams is one of the elite cover corners in the 2022 class, and he’s set a commitment date for Oct. 18. Williams entertained more than 15 offers but will choose between in-state Oklahoma, Missouri, USC and Florida.
The Sooners have long been considered the favorites in his recruitment, in no small part due to their proximity to home. And Simmons’ intel says the Sooners are definitely the team to beat.
“With Williams being a big Oklahoma fan, the connection he has formed with the staff, his friendship with numerous Sooner commits, and how he visited Norman twice in recent weeks, Lincoln Riley has to feel optimistic about this one,” Simmons wrote.
4-star WR Luther Burden
Background: East St. Louis (Ill.) High
Ranking: On300 No. 90
Commitment info: 4 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Luther Burden was committed to Oklahoma for more than 10 months. But in August, he re-opened his recruitment, and he recently listed Alabama, Georgia and Missouri as his top three schools. He told On3’s Hayes Fawcett that playing in the SEC was a major priority.
“I know I’ll be playing against the best of the best every week,” Burden said. “That is huge for me.”
Burden visited all three schools this summer, but he made multiple trips to Missouri, including an unofficial visit during a 7-on-7 camp that East St. Louis was participating in. He’s scheduled an official visit to Georgia for Oct. 16, just three days before his commitment.
The Georgia visit could go a long way toward shaping his final decision, but heading into the official visit Mizzou has momentum because of its location and connections with the East St. Louis program.
“Mizzou is close to home, so that’s always a plus,” Burden said recently. “Coach (Eliah) Drinkwitz is really rebuilding the program, and I can see that they are getting better with recruiting. I really like coach Drinkwitz’s offense. Last game they threw the ball 50 times.”