Buzz around uncommitted 5-stars in 2022 football recruiting class

The summer was very active on the recruiting trail. June 1 was the first day football recruits could take visits in over 14 months, so they hit the road hard and a lot of decisions were made. Out of the initial 19 five-stars on On3 for the 2022 class, nine are committed and three of those committed since June 1.

That leaves 11 of the top 19 players uncommitted. Could that number change in the coming weeks, and who may be next to place their name on a commitment list?

On3 gives you the latest buzz around the 11 that enter August uncommitted.

The Player: Marvin Jones, Jr., EDGE, Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage

The Ranking: No. 1

The Buzz: Jones is a Florida State legacy, so the Seminoles are always in the conversation when talking about this five-star. His father was a Florida State great and Tallahassee is a place the younger Jones knows very well. But numerous other top programs are in the mix. Miami is one. It is close to home and Jones was back in Coral Gables last week to close out July. The SEC schools are right in the thick of the race as well. Alabama and Texas A&M will receive official visits. Then you have Ohio State and Oklahoma. Those two are set to receive official visits, too. Jones is taking everything in and going through this process with an open mind, but it is still hard not to view Florida State as the favorite heading into the season.

The Player: Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, DL, Lakeland (Fla.) High School

The Ranking: No. 3

The Buzz: Of course the buzz is around Oklahoma because both of his parents went to school in Norman, but this one is far from over. The Sooners are in a great spot, and outside the family connection, Lincoln Riley and the Sooners have done an excellent job recruiting the five-star. Ohio State received an official visit in June, and the Buckeyes are in the mix, but it looks like this could come down to three schools that will be competing together in the SEC down the road. Texas A&M has put itself at, or near the top of the list for Brownlow-Dindy, and Alabama is going to receive an official visit in the fall. The Aggies already hosted the Florida defensive linemen for an official and the family loved College Station and what A&M had to offer. Of course Nick Saban and Alabama will be ready for their chance. Brownlow-Dindy will be back in Norman for his official visit to Oklahoma early in September.

Player: Walter Nolen, DL, Powell (Tenn.)

Ranking: No. 4

The Buzz: With Nolen moving to Powell High School, just 20 minutes from Tennessee, things have gotten a little more interesting with the Volunteers. Shortly after the move from Memphis, he took a quick visit to the Tennessee campus. There has been a lot of buzz around the local program in recent days, but this one is still far from over. There was chatter about Nolen committing to Florida coming off his official visit to Gainesville early in June, but that has faded. Texas A&M had him on campus over the weekend and the Aggies will now receive an official visit in the fall. Alabama and Georgia are two schools that look to be right in the thick of this race as well. He visited Athens and Tuscaloosa twice in June. He plans to take official visits to both schools in the coming months. Michigan received an official visit in June, but the Wolverines look to be on the outside looking in at this time. This recruitment is likely to have a few more twists and turns in it before it comes to an end.

The Player: Evan Stewart, WR, Frisco (Texas) Liberty

The Ranking: No. 5

The Buzz: Texas had Stewart committed for a short time, and the Longhorns might still be the favorite, but keeping Stewart home will not be easy for the Longhorns. Florida is a school to keep an eye on. He took an official visit to Gainesville in June and was back at the Swamp over the weekend. The Gator interest is real, and his connection with Florida quarterback commit Nick Evers only helps. Another SEC school has been viewed as a top contender as well. That is Alabama. He visited Tuscaloosa unofficially in June and will take an official visit in the fall. If in-state school Texas is looked at as the favorite, the Crimson Tide is considered to be right there with the Longhorns. LSU and Texas A&M are in this as well, and they could receive official visits also, but for now, Alabama, Florida and Texas look be on a different level.

The Player: Harold Perkins, LB, Cypress (Texas) Cy Park

The Ranking: No. 8

The Buzz: Perkins took official visits to Texas and Texas A&M in June. He took an unofficial visit to LSU as well, and because he is from New Orleans, he knows a lot about the Tigers. LSU may not receive an official visit because of his familiarity with the program. He has scheduled official visits to Oregon and Florida in the fall. That will leave him with one more official visit, and he is still deciding between Miami and USC for that. Perkins has talked about his love for the SEC so that only helps the Longhorns with them leaving the Big 12 on the horizon. The buzz is around the Aggies and Tigers, but with Perkins eyeing a decision at the Under Armour All-America game in January, this is one we will be tracking for months.

Player: Shemar Stewart

Ranking: No. 11

The Buzz: Stewart is planning to ride the process out, so this is one you will be tracking for the next four and a half months. If we rewind back to the spring, Georgia and LSU were the schools trending. It was pointing at that time towards Stewart leaving the state. That could still happen, but things have shifted, and Miami, the school right down the road from Stewart is now trending. He has visited the Hurricanes multiple times over the summer and the local school is the one all are now chasing. LSU has faded some. Georgia has not. The Bulldogs are still strong. Ohio State and Texas A&M are viewed as contenders, too. This is expected to be an entertaining race that won’t end until Stewart puts the pen to the paper.

The Player: Denver Harris, CB, Houston (Texas) North Shore

The Ranking: No. 12

The Buzz: The real buzz is around Alabama and Texas. Harris took official visits to Alabama, LSU and Texas in June. He also made a stop in College Station to check out Texas A&M this summer. There is no real timeline for a commitment, but when that time comes, it will be surprising if it’s not to the Crimson Tide or Longhorns. Sure, Harris can stay home with Texas, but the Alabama interest is real.

The Player: Anthony Lucas, DL, Scottsdale (Ari.) Chaparral

The Ranking: No. 13

The Buzz: In early April, Lucas came out with a top 10, and he has not updated that list since, but after summer visits some schools have emerged with another cut expected soon. The two that appear to have the most buzz are Alabama and Miami. Lucas visited both schools officially in June and each impressed. On the Miami side, he is from south Florida and his father attended Miami, so there is a connection. Another school that seems to be right in the thick of things is Texas A&M. He took his first official visit to College Station. Word is Notre Dame and Oregon made strong impressions as well. There are numerous schools that still have optimism here, but the Crimson Tide and Hurricanes may have the edge.

The Player: Barion Brown, WR, Nashville (Tenn.) Pearl-Cohn

The Ranking: No. 14

The Buzz: Brown may be the first one on this list to make a decision. He is hoping to commit by the end of August. He took official visits to Alabama and TCU in June and it looks like it will come down to those programs. The Horned Frogs have been very consistent with Brown, and that has put them in this race late, but Alabama may be tough to beat. Brown feels like a priority for the Crimson Tide and their production at wide receiver in recent years is tough to match. He has a top 10, and Brown is not expected to trim his list again, but this is likely come down to the two schools he visited officially in June.

The Player: Jaleel Skinner, TE, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy

The Ranking: No. 17

The Buzz: Florida State looks to be the favorite entering the season. He was in Tallahassee on June 1, and the Seminoles have been trending since. He has an official visit scheduled to Florida State early in September as well. Alabama, Miami and Texas are in this, too, and you cannot count Clemson out either. He does not plan to make a commitment any time soon, but could that official visit to Florida State change that? Skinner is one we will watch early in the fall.

The Player: Devon Campbell, IOL, Arlington (Texas) Bowie

The Ranking: No. 18

The Buzz: USC received the first official visit early in June, and things went well in L.A., but the Trojans will have a tough time landing this five-star offensive lineman. The odds of him staying home in Texas with the Longhorns seem to be fairly high as we close out the summer. He has really connected with Horns’ offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, Texas is an in-state school and the Longhorns have positioned itself nicely. Alabama and LSU are hanging around, too, but if anyone is expected to challenge Texas, it is Oklahoma. A decision is not expected until early January.