Weekend visit preview: Stars flocking to see UGA-Clemson
Let the games begin. And the visits, too. College football is back across the country this weekend. With its return comes prospects hopping in cars and getting on flights to make official and unofficial visits to see their top teams play in person. On3 previews the top recruiting trips scheduled for the weekend and breaks down the most important visits.
Stars set to see Georgia-Clemson
A primetime, top-five showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers is the game of the weekend. It’s no surprise the list of recruits scheduled to be at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte is long. It’s full of five and four-star names that represent some of the most intense recruiting battles in the country.
Since it’s an off-campus game, Georgia and Clemson can give out a certain number of guest tickets for the game. Prospects also can’t talk face to face with coaches. But it’s still become the hottest ticket in the country.
Top Georgia targets like five-star senior defensive lineman Walter Nolen of Powell (Tenn.) High, five-star junior EDGE Lebbeus Overton of Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton and five-star junior cornerback AJ Harris of Phenix City (Ala.) Glenwood School are set to be at the game.
On3 National Analyst Chad Simmons broke down Nolen’s recruitment last week and heading into the visit season, two teams are at the top of his list. It should be noted that Nolen is also scheduled to be at the Tennessee game Thursday night in Knoxville. Overton also has a list of top schools that stand out on his top teams, Simmons wrote.
Other key names scheduled to be in Charlotte from a UGA standpoint are senior defensive lineman and former commitment Bear Alexander of Fort Worth (Texas) Brewer, senior defensive lineman Christen Miller of Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove and interior offensive lineman Earnest Greene of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco.
But that’s just a small smattering of the impact recruits scheduled to be in attendance from a Georgia standpoint.
The game will also have plenty of top Clemson targets in attendance, including five-star 2023 defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei of Bosco.
Uiagalelei is a prime target for both schools, but he obviously has a family connection to the Tigers. Clemson starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is his older brother. Matayo Uiagalelei visited both Clemson and Georgia over the summer and raved about the two trips.
Another top target for Clemson set to be there is On300 senior receiver Andre Greene Jr. of Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher’s School. He is the top remaining receiver prospect on Clemson’s board and ranks among the most important targets left for the Tigers.
A group of top underclassmen is also set to be at the game from a Clemson standpoint.
This includes coveted junior cornerback Ethan Nation of Roswell (Ga.) High, highly recruited sophomore quarterback Jadyn Davis of Fort Mill (S.C.) Catawba Ridge and junior four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling of Mount Pleasant (S.C.) Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
“With a national stage game in primetime, both Georgia and Clemson have a great opportunity to start the year off with recruits in a strong fashion,” Jake Reuse of On3’s DawgsHQ said. “Yes, it’s a neutral site game, so some of the pageantry and tradition may not hit the same, but with fans pouring in from both sides, the passion is sure to be front and center.
“Will a win or loss for either team be a deciding factor for any prospect? We’re not going to go that far just yet, but the game is sure to create a lasting memory. Whether that’s one of celebration and dominance or leaving a bad taste in their mouth with a loss remains to be seen. This is a chance for both teams to set a bar ahead of an all-important fall.”
Reuse has a more complete list of names and top targets scheduled to be at the game on DawgsHQ. Here is the list of five key Georgia defensive recruits set to be in Charlotte and five important offensive recruits.
Important targets set to visit FSU
Earlier this month, four-star senior offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett of Columbus (Ga.) Carter announced he is down to four schools – Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and USC. However, all signs point toward Florida State moving into the driver’s seat in his recruitment. So, it’s no surprise Pritchett will be back for an unofficial visit at Florida State Sunday for the Seminoles’ anticipated season opener against Notre Dame.
Five-star senior tight Jaleel Skinner will use his last official visit to see the Seminoles host the Irish this weekend. It’ll be an important trip for the IMG Academy star because he’s set to make his college commitment on Oct. 9 between FSU, Miami, Texas, Clemson and Alabama.
The FSU game against the Irish is attracting plenty of other names, including On300 senior receiver Kevin Coleman of St. Louis (Mo.) St. Mary’s. Oregon has moved into a great spot with Coleman, but the Seminoles have a chance to impress him on an official visit that will keep him on campus until Monday.
Other names to keep an eye on that are scheduled to be in Tallahassee are top-100 senior defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly of Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard, four-star senior offensive tackle Julian Armella of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and On300 senior linebacker and Georgia Tech commitment Jaron Willis of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County.
Kelly’s trip is slated to be an official visit, and Chad Simmons recently wrote that FSU still is in good shape with Armella.
UCLA hosting 5-star Anthony Lucas
With LSU coming to town, the UCLA Bruins are using the game as a big-time recruiting lure. Nobody on the visit list is bigger than five-star senior defensive lineman Anthony Lucas of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral.
The visit begins a busy fall schedule for Lucas with trips to USC, Miami, Texas A&M, LSU, Notre Dame and Alabama all on his calendar. But the Bruins get a chance to make a first impression less than a month after Lucas reduced his list to seven schools.
Auburn hosts cross-country visitor
Senior four-star receiver Darrius Clemons of Portland Westview will make a return trip to The Plains for an unofficial visit to watch Auburn host Akron. Clemons, the No. 56 player in the country, officially visited Auburn in early June. He also visited USC and Penn State, but it looks like Auburn is battling Penn State and Oregon for his commitment.
Other notable visits
+Miami facing Alabama is another one of the key games of the weekend and several recruitments could be impacted by the game. Four-star senior cornerback Earl Little Jr. of Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage is slated to be at the game in Atlanta. Alabama appears to be in a good position with him, but Miami continues to push hard.
+Scott Schrader of On3’s WeAreSC reports a strong group of unofficial visitors will be at the Trojans’ game against San Jose State.
Five-star USC senior cornerback commit Domani Jackson of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei will be there with teammates like four-star uncommitted linebacker David Bailey and senior running back and Oklahoma commitment Raleek Brown. Highly coveted freshman running back Jordon Davison from Mater Dei will be there, too. Junior cornerback Jshawn Frausto-Ramos, who has 14 offers, and sophomore linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who has 11 offers, from Bosco will also be at the game.
+On3 National Analyst Gerry Hamilton said the first visitor list for new coach Steve Sarkisian is still developing but one interesting name recently added to the list was Humble (Texas) Atascocita senior four-star offensive tackle Kam Dewberry. The trip will be an unofficial visit. Dewberry has already taken official visits to LSU, Ohio State and Texas A&M. He’s scheduled to be at OU on Sept. 17 and Alabama is also on his list.
+Maize (Kan.) High junior quarterback Avery Johnson will be at Wisconsin’s season-opening game against Penn State. The Badgers have a good track record recruiting Kansas quarterbacks. Johnson has talked openly about a strong interest in Wisconsin. Interestingly, Arizona offered Johnson a scholarship on Wednesday.
+With a Friday night game against North Carolina, Virginia Tech won’t have many recruits in attendance because of conflicts with high school football. But one big name will be there – junior four-star defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett of Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley. Jarrett already has an extensive offer list from Duke, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, NC State, North Carolina and Penn State.