The Crootletter is your source for college football recruiting analysis.
This week in recruiting is a collection of thoughts and items of interest from me as a recruiting expert that either didn’t rise to the level of being their own national story, or for which I did not have time to make into a story this week.
Alabama is back at No. 1.
The Tide briefly dipped down to No. 2 nationally in the 247Sports Composite recruiting rankings, but then picked up four-star guard Darrian Dalcourt. That put the Alabama back ahead of Georgia.
Perhaps more importantly, Alabama picked up a four-star class of 2018 linebacker in Ale Kaho, of Nevada. Kaho Had originally signed with Washington, but was released from his letter of intent. Kaho never enrolled at Washington. Alabama lacks linebacker depth, so this is a pretty big deal.
Texas A&M makes two moves.
Texas A&M made two huge moves in early August. First, it was linebacker Christian Harris. Out of Baton Rouge (La.). Harris, a four-star, is one of my favorite players in the class because he is such a versatile, smart player with plus athleticism. The Aggies will move him all over the field, and A&M beat out LSU and Alabama for him, among others.
The Aggies also picked up Dylan Wright, a 6’4 receiver who should be a beast in the red zone. A&M beat out the Longhorns and other powers for Wright.
The Aggies are now No. 3 nationally in the rankings.
Oregon adds two more blue-chips.
Oregon now has the No. 4 class in the nation thanks to picking up its 13th and 14th four-stars of the 2019 class. It started with Florida linebacker Ge’Mon Eaford, who the Ducks made a priority.
For its next trick, Oregon went to California to land massive four-star offensive tackle Jonah Tauanu’u, beating out USC and some other excellent programs. Oregon’s recruiting under Mario Cristobal is really humming.
USC enters the top 25.
USC is often a program that starts slowly and closes strong, facing very little competition West of the Rockies, meaning that it can take its time. But it made two moves, adding tight end Jude Wolf, of California, and linebacker Maninoa Tufono, of Hawaii. Both are four-star players.
The Gators land their first top-200 player.
UF’s recruiting struggles this year have some up in arms, but that changed a bit with the most recent commitment, the first in the top 100, or the top 200 for that matter.
Florida landed by far its best commitment of the season to date with the pledge of Mississippi Linebacker Diwun Black. Black is 6’4, long, with freakish athleticism which could allow him to stay at linebacker instead of defensive end. I am a big fan of his game.
Whispers have suggested Black has work to do in the classroom to ensure that he is able to qualify to play college football — and those whispers have sometimes included the possibility that Black will end up at Bradenton’s IMG Academy, a private school known more as a finishing school for athletes than a shining example of academic excellence, for his senior year of high school.
But if Black can make the grade, either at IMG or elsewhere, and the Gators keep the commitment of a two-time flipper, then Florida will end up with a potential star.
Mullen spoke to ESPN’s Chris Low about Florida’s recruiting this week.
Some Florida fans have voiced concern over the recruiting rankings. “I look at it this way: Tim Tebow was on everybody’s list. Dak Prescott wasn’t, and both were very successful quarterbacks,” @CoachDanMullen told me. “It’s going beyond that to find who really fits your program.” pic.twitter.com/b4zCbc058j
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) August 8, 2018
While Mullen has done a great job of evaluating players in his career, Florida is going to need to keep landing players the caliber of Diwun Black because Georgia has more top-150 commitments than the rest of the SEC East combined.
Speaking of Georgia, the Dawgs picked up a top defensive lineman.
One area in which Georgia has recruited well, but perhaps not at an worldly level of late is defensive line. But that is changing. The latest is JUCO defensive end Jermaine Johnson.
By the way, read this from Kelsey Russo on Georgia now being one of the most talented states, up there with Florida, Texas, and California.
Oklahoma beefs up its class.
Oklahoma has had excellent offensive line play of late. That should continue thanks in part to commitments like Stacey Wilkins, of Arkansas.