Rivals.com – Recruiting Rumor Mill: Big visits taking place across the country

The Recruiting Rumor Mill was cranked up yet again over the weekend with big visits across the country and plenty more recruiting news coming out. Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has it covered.

There is no clear front-runner for the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman four-star interior offensive lineman but a big round of visits is coming and could start by the end of March.

Alofaituli is planning to see Miami, Texas, Alabama, Colorado and Tennessee and then the four-star will narrow down his list with Nebraska, USC and others under serious consideration as well.

The 2026 four-star quarterback from Ashland, Ohio really loved the level of competition at Penn State’s practice over the weekend and believes the staff is “fairly interested” in him as his recruitment picks up.

Bernhard has not narrowed down his list at all but has noticed that Penn State, Louisville and West Virginia have been most consistent in his recruitment.

The four-star receiver from Cocoa, Fla., has been committed to Ohio State since October and he remains “locked in” with the Buckeyes but the word is that Boggs had one of his “best visits” over the weekend to Missouri.

The productive four-star had an “amazing time” in Columbia, learned about position coach Jacob Peeler’s development of his receivers and the Missouri coaches made it clear he’d play early there. Boggs remains committed to Ohio State but this was definitely an interesting visit with no other trips planned.

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Ohio State, Florida and Florida State have been mentioned a lot with the four-star athlete from Orlando (Fla.) Jones but Georgia made a major impression when he visited this past week.

Seeing the high standards, the competition and how he would be tested every day in practice all stood out to Brown and while the family hasn’t re-evaluated his top list yet, the word is that some big changes could be coming soon.

Georgia is “definitely a top school” for Grady and that was only reinforced to the four-star defensive end from Enterprise, Ala., after visiting this week and seeing how the Bulldogs prepare and get ready for practice.

Auburn, Alabama, Florida State and others remain in the mix but the word is that Georgia could be tough to beat and this most-recent visit only made things stronger. A weekend visit to Auburn might have helped but the Tigers have some ground to make up.

Georgia and Tennessee are the two early standouts for the 2026 athlete from Marrieta (Ga.) Kell and he loved his recent visit to Athens where he saw the game speed and how hard the Bulldogs practiced.

The message from coach Kirby Smart and position coach Travaris Robinson was that they love Green’s film and how he flies around the field so the Bulldogs should definitely be watched. Trips to Ohio State and Tennessee are coming up.

The 2026 interior offensive lineman felt it “was best” to back off his Alabama commitment over the weekend after making his pledge to the Crimson Tide in July.

Four programs have emerged as major contenders for the Carrollton, Ga., standout although many others could get involved as NC State, Texas A&M, Auburn and Appalachian State have caught Helton’s eye once more.

Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas are the three other programs involved with the four-star safety from Lake Cormorant, Miss., but Missouri should absolutely be watched especially after his weekend visit.

Hopson loved the football facilities, the energy from the coaches and their message that he would fit perfectly in the defensive scheme.

“They move up for sure but visits are still coming for other schools,” Hopson said.

The 2026 receiver from Norman (Okla.) North claims no front-runners yet as he gets to know coaching staffs but the word is it would be a shocker if James didn’t end up at Oklahoma.

A recent visit only a few miles away to campus might have only reinforced the Sooners as his top team, especially since he liked how honest and real the coaching staff was with him. Even with no clear leader, James “definitely loves what OU has to offer” and the family feel there.

Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee, UCF, Florida and Texas A&M are the finalists for the four-star linebacker from Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County who will announce his commitment on Wednesday. Johnson visited Georgia over the weekend and if the Bulldogs offered that would probably have been the pick but the coaching staff told him they want to see him work out at camp before an offer.

It now looks like a battle between the Crimson Tide and the Seminoles with Alabama possibly having an edge.

Oklahoma is going to remain a standout program throughout Jones’ recruitment as the 2026 running back from Jenks, Okla., loved a recent visit to Norman especially when coach Brent Venables told Jones, “Your destiny is in your own hands.” The Sooners, Tennessee and Oregon are the three early leaders for the 2026 standout.

Florida is definitely going after a select group of tight ends in its 2025 recruiting class and Jones is one to watch as a recent visit to Gainesville especially impressed him because the “realness” of the coaches stood out most.

There is going to be stiff competition here as the rumor is Ole Miss could have the edge for the Madison (Miss.) Madison Central tight end as the Rebels, the Gators, Alabama, LSU and Colorado stand out most.

Tennessee and Ohio State are two programs that remain high on Keefe’s early list – and there could be a lot of movement in the coming months – but Clemson has definitely piqued his interest after being at Clemson recently.

The 2026 receiver from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park loved hearing about the Tigers’ production from coach Dabo Swinney and watching film with position coach Tyler Grisham. A Clemson offer could be big for Keefe, who’s keeping all his options open especially with Florida State and Alabama visits coming up.

The four-star quarterback from Findlay, Ohio was at Georgia over the weekend and had an “awesome” time watching practice and meetings as the coaching staff told him they want him back for an official visit in June.

That’s being considered but the family will regroup after another round of visits to Florida and South Carolina, considered his two front-runners right now. The feeling is that the Gators and Gamecocks have made him priority No. 1 and Georgia is definitely interested but also balancing the possible flip of five-star QB Julian Lewis from USC.

His brother, Nnamdi, signed with Georgia in its 2024 class so that will absolutely be something to watch as the Bulldogs, Clemson, South Carolina, Notre Dame and Penn State have made the biggest impressions so far. Clemson did a great job when the 2026 four-star offensive tackle from Garner (S.C.) South Garner even if the Tigers haven’t offered yet,

Ogboko understands the different recruiting process there, and the four-star absolutely loved how position coach Matt Luke runs his room. Notre Dame offered over the weekend and will be one to watch.

Georgia is going to play a big role in Owusu-Boateng’s recruitment especially after a weekend visit there where the top-ranked outside linebacker got to see up close and personal the attention to detail and the development at practice.

The Bulldogs along with Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, Florida State, Miami, USC, South Carolina and others remain involved.

The four-star all-purpose back from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy remains committed to Alabama (he pledged in June) but is also “open to recruitment” and visited Auburn in recent days.

The pitch from the Tigers’ coaching staff was that they’d make him better on and off the field as Auburn, Georgia and Oregon are working hardest to flip Rogers.

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LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Houston are the programs standing out most for Thomas and the Tigers definitely impressed him a lot during a recent visit.

The Dickinson, Texas standout loved the brotherhood of the offensive linemen and position coach Brad Davis definitely stood out as LSU will definitely be a team to watch moving forward for the high three-star standout.

Missouri is one of the programs showing the most interest in the three-star defensive end from Monroe (La.) Neville and a recent visit to Columbia helped the Tigers even more. Coach Eli Drinkwitz talked about culture and building an edge as a team and it really stood out that position coach Brian Early spent time talking with him and his family.

Arkansas, TCU, Baylor and UCLA are also showing tons of attention. LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Texas A&M have been in contact.

A recent visit to Missouri definitely interested the three-star defensive end from De Soto, Kan., but the Tigers haven’t offered yet and position coach Brian Early is still working their board and putting the pieces together.

As it stands now, Minnesota and Iowa State are standing out most to Woleben in his recruitment.