Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge: Recruiting questions that could be answered
The Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge is Thursday in Atlanta and many of the top prospects nationally will be at the event. Here are 10 recruiting questions we would like answered at the event:
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IS SWANN ON FLIP WATCH?
On March 1, AJ Swann committed to Maryland and it was a big win for the Terrapins dipping into the Southeast for one of the most competitive and talented quarterbacks in the 2022 class. But in the ensuing months, Georgia Tech has continued to pursue the Canton (Ga.) Cherokee standout and that coaching staff can be very persuasive. It could also be picking up even more as the Yellow Jackets continue to look for a quarterback in this class after missing on MJ Morris and others.
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HOW IT ETIENNE’S RECRUITMENT SHAPING UP?
There are all kinds of rumors about Trevor Etienne’s recruitment so it will be interesting to see how things are shaping up. Some of the chatter includes that LSU could have running backs higher on the board and that Clemson remains an option (his brother played there), Georgia is talking to him a lot even with Branson Robinson as the No. 1 target and then Auburn, Penn State and others have been mentioned, too. Hearing exactly what’s going on from the Jennings, La., standout will be important.
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IS NOTRE DAME MAKING A MOVE FOR HAYDEN?
The four-star from Memphis (Tenn.) Christian Brothers has seen all Notre Dame has to offer over the computer but getting there this past weekend was monumental in his recruitment. He still has to visit Ohio State next weekend and the Buckeyes are in the hunt for running backs as well but everything went well for Dallas Hayden in South Bend. When asked what stood out about his Notre Dame visit, Hayden said “everything.”
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IS DELP A LOCK TO GEORGIA?
Georgia was the early front-runner for four-star tight end Oscar Delp but the Bulldogs had to dodge some major visits including one to Alabama (and more trips should be coming) but it feels like Georgia is close to locking up the Cumming (Ga.) West Forsyth standout. After a recent visit to Athens went really well, it sounds like Georgia is going to be tough to beat. Others are still going to push but the Bulldogs have the edge in his recruitment it sounds like.
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WILL GEORGIA GET BOTH JOINER AND HOOD?
Two of the top offensive linemen expected at the Five-Star Challenge are Nashville (Tenn.) Hillsboro’s Jacob Hood and 2023 standout Bradyn Joiner out of Auburn, Ala. Joiner recently took a visit to Georgia and absolutely loved it and even wore a UGA sweatshirt to the Rivals Camp in Atlanta earlier this offseason. Georgia, Miami and Auburn are the three front-runners for the 6-foot-8, 330-pound Hood, who took a visit to Athens over the weekend and said the coaching staff was wowed by his size.
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IS WIGGINS GOING TO STAY IN BATON ROUGE?
One of the fastest risers in the 2022 class is Quency Wiggins, who has dominated at camps so far this summer and has made it clear that he could be one of the best players at his position. The four-star defensive end is from Baton Rouge (La.) Madison Prep could easily end up at LSU like so many in-state standouts but Alabama just offered him and the rumor is the Crimson Tide coaching staff absolutely love him. That could mean the full-court press will be put on Wiggins and Alabama doesn’t lose many of those battles.
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WILL WILLIAMS SURPRISE PEOPLE?
There is some talk that USC has now surged to the top for Mykel Williams, who looked like he was going to commit to Georgia a few months ago, after his visit out West this past weekend. But Georgia Tech cannot be counted out and that he’s also taking a visit to Kentucky where Williams has a lot of connections as well. Georgia can also not be counted out as the Bulldogs continue to push for the Columbus (Ga.) Hardaway standout. Getting a feel if the Trojans are that far out front will be interesting in the coming days.
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IS SNEED A LOCK TO NOTRE DAME?
Jaylen Sneed was outstanding at the Rivals Camp in Atlanta, especially in coverage down the field where he could show off his speed and playmaking ability. The four-star linebacker from Hilton Head, S.C., was great at the Future 50 event this past weekend as well and now he’s headed out on an official visit to Notre Dame. Oregon, Texas A&M, Tennessee and North Carolina are some other programs nvolved in his recruitment but it would be a shock if he didn’t end up in South Bend. And Sneed could be in the running for five-star consideration.
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WHAT WILL MURPHY DO?
Five-star linebacker Shawn Murphy has had one of the more interesting recruitments in the 2022 class. Ohio State has been involved for a long time. He has said Oregon was recruiting him the hardest. Visits to Georgia and Florida went super well in recent days and then Florida State and LSU are more involved now. So where is the Manassas (Va.) Unity Reed standout and his top schools now. It will be important to see where Murphy stands especially after those recent SEC visits that could be changing things up.
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ARE LOCAL SCHOOLS LEADING FOR MULLEN?
For months, Trevell Mullen had Indiana as his front-runner. It made sense. The four-star cornerback from Cocount Creek, Fla., looked like he was going to be a steal for the Hoosiers just like his brother, Tiawan, was a few recruiting cycles ago. But Florida State had him on campus recently and Miami has also stepped it up with Mullen. For an in-state prospect now being heavily pursued by the Seminoles and the Hurricanes, it would be a huge recruiting coup if Indiana could hang on. It’s gotten a whole lot tougher for the Hoosiers.