Southeast Spotlight: Flip candidates for 2021
More than half of the 2021 prospects rated four stars or higher are currently committed to a college program and many of those commitments have come since the start of April. This uptick in spring commitments from previous years is likely to be mirrored by a higher percentage of decommitments when the NCAA re-opens recruiting and allows campus visits to take place.
With that in mind, we look at four prospects to watch from the Southeast who are potential flip candidates.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
Lewis has not been shy about his plans to take all of his official visits once the coronavirus pandemic crisis allows, so there may be some tense moments ahead for Tennessee. The four-star linebacker is by no means a lock to change his mind. It is, however, certain that a handful of programs will press hard down the stretch. Florida and Texas A&M figure to stay involved to some extent, and it’s safe to count on a new program or two emerging this fall. Keep in mind Lewis has only spent a few hours on Tennessee’s campus, so his official visit to Knoxville will have to solidify some things.
Reynolds is committed to Florida, and he appears to be fairly strong in his commitment, but from day one, he has planned to take other visits. Those visits could have happened this spring and summer, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, they will not happen until the fall. Reynolds recently told Rivals he is still in regular contact with Georgia and LSU, and he plans to officially visit both later this year. Others are still showing interest, but the Bulldogs and Tigers are two to keep an eye on.
Ole Miss and Louisville are already trying to flip the speedy Georgia Tech commit, but the biggest threat isn’t likely to be a program that has already offered. Rutherford was off to a red-hot start this spring and was likely robbed of additional offers when the summer camp circuit met its untimely end. It’s conceivable that a big senior season would lead to involvement from a number of new programs, including the in-state powers. Should that take place, Rutherford will have some difficult decisions to make. Tech has no reason to sweat just yet, but that could change this fall.
There’s no reason to think WIlliams is considering backing off his pledge, but whenever a player commits to a program 1,300 miles away from his family home without ever visiting campus, some skepticism will take hold. Still, the five-star’s verbal commitment is very much Oklahoma’s to lose. Should Williams’ official visit to Norman go as planned, he'll likely sign with the Sooners without much drama. If not, things could get interesting. Programs such as Florida and Georgia could reinsert themselves down the stretch if OU fails to wow Williams on a campus visit.