Read more on signings
List of 2015 SEC football commitments McKenzie eager to continue family heroics with Vols UTC 'fighting battles' for 'difference-makers' Tennessee Vols avoiding recruiting fallout from Bajakian's departure Brady's recruiting path is different Toser, Brewer finding scholarships scarce for kickers
January has come and gone in college football recruiting for 2015, with the month again providing a minimal punch.
Alabama did add five commitments to its top-rated class, including five-star talents such as running back Damien Harris and defensive tackle Daron Payne, but rarely are Southeastern Conference teams compiling more than that in what once was the busiest month of all. Tennessee also collected five commitments in January, but Georgia notched just two.
"It used to be that schools would go into January with just a handful of commitments, maybe four or five, and then they would fill out their classes," said JC Shurburtt, the national recruiting director for 247Sports.com. "That's when the battles were fought, but now the battles are fought year round. What it's done is taken some of the suspense away from fans."
An empty Neyland Stadium awaits the Big Orange faithful before the Alabama game in this Oct. 25, 2014, photo.This Wednesday, which is national signing day, should not have much of an impact on the top-10 classes assembled by Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Those schools combined to produce 25 early enrollees, but there should be some drama when a handful of elite undecided prospects reveal their destinations on ESPNU.
Three of the top seven players in 247Sports.com's national composite rankings are from Florida, and Shurburtt is projecting them to go their separate ways.
On Martrez Ivey (the 6-foot-6, 275-pound tackle from Apopka is the No. 2 overall prospect): "I think he's going to stick with Florida. Auburn is right there, and I think Auburn feels good about him, but I think he's the big one Jim McElwain keeps."
On CeCe Jefferson (the 6-2, 265-pound defensive end from Glen Saint Mary is the No. 7 overall prospect): "CeCe Jefferson was once a Florida lock, but now I think he will become the latest steal by Hugh Freeze. Ole Miss has been recruiting very well on the defensive line, and I think Ole Miss is in very good shape to get him."
On Byron Cowart (the 6-4, 250-pound defensive end from Armwood is the No. 3 overall prospect): "Cowart was a Florida lock like Jefferson and Ivey, but then the (Will) Muschamp thing happened, and I think he will go to Auburn and fill a great need at pass-rusher. He will play immediately."
Shurburtt also projects outside linebacker Jeffrey Holland from Jacksonville to wind up at Auburn, which could make Muschamp going from Florida's head coach to Auburn's defensive coordinator and swiping multiple Gators targetsthis winter's top SEC recruiting storyline. Florida is paying Muschamp $2 million each of these next three years as part of his buyout.
SEC recruiting rankings
1. ALABAMA -- The Crimson Tide lost a commitment this past week from safety Rico McGraw of Nashville's Ensworth High, who was scheduled to visit Georgia this weekend. Numerous 2016 prospects were expected to descend on Tuscaloosa this weekend, while one of the last scheduled 2015 guests, cornerback/return specialist Holton Hill of Houston, scratched plans and committed Friday to Texas. Hill is rated the No. 80 overall prospect nationally by 247Sports.com. 2. TENNESSEE -- According to 247Sports, the Volunteers could sign at least six players Wednesday ranked among the top 10 nationally at their positions, and that is excluding the 10 early enrollees. Those ranked among the top 10 are defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie (No. 2), receiver Preston Williams (No. 7), dual-threat quarterback Sheriron Jones (No. 7), punter Tommy Townsend (No. 7), long-snapper Riley Lovingood (No. 4) and cornerback Justin Martin (No. 2 in junior college). 3. GEORGIA -- The Bulldogs were scheduled to receive visits this weekend from Ensworth's McGraw and Tyler Howell, a 6-foot-9, 302-pounder from Butler County (Kan.) Community College who has committed to Missouri. Howell is rated as the No. 5 junior college tackle prospect. Also visiting Athens is Bulldogs commitment Trenton Thompson, the defensive tackle from Albany, Ga., who is rated the nation's top overall prospect by 247Sports. 4. TEXAS A&M -- Kyler Murray from Allen, Texas, has been committed to the Aggies since last May, but that had not stopped rival Texas from making a push at the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback. Murray announced Friday via Twitter that he was "following my heart" and sticking with the Aggies. Texas A&M has racked up offensive firepower with Murray and early-enrollee receiver Christian Kirk, as well as heralded safety prospects Justin Evans, Justin Dunning and Larry Pryor. 5. LSU -- The Tigers received a commitment this past week from running back Lanard Fournette, the two-star brother of last year's five-star rusher, Leonard Fournette. Scheduled to visit this weekend was defensive end CeCe Jefferson of Glen Saint Mary, Fla., who most expect to choose between Ole Miss and Florida. Also scheduled in was Leo Lewis, an Ole Miss commitment who 247Sports rates as the nation's top inside linebacker. 6. AUBURN -- Former South Carolina commitment Arden Key, the No. 4 weakside defensive end nationally, canceled his visit for this weekend and could decide between LSU and South Carolina. Gus Malzahn's Tigers could clinch the nation's best name by landing 6-8, 250-pound defensive end Prince Tega Wanogho of Elmore, Ala., who is from Nigeria and did not start playing football until August. Wanogho was scheduled to visit this weekend. 7. OLE MISS -- Scheduled to visit Oxford this weekend were two defensive tackles, Kevin Scott of Los Angeles and Ross Donelly of Cypress, Texas. Southern California is believed to be the team to beat for Scott, while Donelly could wind up choosing among Ole Miss, Stanford and Vanderbilt. Touted tackle commitment Drew Richmond of Memphis has not been lacking for coveting colleges and elected to visit Tennessee this weekend. 8. SOUTH CAROLINA -- One of the bigger stories this winter has been the multiple decommitments the Gamecocks have suffered as a result of Steve Spurrier saying he would coach "two or three" more years, which he had to revise again to "four or five." That has overshadowed the fact South Carolina could have immediate help at defensive end with the junior college duo of Marquavius Lewis (Hutchinson in Kansas) and Dante Sawyer (East Mississippi CC). 9. MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Bulldogs appear to be holding on for Jamal Peters, the nation's No. 3 safety, despite pursuit from other SEC schools. Peters, who committed last July, visited LSU last weekend. Scheduled to be in Starkville this weekend was Kiola Mahoni, a 6-3, 305-pound guard from College of San Mateo in California. 10. ARKANSAS -- North Little Rock receiver K.J. Hill committed to the Razorbacks neary two years ago but earlier this month opened his recruitment and visited Alabama and Ohio State the past two weekends. The nation's No. 18 receiver would be one of the top signees in Bret Bielema's third class in Fayetteville. 11. MISSOURI -- It's now or never for the Tigers regarding Terry Buckner Jr. of East St. Louis, Ill. The nation's No. 3 defensive tackle according to 247Sports is thought to be heading in Gary Pinkel's direction and is visiting Mizzou this weekend, but he was at Auburn two weeks ago and Ohio State last weekend. Missouri lost out to the Buckeyes two years ago for another East St. Louis prospect, running back and 2015 Heisman Trophy favorite Ezekiel Elliott. 12. KENTUCKY -- Holding on to cornerback commitment Jeremiah Dinson became too tall a task for the Wildcats, as Dinson visited Auburn recently and flipped to the Tigers. Dinson may have been Kentucky's most prominent commitment, though tight end C.J. Conrad of LaGrange, Ohio, is rated No. 11 nationally at his position by 247Sports. 13. VANDERBILT -- The highest-rated Commodores commitment according to 247Sports is Josh Smith of Oakland High in Murfreesboro, who is the nation's No. 3 inside linebacker. Kyle Shurmur of Glenside, Pa., is rated the No. 14 pro-style prospect nationally. 14. FLORIDA -- Several prospects who have committed elsewhere were scheduled to visit Gainesville this weekend, including cornerback Montrell Custis (Alabama), outside linebacker Richard McBryde (Auburn) and receiver Van Jefferson (Ole Miss). The Gators also were scheduled to host receiver Antonio Callaway of Miami, who is expected to pick between Miami and Florida.
ITT Tech or Phoenix
Running back Soso Jamabo of Plano, Texas, rated by 247Sports as the nation's No. 32 overall prospect, got some attention this past week by announcing his two finalists were the University of Phoenix and the ITT Technical Institute. Jamabo obviously is familiar with the alternatives seen frequently on television commercials, but the 6-1, 210-pounder actually is choosing between Texas and UCLA.
"He's the most overrated running back prospect in the country, so it's not a surprise that little clown show happened," Shurburtt said. "I'm not trying to bash the kid. It's just the truth. I think at the end of the day that Charlie Strong gets him to go to Texas.
"He'll also get a kid named Chris Warren, who is ranked lower and has less hype, but he will outplay Soso and get more carries and have a more productive year."
Not going to Athens
Jamabo's antics did not impress Shurburtt, but that wasn't the case with Atlanta defensive end Arden Key, the No. 82 overall prospect according to 247Sports. Key committed to South Carolina but then opened his recruitment, visiting LSU and South Carolina in recent weeks before scheduling and then canceling a trip this weekend to Auburn.
"At the Under Armour Game, he went on the record when people kept saying he was going to flip to Georgia," Shurburtt said. "He said, 'I am not going to Georgia. I am not going to Georgia.' He said it back to back, and it was like Marshawn Lynch saying, 'I'm just here so I don't get fined.'
"I had never heard that, and I respected his honesty. That was something new to see happen on camera, and he hasn't visited there yet. It would be the weirdest story of the year if he winds up at Georgia."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.