The more early enrollees, the fewer 11th-hour dramas.
College football's national signing day is a week from today, and the number of elite prospects taking their decisions to the wire continues to decrease annually.
Alabama recently welcomed a program-record 12 midyear enrollees that included the five-star likes of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, tailback Najee Harris, receiver Jerry Jeudy, offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood and linebacker Dylan Moses. Five-star safety Richard LeCounte III is among Georgia's six early enrollees, while five-star offensive tackle Trey Smith is among Tennessee's five.
Yet there are a handful of elite prospects who haven't made a public pledge, including 6-foot-4, 330-pound defensive tackle Marvin Wilson from the Houston suburb of Bellaire. Wilson could give Ed Orgeron a top-five recruiting class less than two months after Orgeron was named LSU's coach on a permanent basis.
"Marvin Wilson is one of the highest players left who is uncommitted, so he is certainly one to watch," ESPN recruiting analyst Derek Tyson said. "He has been interested in LSU, Texas and Houston and even threw USF in there, which is due to his relationship with Charlie Strong."
Wilson, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings, also is considering Michigan, Texas A&M, Florida State and Ohio State. LSU has been in the mix for the past couple of years and would love to add him to six early enrollees who include five-star safety JaCoby Stevens from Murfreesboro Oakland.
Other top uncommitted prospects in the Southeastern Conference footprint include defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon (6-3, 288) of Leesburg, Ga., and defensive end LaBryan Ray (6-4, 260) of Madison, Ala. Solomon is No. 25 in the 247Sports national player rankings, while Ray is No. 26.
Solomon is expected to choose among Alabama, Georgia and Michigan, while the Crimson Tide are considered the team to beat for Ray.
"LaBryan Ray really likes Alabama, but he has visited Tennessee and will also visit Florida," Tyson said. "I've heard he is more open to leaving the state than people think, so that will be a good battle to watch as well."
Among the top committed players to keep an eye on is Jamyest Williams, a 5-9, 170-pound cornerback from Loganville, Ga. The nation's No. 74 overall prospect committed to South Carolina last August but visited Georgia this past weekend.
"I will not be doing any interviews until Feb. 1, after I make my final decision," Williams posted this week on Twitter.
The Gamecocks already took a hit this week when Hamsah Nasirildeen, a 6-3, 210-pound outside linebacker from Concord, N.C., who is ranked as the nation's No. 111 overall prospect, flipped his commitment to Florida State. Nasirildeen's defection caused South Carolina to drop from No. 15 to No. 20 in the 247Sports team rankings.
McGraw to Murray State
Former Georgia defensive back Rico McGraw will play his final two seasons at Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference. The 6-foot, 195-pounder signed with the Bulldogs in 2015 out of Ensworth in Nashville and played in nine games as a freshman, making five starts and 20 tackles.
McGraw played in just two games - against Ole Miss and Louisiana-Lafayette - this past season and was most remembered for running on the field without his helmet and receiving a 15-yard penalty following Jacob Eason's 47-yard touchdown pass to Riley Ridley with 10 seconds remaining against Tennessee.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.