DECISION DAY
Although most of the top college football prospects chose to sign in December, six top-50 national recruits are scheduled to sign today:OT DARNELL WRIGHTHometown: Huntington, W.Va.247 composite rank: 10thExpected pick: TennesseeWR GEORGE PICKENSHometown: Hoover, Ala.247 composite rank: 24thExpected pick: AuburnRB JERRION EALYHometown: Flowood, Miss.247 composite rank: 29thExpected pick: ClemsonOLB HENRY TO’OTO’OHometown: Concord, Calif.247 composite rank: 44thExpected pick: AlabamaDT ISHMAEL SOPSHERHometown: Amite, La.247 composite rank: 47thExpected pick: LSUCB KAIIR ELAMHometown: North Palm Beach, Fla.247 composite rank: 48thExpected pick: Florida
The continued impact of college football’s early signing period will be evident today at the University of Georgia.
Once upon a time, rabid Bulldogs fans would descend into Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall on February’s first Wednesday to celebrate the newest class of football signees. Coffee and doughnuts would welcome those supporters who arrived those mornings as early as 7:30 or 8 to cheer each letter of intent that was faxed to Athens, and the fans would salivate around lunchtime, when Georgia’s head coach and several assistants would discuss their future players.
Bulldogs coaches also would address the media, but such an extravaganza will not take place today. Georgia signed 22 players in the December period, with 14 of those having already enrolled.
“There are no plans for a press conference,” Georgia senior associate athletic director Claude Felton said this week. “We will be posting whatever signees we may get on our website.”
Georgia’s class of signees ranks No. 2 nationally on the 247Sports.com team rankings behind Alabama, and the Bulldogs have not added any commitments since December. The NCAA implemented an early signing period during the 2017-18 recruiting cycle, so this is the second go-around in which prospects can end their recruiting process before Christmas.
The Bulldogs signed the nation’s top overall recruit – weakside defensive end Nolan Smith of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida – in the December period. They also added quarterbacks Dwan Mathis and Stetson Bennett to help counter the departure of Justin Fields, who transferred to Ohio State.
John Rhys Plumlee, a four-star quarterback out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, had been committed to Georgia but switched Monday night to Ole Miss. Plumlee is also a baseball standout and plans to play both sports, and Georgia reportedly had wanted Plumlee to enroll early.
“God’s plan unfolds in His time, not ours,” Plumlee posted on Twitter when announcing his choice of the Rebels.
Georgia’s biggest remaining target is cornerback Kaiir Elam of North Palm Beach, Florida. The No. 48 overall prospect on the 247Sports composite rankings will be choosing today between the Bulldogs and Florida, with most recruiting analysts expecting him to select the Gators.
Alabama entered today with three commitments from four-star players: defensive end Khris Bogle of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; defensive tackle Byron Young of Laurel, Mississippi; and running back Keilan Robinson of Washington, D.C. Bogle has been courted in recent weeks by Florida and could flip to the Gators.
Alabama coach Nick Saban does have a news conference scheduled for late this afternoon to address his 10th top-rated class in the last 12 years.
Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma round out the top-five classes, according to 247Sports, and all three former Southwest Conference members have never finished together in the top five of the same recruiting cycle. By comparison, Florida, Florida State and Miami have never finished outside the top 10 as a trio, but that is a possibility today.
Florida is No. 11 in the 247Sports team rankings and is expected to add Elam, but Auburn is No. 12 and has the potential today to attract three top-100 signees: receiver George Pickens of Hoover, Alabama; defensive end Charles Moore of Louisville, Mississippi; and athlete Mark-Antony Richards of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Anoma in portal
Alabama outside linebacker Eyabi Anoma, the Crimson Tide’s top-rated signee in their 2018 class, has entered the NCAA transfer portal, which allows other schools to contact him. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Anoma had nine tackles and two tackles for loss this past season as a freshman.
Anoma is from Baltimore, and several media outlets reported Tuesday that he could reunite with former Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley at Maryland.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.