Hello and welcome back to another recruiting mailbag. We’re about six weeks away from June official visits starting, which should mark the beginning of a fun summer on the recruiting trail.
Thank you as always for reading our recruiting coverage and for your questions. Let’s dive in.
Editor’s Note: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What is the more difficult job from a recruiting standpoint: Arkansas or Kentucky? Neither is a state with a ton of talent and any elite talent is likely leaving. Also, neither school is especially close to the SEC talent that it needs to compete. If given the chance, which job are you taking? — Erik W.
This is a fun one to start us off and I’m curious what y’all think, as well.
If given the chance, I’m taking Arkansas.
Mark Stoops has done a remarkable job elevating the Kentucky program, and the Wildcats have more of a seat at the table now with top prospects than ever before. But Arkansas, to me, still has a richer football tradition with the 1964 national championship and big-time coaches such as Frank Broyles, Lou Holtz and Ken Hatfield. Arkansas still feels like a football school (even with the recent struggles), whereas the Wildcats have fought an uphill battle trying to convince the public they’re not just a basketball school. I suppose John Calipari is trying to change the perception at both schools, but I digress.
Arkansas has had a higher average player rating than Kentucky in three of the past five recruiting cycles, including in the Class of 2024 despite the Razorbacks going just 4-8 a season ago. I also like Arkansas’ proximity to Texas.
You’re right that both programs are in states where it’s hard to find elite talent, and both programs aren’t in the heart of SEC Country. But Arkansas at least borders Texas — one of the most talent-rich states in the country — and Fayetteville to the Dallas-Fort Worth area is only about six hours. The Razorbacks also have no true in-state rival like Kentucky has with Louisville. If top talent in Arkansas’ backyard wants to stay home, there’s really only one option.
For the last 10 years or so the No. 1 recruiting spot has gone to Alabama, Georgia, or one year with Texas A&M. With Nick Saban gone, rank these three choices with the likelihood of emerging with the recruiting crown this cycle. The options are Alabama, Georgia, or the field. Also who in the field could rise to the top? — Richard N.
1. Georgia. This is a no-brainer. As long as Kirby Smart is at Georgia, I’m not sure I’ll ever bet against the Bulldogs. They’re the gold standard of the sport right now — both on the recruiting trail and on the field — and don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
2. The field. Although I do believe Kalen DeBoer will hit his stride with the Crimson Tide, this is still a new program and a new part of the country for him. It will take time to make inroads at high schools in the SEC footprint, and top recruits will want to see how Alabama looks in the first season of the post-Saban era. Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon and Miami are all programs to keep an eye on. The Buckeyes, in particular, are off to a scorching start for 2025 with 11 blue-chippers (including three five-stars) among their 13 commitments and an average player rating of 94.70 that ranks first nationally.
3. Alabama. Again, this is no knock on DeBoer — I still expect him to sign a top-10 class.
With NIL, should a coach ever spend money on an incoming high school player? The vast majority of freshmen do not contribute on the field and the transfer situation is like free agency every year. So it may make sense to do it Deion (Sanders) style and pay only those guys who can play and contribute immediately. — Eric W.
It’s easier said than done, but I think you have to do both.
If I were a college football coach, my highest NIL priority would be landing a top quarterback out of the high school ranks. Nothing transforms a program like a generational talent at quarterback, and I think I’d be willing to ask my boosters to pay whatever it took to land an Arch Manning, a Trevor Lawrence, a Bryce Young, a Caleb Williams, etc. I’d want a superstar to build around, and nothing gives a program more buzz than a five-star coming through the doors.
From there, my next priority would be a big-time playmaker in the transfer portal — someone who proved it at his previous stop and is ready to take the next step at the highest level. Wide receiver would be the position I’d be most likely to pay up for.
Then I’d split up the remainder of the NIL money between non-quarterback high school prospects and anyone in the transfer portal who played a position of need on my team.
You’re correct that it’s hard to compete for significant playing time as a freshman. Manning, for example, redshirted in 2023 and appeared in just two games for Texas. But my fear with the Sanders method is that it’d be hard to convince high school players and coaches that I cared about developing talent if all of my attention and resources went to the portal. And, high school players have told us their main objective is still to get to the NFL.
The transfer portal is a great tool that, if used correctly, can transform a team. Look at Florida State in 2023. But it’s too risky to completely ignore the high school model and not allocate sufficient funds for those recruits. To his credit, Sanders scored a massive win on the recruiting front when he signed five-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton in the Class of 2024. But what happens if his transfer-heavy method doesn’t work and Colorado goes 4-8 again this year? Then what? Even in this ever-changing landscape of college football, the high school model is still a crucial piece of roster building. And once high school prospects feel ignored or put on the back burner, I’d imagine it’d be hard to get them back.
With NIL and open transfer rules, won’t some four- and even five-star high school players choose lower-profile programs where they can play immediately? There are only three main wideouts at Alabama, Georgia, Texas, etc. Most often those will be established starters or guys bought in the portal.
So why sit at those schools and wait your turn? Why not graduate high school early and enroll somewhere lower-profile in January? Get game tape preferably against P4 competition and then enter the portal in December after your freshman year. Won’t you have more value as an experienced P4 wideout with three years of eligibility, making up for losing out on true freshman NIL from an elite program where you might not see the field right away? — Shane B.
I think that philosophy has merit if you look at it on paper, but we have to remember that these high-level recruits are still extremely competitive human beings. If a prospect were to choose to play at a lower-profile program solely because he was afraid of getting lost on the depth chart as a true freshman, he’d be operating out of nothing but fear. Such a decision would essentially be an admission that he didn’t think he was talented enough to compete for early playing time at a Power 4 program. And that’s not how high-level competitors are wired.
Additionally, when Manny Navarro and I surveyed a couple dozen of the nation’s top prospects ahead of the Under Armour All-America game, a large number of them said their top priority was still to make it to the NFL — where the big bucks are. Even if a player doesn’t play much as a true freshman, he’s still getting the best coaching the sport has to offer if he plays at one of the premier programs. And as one junior college coach told us last year, even the perception of sitting on the bench for a top program still goes a long way in the transfer portal.
“If you’re a corner and all of a sudden this kid who played in eight games at Alabama — and you’re a junior college kid — and the Alabama kid enters the portal, he played in the SEC for eight games,” Iowa Western coach Scott Strohmeier said. “That’s gonna weigh a little bit more than the kid who’s coming out of a junior college. And so they’re gonna take him.”
GO DEEPER
Has the transfer portal killed junior college recruiting? ‘Someone had taken my scholarship’
Most interesting transfers so far this offseason? Let’s say your top five for quarterback and for non-QB transfers? — Grzegorz K.
Love this question. And if you haven’t checked out Max Olson’s coverage of the transfer portal, I encourage you to do so, as he is The Athletic’s portal guru. The portal just opened up again this week, but for the sake of covering the whole offseason, let’s include players who entered in December and January, as well.
Let’s start with quarterbacks:
5. Kyle McCord. The former Ohio State starter electing to transfer to Syracuse was one of the more surprising developments in the portal this offseason. McCord is a good enough quarterback to help Syracuse move the needle under new coach Fran Brown, but this is going to be a multi-year build. The Orange aren’t going to emerge as an ACC contender in one season, something McCord has to be OK with.
4. DJ Uiagalelei. The former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback is now at Florida State to compete against his old team in his old conference. Can he keep the Seminoles at the top of the ACC? Or will accuracy issues plague him? FSU has its quarterback of the future in Luke Kromenhoek, but how 2024 goes with Uiagalelei could be one of the most fascinating storylines in the sport.
3. Julian Sayin. The nation’s top quarterback in the Class of 2024, Sayin originally signed with Alabama out of Carlsbad (Calif.) High School. But when Saban retired, he entered the transfer portal and eventually enrolled at Ohio State. This might not have immediate repercussions in 2024, but it’s one of the more intriguing transfers of the offseason because of the future implications it will have. Ohio State had already signed lefty Air Noland, the No. 4 QB in the Class of 2024. It stands to reason both quarterbacks will not be on the Ohio State roster for their entire careers, given that one will get squeezed out for playing time. Which one will that be? And how did Noland feel when coaches picked up Sayin after initially making him their top priority on the recruiting trail?
2. Dillon Gabriel. The former Oklahoma starter is off to Oregon to replace Bo Nix, which means it’s now time for the Jackson Arnold era to begin for the Sooners. It will be fascinating to see which team ends up having a better season and how Gabriel fills Nix’s shoes as Oregon transitions into the Big Ten.
1. Cam Ward. Ward initially entered the transfer portal in December, then announced he would be entering the NFL Draft in January, then ultimately decided to stay put in college as the nation’s top transfer portal quarterback. The former Washington State star could be just what Mario Cristobal needs to get over the hump and get the Hurricanes back to national relevance. Is this the beginning of the Hurricanes taking the next step, or will Cristobal struggle again despite his ability to attract top talent to campus?
And non-quarterbacks:
5. Trevor Etienne. Etienne transferred to Georgia from Florida after another disappointing season for the Gators. The clock could be ticking for Billy Napier if he doesn’t right the ship this season. Etienne, the younger brother of former Clemson standout Travis Etienne, is a running back who can compete for a national championship with the Bulldogs. But he has had a disappointing offseason off the field; he was arrested and charged with DUI and reckless driving in March.
4. Walter Nolen. If nothing else, Nolen, the former Texas A&M defensive lineman, had my full attention when he cryptically warned any recruit going to Texas A&M to “read” his “contract thoroughly.” Nolen deleted the post, but it had all of our eyebrows raised there for a minute.
3. Trey Moore. The former UTSA linebacker is off to Texas after a standout sophomore season with the Roadrunners, featuring 17.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks (good for third-most in the FBS) and AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. This feels like a great fit for both sides as a Group of 5 star looks to take the next step.
2. Cormani McClain. Sanders pulled off quite the recruiting win in the Class of 2023 when he got McClain to flip from Miami to the Buffs. But now McClain is on the move after playing in just five games last season and recording only 13 tackles. Where will he end up? And what is his potential as a former five-star who didn’t do much as a freshman?
1. Kadyn Proctor. No explanation needed. I need a reality television show on his last few months ASAP.
Everyone has mixed feelings about NIL (myself included) but what is the coolest perk or most unique thing an athlete has received that you know of? — Sean.
What a great way to wrap us up.
There have been so many heartwarming stories of players giving back to their communities and their families thanks to NIL. NIL doesn’t have to be this evil entity that college coaches are constantly moaning about, and there are dozens of stories we could choose from.
My two favorite:
Four-star Florida defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson giving his mom the keys to her new home on Valentine’s Day.
HEARTWARMING: Florida DL signee D’Antre Robinson surprised his mother with a new home on Valentine’s Day using his NIL earnings❤️
(via @FleezyT12) https://t.co/GBw07cumYt pic.twitter.com/ceqfONtCjB
— On3 (@On3sports) February 20, 2024
And Indiana guard Anthony Leal, from the men’s basketball team, surprising his sister on Christmas morning by letting her know he paid off the rest of her student loans.
Indiana forward Anthony Leal used his NIL money to pay off his sister’s student loans for Christmas ❤️
(via @btownl3alfam1) pic.twitter.com/Qz6bD252tD
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 26, 2022
Grab some tissues.
(Photo of Kalen DeBoer: Gary Cosby Jr. / Tuscaloosa News / USA Today Network)
