Friday Night Notes: 5-stars visiting Michigan, Colorado’s QB targets, plus more

The lead in the 2024 recruiting cycle changed hands again this week.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

The lead in the 2024 recruiting cycle changed hands again this week. Michigan had been on top, but the recent arrival of QB1 Dylan Raiola, plus a few more three- and four-star commitments this past week, put Georgia at No. 1 nationally.

Going by the 247Sports composite rankings, the Bulldogs’ class of 2024 is now at 270.65 points, more than 20 points ahead of the second-ranked Wolverines (250.12). It will take a lot of work to recover that lead for Jim Harbaugh and the rest of his program. Adding a couple of blue-chip prospects would certainly make a difference, though.

On that score, help may soon be on the way.

According to Wolverines Wire Trent Knoop, Justin Scott will be visiting Ann Arbor on June 9. The composite rankings have Scott (6-foot-4, 310 pounds) as the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Illinois, plus No. 3 at his position and No. 12 nationally in the class of 2024.

Scott has offers from 29 other programs and will also be visiting Georgia, Miami, and Ohio State next month. On3’s prediction model currently has Miami as the favorite to get his commitment at 69.8%, followed by Notre Dame at 20.2%, then Georgia at 6.3%. Michigan is at less than 1%.

Scott won’t be the only five-star recruit in Ann Arbor that weekend, though.

According to On3 Recruits, Saint Louis University (Mo.) five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo will also be in town for an official visit on June 9. Wingo (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) is ranked second overall in Missouri, fifth among wide receivers and No. 21 nationally in the 2024 class.

Wingo also has offers from 41 other programs, though. The list of contenders that are considered warm to get his commitment include GeorgiaMichigan, Missouri, TexasAlabamaClemson, Miami, OregonTennessee and Texas A&M.

Friday Night Notes: Dylan Raiola’s recruiting impact, Kentucky’s new QB commit, plus more

This week’s edition of Friday Night Notes will be all about the most important position in the game and three recruits who could soon be making a massive impact at the highest level of college competition.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

While there’s something to be said for building a complete football team, the quickest path to victory is and will always be quality quarterback play.

This week’s edition of Friday Night Notes will be all about the most important position in the game, with three recruits who could soon be making a massive impact at the highest level of college competition.

We begin in Athens, Georgia, where the reigning kings of NCAA football pulled off a stunning victory this week. On Monday, the No. 1 quarterback and top-overall recruit in the class of 2024 – Pinnacle (Ariz.) QB Dylan Raiola – announced his commitment to the Bulldogs.

Raiola (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) gives a team that’s dominated defensively the last two years one of the most talented QBs in the country. His impact will go beyond what he does on the field, though. With Raiola in the fold, Athens is even more so a hot destination for top-rated recruits.

The best name they could hope to bring in is five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is committed to Ohio State, where Raiola had once been committed. If he can be convinced to follow Raiola, the Bulldogs will soon get No. 1 talents at the two most-critical offensive positions in the modern game.

Smith is far from the only playmaker who’d be interested in teaming with Raiola, of course. According to Adam Gorney at Rivals, Silsbee (Texas) four-star receiver Dre’Lon Miller, St. Louis University (Mo.) five-star wideout Ryan Wingo and 2025’s No. 1 ranked running back, Mater Dei’s Jordon Davison are all considering Georgia more closely now.

If Georgia can recruit all of them and keep their defense going at a respectable level, they’ll be in dynasty territory. You can read more about Raiola’s recruitment and Bulldogs football in general at UGA Wire.

Friday Night Notes: Top ’25 QB visits Ohio State, Oregon’s big OT prospect and more

Bryce Underwood is the No. 1 quarterback prospect and ranks third nationally in the class of 2025.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Belleville (Mich.) five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood is the No. 1 QB prospect in the class of 2025 and ranks third nationally.

It appears that Underwood’s recruitment might be becoming a battle between two of the most bitter rivals in college football: Ohio State and Michigan. Naturally, that rivalry has spilled over into the recruiting race, where the Wolverines and Buckeyes rank first and second respectively in the 2024 cycle. Obviously, landing a rare talent like Underwood at the game’s most-important position would be a massive win for one Big Ten power over the other.

Last weekend, Underwood visited the Ohio State campus after participating in the Under Armour All-American Camp Series in Columbus. Underwood shared a photo of himself decked out in Buckeyes gear and a WWE championship belt.

Underwood told Steve Wiltfong at 247Sports that he and his family enjoyed their visit.

However, his home state is Michigan, where he ranks as the top player overall and the Wolverines are the favorite to get Underwood’s commitment. He has reportedly visited their campus three times in the last couple of months. On3’s prediction model is pegging their chances at 35.5%. Next it’s Michigan State (22.3%), then Ohio State (11.6%).

Of course these are far from the only programs that are interested. According to 247 Sports, Underwood has received offers from 35 schools.

Read more at Buckeyes Wire.

Friday Night Notes: Notre Dame’s dominance, Dylan Raiola update and more

Reviewing Notre Dame’s hot surge on the recruiting trail, where Dylan Raiola is now trending and how Texas is trying to catch up in the 2024 cycle.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Last week we opened Friday Night Notes with a list of five college programs that stood out in the recruiting game. Michigan was on top, with honorable mentions for LSU, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Notre Dame. One of them stood head and shoulders above the competition this week, though.

Specifically, the Fighting Irish have dominated the 2024 recruiting cycle over the last eight days by picking up the following four recruits.

[Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
Warner Robbins (Ga.) 4-star WR Isiah Canion (April 27)

First, Notre Dame won out over 15 other schools for Canion’s commitment. According to the composite rankings, he’s currently No. 29 at his position and No. 28 overall in the ultra-competitive state of Georgia.

Charlotte Christian (NC) 4-star EDGE Bryce Young (April 29)

Two days later, the Irish gave a big boost to their defensive line with Bryce Young – no relation to the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Young is already an NFL-sized lineman at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds.

Chandler (Ariz.): 3-star S Kennedy Urlacher (May 1)

On Monday, Notre Dame added even more namepower, picking up a commitment from Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher’s son Kennedy. He turned down offers from 19 other schools.

Charlotte Christian (NC): 4-star WR Micah Gilbert (May 2)

Last but not least, they added another four-star receiver on Tuesday with Young’s teammate Gilbert, who’s the fifth-ranked player in North Carolina. He says his choice was about the pedigree:

“Notre Dame has that pedigree… I love what they have done in the past. They have a great reputation on and off the field, and the visit pushed them over the top. Everywhere I went, I had my list of requirements. And Notre Dame had everything I was looking for…”

Thanks to this influx of talent, the Fighting Irish class of 2024 has risen to No. 4 in the national rankings.

For more stories about Notre Dame football, check out Fighting Irish Wire.

Friday Night Notes: 13 recruiting stories from around the College Wires network

We will take a tour of the recruiting landscape through over a dozen links to stories from around the College Wires network.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

As an unpredictable 2023 NFL draft unfolds in Kansas City, the best high school football players around the country continue their climb to the next level. On this week’s edition of Friday Night Notes, we will be playing the proverbial point guard – or game manager quarterback – if you prefer.

Instead of going through a deeper dive on a few recruiting updates, we will take a scrolling tour of the landscape through over a dozen links to recruiting stories from around the College Wires network.

First, we will share a few quick notes on five college football programs that stood out this week in the 2024 recruiting race.

1. Michigan

There’s a new leader in this recruiting cycle. By picking up commitments from a pair of blue chip prospects earlier this week, the Wolverines knocked off arch-rival Ohio State from the No. 1 spot in the country.

2. Arkansas

While top billing went to Ann Arbor, no school made more overall progress this past week than Arkansas. Last weekend the Razorbacks picked up commitments from four new recruits for their class of 2024. Arkansas now ranks No. 14 in the nation.

3. Notre Dame

Just yesterday two more blue-chip recruits made commitments to Power 5 programs. The Fighting Irish got one in Warner Robins (Ga.) four-star wide receiver Isiah Canion. Going by the composite rankings, he’s No. 29 at his position, also No. 29 in the state and No. 194 nationally.

4. Oklahoma

The Sooners also got themselves a four-star wide receiver on Thursday in Zion Kearney from Hightower (Texas). Kearney had offers from 33 other schools, including Arkansas, Colorado, LSU, Oregon and Washington. His arrival pushes Oklahoma into the top 25 (more on that later).

5. LSU 

Last but not least, LSU also picked up a pair of four-star recruits. Over the weekend, they got Denham Springs (La.) safety Dashawn McBryde to commit. On Wednesday they followed that up by recruiting East Feliciana (La.) four-star tight end Trey’Dez Green.

Friday Night Notes: Charles Lester III’s top 4, Colorado’s flip targets and more

The latest example is the interest in Riverview (Fla.) five-star cornerback Charles Lester III.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Cornerback play is a critical part of winning in modern football. Programs that understand this and take it to heart will inevitably have an advantage over those that do not. It should be no surprise then that the top college football teams around the country are consistently in the running to recruit the best high school cornerbacks.

The latest example is the interest in Riverview (Fla.) five-star cornerback Charles Lester III. Twenty-seven different schools have extended offers so far, but Lester recently announced that his top four choices are Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Ohio State.

Lester (6-foot-1, 171 pounds) is making the rounds for his final four. Last weekend he was in Athens according to his Instagram page. He’s also been to Columbus recently and told Sports Illustrated he enjoyed it.

“I was just enjoying the time around the players and coaches. They have a history of producing great DBs.Coach (Ryan Day) just basically told me he would love for me to be a part of the program.”

Lester also has experience on the other side of the ball, posting 53 catches, 652 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons as a receiver.

Going by the composite rankings, Lester is the second-best cornerback in the 2024 class. He ranks No. 4 overall in Florida and No. 15 nationally.

Read more at Buckeyes Wire.

Friday Night Notes: Florida lands 5-star DB, Malik Blocton names his top 10 schools and more

The most significant recruitment of the week happened Thursday, when the Florida Gators got a commitment from one of the top safeties in Texas.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

The Florida Gators earned themselves the biggest recruiting prize of the week on Thursday when they got a commitment from one of the top-ranked defensive backs in the recruiting class of 2024.

Here’s how McKinney (Texas) five-star safety Xavier Filsaime announced that he’s on his way to the swamp.

Filsaime had offers from 32 other programs, including Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Pitt.

Asked why he picked the Gators, he told Hayes Fawcett at On3 he feels close with Billy Napier’s staff and likes how they plan to use him.

“What really stood out is the vibe and chemistry I had with the coaches when I first met them in person… I’m close with a few guys… Coach CJ, Joe Hamilton, and coach Armstrong are the main guys I really talk to on a regular basis. But the way the plan on using me in their defense is not really much different from my high school coaches. Playing man, zone, and a lot more blitzing with me.”

Going by the composite rankings, Filsaime (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) is currently No. 2 among safeties in his class behind Buford (Ga.)’s uncommitted star, KJ Bolden. He’s also the No. 7 ranked recruit in the state of Texas and No. 36 overall in his class.

That makes seven hard commits for Florida’s class of 2024. Filsaime is the second-highest ranked prospect behind Willis (Texas) five-star quarterback DJ Lagway. This group ranks No. 6 in the nation.

For more Florida football news, follow USA TODAY’s Gators Wire.

Friday Night Notes: TCU’s new QB, TJ Moore’s top 13 schools and more

Hejny marks the first commitment for TCU in the ’24 recruiting cycle.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

TCU made it all the way to the national championship this past season, only to get blown out by Georgia. If they intend to return to the big stage, they must retool at several key positions this offseason. With starting quarterback Max Duggan having declared for the 2023 NFL draft, they’ll definitely need to include a QB on the list. Help is on the way, though.

On Thursday, Aledo (Texas) three-star quarterback Hauss Hajny announced his commitment to the Horned Frogs with the following message he shared on his Twitter account.

“After much consideration, I’m proud to announce my commitment to Texas Christian University. As someone who has grown up with purple in my blood, becoming a Horned Frog is a lifelong dream come true. I know that my success is not mine alone. I owe everything to God’s grace and guidance, as well as my incredible support system of family, friends, and coaches who have believed in me every step of the way. To the coaches who have been a part of my recruiting journey, thank you for your time and investment in me and my family. I can’t wait to begin this next chapter as a Horned Frog and make all of you proud. #GoFrogs.”

via @HaussHejny

Hejny (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) also had offers from Duke, Austin Peay, Baylor, Cal, Campbell, Houston, Nebraska, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Utah, UTSA and West Virginia.

According to the composite rankings, Hejny is No. 43 among quarterbacks in the class of 2024 and No. 114 overall in the state of Texas.

Hejny marks the first commitment for TCU in the ’24 recruiting cycle.

Friday Night Notes: Auburn’s ‘phat’ new RB, Georgia hosts No. 1 recruit and more

We begin this week with the latest high school football recruiting news, hot off the presses.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2024 to ’25 and beyond.

We begin this week with the latest high school football recruiting news, hot off the presses.

This morning Andalusia (Ala.) four-star running back J’Marion “Phat” Burnette announced his commitment to Auburn.

According to On3, Burnette had offers from 27 different programs. Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee were also among his finalists.

As his nickname suggests, Burnette comes with plus size at his position, checking in at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. He’s put that huge frame to work, posting 3,724 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on 513 attempts (7.3 yards per carry) over the last two seasons.

ESPN currently has him ranked No. 8 among running backs, while On3 has him as low as No. 28. Going by the composite rankings, he is No. 10 at the position in his class and No. 8 overall in the state of Alabama.

Burnette joins an already-loaded RB room at Auburn. He makes four hard commits for their recruiting class of 2024. They also have two four-star cornerbacks as well as Arkansas four-star quarterback Walker White. The group ranks No. 18 in the nation.

Friday Night Notes: Georgia’s new 4-star Athlete, Colorado’s spring recruiting blitz and more

A look at the latest high school football recruiting news around the U.S.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2024 to ’25 and beyond.

The king stays the king. And right now, the kings of college football are the Georgia Bulldogs, who are dominating the competition both on the field and in the recruiting game. Georgia is coming off their second consecutive national championship as well as putting together the No. 2 ranked recruiting class of 2023. Neither is an accident, especially since they spent about 50% more on recruiting than any other Power 5 program in 2022.

While it’s no guarantee of success, outspending your opponents by a wide margin is a strategy that tends to work more often than it fails. This morning Georgia added another significant asset to their future plans – a piece that can fit in various ways.

Here’s how Swainsboro (Ga.) four-star athlete Demello Jones announced his commitment to the Bulldogs.

Jones (6-foot-1, 176 pounds) was a popular recruit, getting offers from 27 different programs. According to On3, his top 10 schools were Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Kirby Smart is getting an extremely versatile two-way playmaker in Jones. Last season he ran for 1,279 yards and scored 20 touchdowns on the ground. As a receiver, he totaled 384 yards and seven more scores. He also threw one touchdown pass. Meanwhile, on defense, he posted a sack, two tackles for a loss, a fumble recovery and six pass breakups.

Going by the composite rankings, Jones is the 18th-best athlete in his class and is No. 28 overall in the state. He makes for 10 hard commits in Georgia’s class of 2024, which ranks No. 1 in the nation.