Tag: 2024 recruiting cycle

Top 2024 defensive lineman flips back to Miami after Florida State commitment

Armondo Blount, one of the top 50 prospects in the Class of 2024, recommitted to Miami on Wednesday after two months with the Seminoles.

The Miami Hurricanes managed to win back one of the best defensive linemen in the Class of 2024, according to a Wednesday report from On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Miami native Armondo Blount, a 6-foot-4 and 250-pound defensive lineman, signed with the Hurricanes on Wednesday. He committed to Miami for the first time in September but flipped for the Florida State Seminoles on Oct. 22. Mario Cristobal’s staff managed to get him back at the buzzer, however, as Blount signed his letter of intent to play for Miami on Wednesday after an official visit the previous weekend.

Blount is the No. 22 player in the country according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, and the same rankings consider him the fourth-best defensive lineman in the Class of 2024. 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins describes him as a “rosy defensive line prospect with a rare blend of twitch, power and bend.”

Blount joins five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott as the Hurricanes’ best 2024 signees, and the Hurricanes now sit No. 4 in the team recruiting rankings.

7 Takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signing class

The Oklahoma Sooners locked in all 27 commits to their 2024 signing class and here are seven takeaways.

The Oklahoma Sooners found success on the recruiting trail in each of the three cycles Brent Venables has been in Norman. Because they signed all 27 commitments on the first day of the early signing period, the Sooners locked up a third-consecutive top 10 recruiting class.

It was a great day for the Sooners on the recruiting trail. It also was a stress-free morning: The Sooners had their class locked up by 11:30 a.m. CT.

Now they turn their attention to their remaining targets on the recruiting trail, namely Dominick McKinley, who isn’t expected to sign until the February’s national signing day.

Even if they don’t pull off an improbable flip with McKinley, the Sooners have put together another really strong recruiting class on both sides of the ball.

Here are some takeaways from the Sooners 2024 signing class:

Check out more from the [autotag]2024 early signing period[/autotag].

Georgia clinches 247Sports’ No. 1 spot in the 2024 recruiting rankings

The Bulldogs will finish atop the website’s recruiting rankings for the third time since 2018 after landing three marquee defenders.

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have clinched the top spot on 247Sports’ 2024 recruiting rankings, the site announced on Wednesday.

Despite five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola flipping to Nebraska on Tuesday, the Bulldogs put together a strong performance on early signing day. Georgia landed three five-star defensive prospects who are each the top recruits at their respective positions. Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV (the No.3 player in the country) and linebacker Justin Williams (No. 9) both signed their letter of intent for the Bulldogs, and Georgia managed to flip safety KJ Bolden (No. 15), who was previously committed to Florida State.

Georgia has 27 players who signed a letter of intent on Wednesday, not including Bolden. They have four five-star prospects and 20 four-stars, the latter being the most of any team in the country. The Bulldogs had the website’s 14th-highest point total since 2010.

Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, and Florida State round out the rest of the top five.

The Bulldogs finished atop 247Sports’ rankings two other times, also accomplishing the feat in 2018 and 2020. Georgia hasn’t finished lower than fourth since Smart took over in 2017.

This is the 16th consecutive season that an SEC team has finished with the No. 1 spot.

Get more Georgia coverage at UGA Wire.

Top 2024 running back prospect signs with Alabama over Miami

Kevin Riley, a 5-foot-11 Alabama native, had been committed to the Hurricanes since June but chose the Crimson Tide at the buzzer.

Four-star running back Kevin Riley, one of the top five prospects at his position and the No. 76 player in 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide on early signing day after he’d been committed to Miami since June.

On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported the switch.

“Alabama is a program where you go to be developed,” Riley said in Fawcett’s report on the decision. “I think practicing against the best can make you the best.”

His decision helped cement Alabama as the second-best recruiting class in the nation for the 2024 cycle. He’ll take the mantle as the future of the Crimson Tide offense alongside five-star quarterback Julian Sayin, who also signed his letter of intent to make his Alabama commitment official.

Riley, an Alabama native, stands 5-foot-11 and weighs in at 195 pounds. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.

Get more Alabama coverage at Roll Tide Wire.

Auburn lures premier defensive lineman and top-50 prospect from Florida

Amaris Williams, who had been projected to flip from the Gators, chose to stay in the SEC with the Auburn Tigers.

Defensive lineman Amaris Williams, who ranks as 247Sports’ eighth-best defensive lineman in the Class of 2024 and the No. 34 overall prospect, officially flipped from Auburn to Florida on Wednesday. On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported the announcement on social media.

Williams committed to Florida in June, but he was expected to change his mind with 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong predicted the jump to the Tigers this morning.

The 6-foot-3 and 270-pound defensive tackle initially had his eyes on running back as a position, and he ran a 4.7 40-yard dash. The North Carolina native chose Auburn despite recent visits to Georgia and Ohio State.

Williams is the third-highest prospect in the Tigers’ 2024 class behind five-star wide receivers Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, a pair of Alabama natives both within the 30 best players in the country.

Florida has now lost six recruits with four or more stars since the start of November. Williams is the third Florida commit to flip this week after safety Xavier Filsaime chose Texas on Monday and linebacker Adarius Hayes chose Miami less than an hour before Williams announced his decision.

Get more Auburn coverage at Auburn Wire.

Four-star linebacker chooses Miami over Florida

Adarius Hayes committed to Florida in January, but he switched to the Hurricanes and signed his letter of intent to seal the flip.

Linebacker Adarius Hayes, a four-star prospect within the top 200 of 247Sports’ Class of 2024 rankings, flipped in-state from Florida to Miami on Wednesday. On3 reported the switch.

Hayes had committed to Florida back in January, but he signed his letter of intent with the Hurricanes on early signing day to seal the switch.

The Florida native, who plays for Largo High School, climbs as high as 73rd on 247Sports’ composite rankings. The website’s director of scouting, Andrew Ivins, describes him as a “lanky second-level defender that can drop back into coverage and fill gaps.”

He measures out at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, and he is one of the website’s top 15 linebackers in the class.

His addition to the Miami class helps bump the Hurricanes up to fourth in the 2024 team rankings while the Gators, who were once No. 3, tumble outside the top 10. Hayes was the fifth 2024 recruit with four or more stars to decommit from Florida in the past six weeks.

Top safety in the country flips from Florida State to Georgia

KJ Bolden becomes the third top-15 player in the country to join Georgia’s No. 1 2024 recruiting class after he announced the change.

Five-star safety KJ Bolden, one of the 20 best players in the Class of 2024 and the 247Sports’ top safety, announced on Wednesday that he’d flipped his commitment from Florida State to Georgia. On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported the decision.

“I wanted to be developed and compete with the best of the best,” Bolden said in Fawcett’s report on the decision.

The Georgia native committed to Florida State in early August.

Bolden strengthens what is emphatically the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for 2024. Even despite losing top quarterback Dylan Raiola to Nebraska on Tuesday, the Bulldogs now have three of the top 15 players in the country and 11 of the top 100.

Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV and linebacker Justin Williams, who both signed their letter of intent already, are also both the highest-rated recruits at their respective positions.

With the loss of Bolden, Florida State now sinks farther from Georgia at the top of the rankings, but the Seminoles still have the No. 3 class in the country.

Get more Georgia coverage at UGA Wire.

 

Four-star wide receiver flips from Ohio State to Oregon

Jeremiah McClellan, one of the top 75 prospects in the Class of 2024, committed to the Buckeyes in August but announced a new school Wednesday.

Wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, one of 247Sports’ top 75 prospects in the Class of 2024, flipped from Ohio State to Oregon on Wednesday. On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported the decision.

McClellan had been committed to Ohio State since the middle of August, but he revealed his choice to change to the Ducks on early signing day.

The Buckeyes remain second in 247Sports’ 2024 team recruiting rankings, with Oregon now eighth in the country.

McClellan, who is six feet tall and 190 pounds, joins a promising passing offense in Oregon’s future. The Ducks officially signed three receivers to their 2024 class on Wednesday, including four-star California native Dillon Greshman. Oregon also lured two of the best quarterbacks in the portal, former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel for his last year of eligibility in 2024 and former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore for the future. Moore, just a freshman, was a five-star prospect and one of the best overall players in the Class of 2023.

Get more Oregon coverage at Ducks Wire.

Five-star defensive lineman and Florida commit may not sign on early signing day

McCray, a five-star defensive lineman and one of the top 10 players in the upcoming class, may not make his commitment to Florida official.

Defensive lineman LJ McCray, who is currently 247Sports’ No. 2 defensive lineman in the Class of 2024 and the No. 6 overall player, may not put pen to paper on Early Signing Day on Wednesday.

On3 reported that McCray described it as a “high possibility” that he doesn’t sign on Wednesday.

The defensive lineman, who plays for Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, committed to Florida on October 21. He’s the second-highest recruit in the Gators class.

McCray has visited Florida State and Auburn over the past few weeks, but On3’s report did not elaborate on whether McCray’s commitment to Florida was wavering at all. The Gators have lost four players of four stars or higher over the past month, including five-star safety Xavier Filsaime who flipped to Texas on Monday.

Get more Florida coverage at Gators Wire.

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2024 4-star edge from Minnesota officially signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

Wyatt Gilmore brings his high-motor to Norman after signing his National Letter of Intent.

It was another up-and-down season for [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag]’ group. There were numerous bright spots, but also moments they hope to forget.

Still, the defensive end group has abundant promise with nice young prospects. Another officially signed his national letter of intent to join that group next season. [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] from Minnesota is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound four-star edge.

Oklahoma Sooners fans are going to love him. He plays with a high motor and is constantly around the ball making plays. He most likely will spend the 2024 campaign developing his body and getting bigger for the 2025 season. But he could become a rotation piece in 2024 because of how hard he plays.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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