247Sports – Syndication Server

Notre Dame extends offer to 2026 four-star offensive tackle recruit

Can the Irish get him?

Notre Dame has turned out an impressive number of offensive linemen in recent years. That position also can be a liability if enough guys get injured, and the Irish had their fair share of those during this past season. All they can do now though is look towards the future.

For [autotag]Kyle Rudolph[/autotag] and the Irish, the hope is that future will include Felix Ojo, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle from Lake Ridge in Mansfield, Texas. The Irish have extended him an offer, the 45th he has received, which says a lot about how much college programs in general value him.

Ojo is a four-star recruit and, according to 247Sports, the No. 4 Texas recruit in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 6 offensive tackle recruit nationally.

Texas reportedly is among the biggest challengers for the Irish, and Ojo was at the Longhorns’ junior day over the weekend. However, Kyle Kelly of Blue and Gold Illustrated is reporting that Rudolph was expected to visit Lake Ridge on Monday. So the competition for his services could be fierce:

https://www.instagram.com/felixtheol/p/DFVx19HuJHc/?img_index=1

Best of luck to Rudolph and the Irish in their pursuit of Ojo.

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Four-star Florida signee moves up in 247Sports rankings, new scouting report

Ben Hanks Jr. dominated the Miami-Dade high school scene all of 2024, setting records in the process. Here’s where he finishes on the 247Sports recruiting rankings.

As recruiting services put the final touches on their evaluations for the class of 2025, new intel on Florida’s early signing day haul becomes available. The most recent revelations come from 247Sports regarding four-star cornerback signee [autotag]Ben Hanks Jr[/autotag].

“Battle-tested outside cornerback with the length and agility to hang with wide receivers of all different shapes and sizes,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in his Jan. 11 report. “Cut his teeth in man coverage from an early age down in Miami-Dade and put an exclamation point on his prep career by breaking the county single-season record with 13 interceptions as a senior.”

Hanks is a legacy recruit, but this is no nepotism addition to the class. Ranked No. 134 on the 247Sports composite this time a year ago, Hanks is now up to No. 66 after dipping outside the top 150 in the spring. Securing him was a priority for Florida.

“Quick to trigger as he reads and reacts while in reverse,” Ivins continues. “Not one to panic when the football is in the air and will find ways to put himself in position to make plays. Maintains phase by mirroring with a fluid midline and will use his hands to re-route assignments. Could certainly thrive in a press-heavy scheme, especially if he can add mass to a rather wiry frame, but is alert in off-man situations and has a good sense of what’s going on around him.”

With the Jan. 23 update to the 247Sports composite, Hanks moves into the top 10 among cornerbacks in the class of 2025. He’s also a top-10 player out of the state now, and head coach Billy Napier has made it a mission to keep the top in-state players from leaving.

“Overall, (Hanks) should be viewed as one of the top coverage defenders in the 2025 cycle given the top-flight data and decorated resume when it comes to producing takeaways,” Ivins concludes. “Will need to improve play strength and get better at providing run support in hopes of becoming a more well-rounded player, but has the reach, speed and instincts to blossom into an all-conference type of talent at the Power Four level with early-round of the NFL Draft upside.”

Recruiting Summary

Service	Star Rating	Natl. Rank	Pos. Rank	State Rank
247Sports Composite		66	10	10
On3 Industry Ranking		56	7	5
Top247		53	7	8
On300		52	7	5
ESPN		122	14	18
Rivals		148	15	40

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Talented safety recruit shares why Florida football is in his top 10

Top247 safety recruit Ayden Pouncey shared why the Gators are on his list of top 10 schools.

As the recruitment heats up for safety Ayden Pouncey, one of the nation’s top high school talents in the class of 2026, Florida football emerges as a strong contender in his top 10 college choices.

Ranked as the No. 130 overall player and the No. 13 safety in the country by 247Sports, Pouncey’s collegiate decision is drawing wide attention. With over 30 scholarship offers, he has narrowed his choices to 10 esteemed programs, each with unique appeals.

Among these, the University of Florida holds a special place, largely due to personal connections that go beyond the gridiron.

“Both of my brothers are Florida graduates,” Pouncey stated on the reasoning behind Florida being one of his top choices.

As he moves closer to a decision, the factors of familial ties and alumni success play pivotal roles. While other schools present compelling reasons, ranging from coaching relationships to program prestige, Florida’s appeal is deeply rooted in personal history and family tradition. That connection might just tip the scales in favor of the Gators as Pouncey looks to the next chapter in his academic and athletic career.

Pouncey shared his thoughts with 247Sports on why each program is in his top 10.

Pouncey’s reasons about each school in his top 10

Miami Hurricanes: “My relationship with the staff, and how hard they recruit me.”
Georgia Bulldogs: “The program speaks for itself.”
Syracuse Orange: “Probably the best relationship I have with all of the coaches, and my family loves them.”
LSU Tigers: “My family knows coach (Corey) Raymond and he’s put a lot of defensive backs in the league.”
Florida State Seminoles: “I love coach (Mike) Norvell and coach (Patrick) Surtain.”
Michigan Wolverines: “I really like coach (LaMar) Morgan and the history Michigan has.”
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: “I love coach (Marcus) Freeman and what he’s done, and the history at Notre Dame.”
Florida Gators: “Both of my brothers are Florida graduates.”
UCF Knights: “Hometown hero.”
North Carolina Tarheels: “Just can’t pass up an opportunity to play for one of the greatest coaches ever (Bill Belichick).”

Recruiting Summary

Pouncey is a 6-foot-2-inch, 160-pound safety out of Winter Park High School in Orlando, Florida. He is a consensus four-star recruit in the 2026 recruiting class.

According to 247Sports, Pouncey is ranked as the No. 130 overall player and the No. 13 safety in the country. On3 has him as the No. 11-ranked safety and ESPN has him as high as No. 8.

Pouncey is favored to go to Miami (23.7%) followed by Florida State (20.8%), according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine.

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Where Penn State starts 2025 in early 247Sports top 25 ranking

The bar has been raised for Penn State in 2025. Here is where 247Sports is ranking the Nittany Lions.

Coming off a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, the bar has officially been raised for Penn State’s football program. With a bitter taste left in its mouth after losing the Orange Bowl to Notre Dame and missing out on a trip to the national championship game, Penn State is already getting some hype for next season. 247Sports has shared its first top 25 ranking of the 2025 season and Penn State is projected to start among the top-ranked teams in the country.

247Sports ranked Penn State at no. 4 for the 2025 season seven months ahead of the first kickoff of the fall. The lofty ranking is to be expected given where the season left off and the roster that is already coming together for next season. Despite the significant turnover at the wide receiver position — a position that had room to improve — and some noteworthy losses to the NFL draft, Penn State is bringing back a roster that will provide a good amount of stability overall.

Penn State’s offense will return offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and he will get another year to work with quarterback Drew Allar and the running back duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The offensive line is looking to be in solid shape, but the loss of Tyler Warren, Harrison Wallace III, and Omari Evans means Penn State must replace its top three receiving targets next fall.

The defense is losing Abdul Carter on the edge, defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, and linebacker Kobe King, but there are some key players returning next season. That include the decision of Dani Dennis-Sutton on the edge and veteran linebacker Dominic DeLuca coming back to line up in the middle of the defense alongside rising star Tony Rojas. The defense will have a new coordinator calling the action, although that coordinator remains unknown at the moment as Penn State continues to find a replacement for Tom Allen (who left for Clemson).

Penn State’s schedule also has the look of a schedule that could Penn State right back on a path to the playoff and, potentially, the Big Ten championship game. The most difficult game will likely be a road trip to Ohio State, but Penn State will get a chance to host Oregon early in the season. Penn State will have to get through a November schedule that includes five games against Big Ten teams that went to a bowl game in the 2024 season, including a pair of College Football Playoff teams (Ohio State and Indiana in back-to-back games).

The only three teams ranked ahead of Penn State in the early top 25 from 247Sports are Texas (no. 1), Georgia (no. 2), and Ohio State (no. 3).

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Florida leaps into 2nd-place tie in 247Sports SEC college basketball poll

The Gators are tied with the Tide for No. 2 in the SEC according to 247Sports’ weekly SEC poll.

Florida basketball opened up its 2025 Southeastern Conference schedule with a pair of wins along with a loss. Despite having its 13-game losing streak snapped in the calendar year opened, the Gators are flying high among their collegiate hoops peers.

Todd Golden’s gang dropped the SEC opener on the road at the Kentucky Wildcats, 106-100, in a shootout they simply could not keep up in. Then they returned home and handed out one of the largest defeats of a No. 1-ranked team in the sport’s history, punishing the Tennessee Volunteers, 73-43, inside the O’Connell Center.

The Orange and Blue followed that up on Saturday with a 71-63 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville, putting the program at 15-1 entering the thick of the conference slate.

So where does Florida rank among its fellow confernece peers? The staff at 247Sports has been addressing this question on a weekly basis with their SEC college basketball poll, in which the Gators moved up to a tie for second place with the Alabama Crimson Tide — up three spots from the previous poll.

Meanwhile, the Auburn Tigers remained the top-ranked team in the SEC rankings.

247Sports’ full SEC poll results

1. Auburn (16): —

T-2. Alabama (1): +1

T-2. Florida: +3

4. Tennessee: -2

5. Kentucky: -1

6. Texas A&M: —

7. Ole Miss: +1

8. Mississippi State: -1

9. Georgia: +2

10. Missouri: +4

11. Oklahoma: -2

12. Texas: +1

13. Arkansas: -3

14. Vanderbilt: -2

15. LSU: —

16. South Carolina: —

Next up for Florida

The Gators return home to host the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Tipoff is slated for a late 9 p.m. ET start and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

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Where Wisconsin’s transfer portal class ranks after landing LSU DT Jay’Viar Suggs

Wisconsin landed a commitment from LSU transfer defensive tackle Jay’Viar Suggs on Friday.

Suggs is the Badgers’ 18th transfer commitment of the cycle (17 scholarship, one walk-on) and fifth defensive tackle. He joins the program with one year of eligibility remaining and projects to make an immediate impact along a transfer-heavy defensive front.

The commitment continues Wisconsin’s momentum this transfer cycle. While the winter window closed on Dec. 28, players already in the portal don’t have a date by which they need to commit. The Badgers are still after numerous cornerback targets, among players at other remaining needs.

While the program is likely to make more additions, its place in the 247Sports’ team transfer portal class ranking is somewhat secured. That ranking: No. 9 overall and No. 2 in the Big Ten (behind No. 8 Nebraska). The only programs ranked ahead of the Badgers, in order, are Florida State, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and LSU.

The Badgers have three four-star transfers out of 17 total scholarship commitments — Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol, Kentucky edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry and Idaho wide receiver Mark Hamper. Their other top-ranked commits are Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger (0.88 rating), Tulane defensive lineman Parker Petersen (0.88), Grambling State defensive lineman Michael Garner (0.88) and UT-Martin defensive lineman Charles Perkins (0.88).

As indicated, Wisconsin has loaded up along the defensive front. The program needs a resurgent year from the position after it averaged just 1.3 sacks per game (No. 120 in the nation) in 2024. Its work landing both accomplished Football Bowl Subdivision-level players and promising Football Championship Subdivision standouts is a big reason for the class’ strong national ranking.

For more on the Badgers’ transfer class to date and its remaining top targets, bookmark our 2024 transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker.

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Where Florida ranks in 247Sports’ debut SEC basketball poll

The Gators are ranked third in 247Sports’ first SEC poll of the 2024-25 campaign after their torrid 13-0 start to the season.

Florida basketball is off to its best start since its first national championship season having won all 13 of its games to open the current campaign. The Gators close out the 2024 portion of the schedule undefeated and among the top teams in the nation.

The Orange and Blue have been rising to the top in the two major rankings, coming in at No. 5 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the Associated Press Poll, while also sitting at fourth in the NET rankings. On top of that, Todd Golden’s gang is also holding a No. 2 seed in the latest ESPN bracketology as the calendar year comes to a close.

Ahead of the start of the Southeastern Conference slate, 247Sports released its first men’s basketball poll of the season, in which Florida finds itself ranked third out of the 16 member schools. Only the Auburn Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers, who earned 14 and three first-place votes, respectively, were ranked higher — consistent with most other polls and rankings.

247Sports SEC poll rankings

1. Auburn (14)

2. Tennessee (3)

3. Florida

4. Alabama

5. Kentucky

6. Texas A&M

7. Mississippi State

8. Oklahoma

9. Ole Miss

10. Georgia

11. Arkansas

12. Texas

13. Missouri

14. Vanderbilt

15. LSU

16. South Carolina

Next up for Florida

The Gators open up the SEC schedule against Kentucky on Saturday, Jan. 4, inside Rupp Arena. Tipoff is slated for 11 a.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Wisconsin transfer portal class holds top-10 ranking after Geimere Latimer addition

Wisconsin 2025 transfer portal class holds top-10 ranking after Geimere Latimer addition

Wisconsin has been quiet in the transfer portal since landing a commitment from Jacksonville State cornerback Geimere Latimer on Dec. 24. The saga surrounding Xavier Lucas’ departure is currently leading the transfer-related headlines.

The Badgers’ incoming transfer class currently has 17 commitments (16 scholarship, one walk-on). The group’s headliners are Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol, Kentucky edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry and Tulane defensive tackle Parker Petersen.

While the majority of Wisconsin’s portal work appears done, minus several necessary additions at cornerback, the class currently holds strong at No. 8 overall in 247Sports’ national team transfer rankings.

The Badgers (16 scholarship commitments, 49.63 points) slot behind only Kentucky (14, 49.97), Florida State (11, 51.37), Mississippi State (17, 53.41), Auburn (14, 61.16), Ole Miss (15, 64.76), Texas Tech (17, 67.34) and LSU (14, 69.35).

Wisconsin still boasts the highest-ranked transfer class in the Big Ten. Nebraska (No. 10 overall), Minnesota (No. 13) and Oregon (No. 14) remain the closest competitors.

This information should be provided with a disclaimer: transfer rankings are far from as accurate as those during the high school cycle. It’s challenging to predict how production will translate to different levels of the sport, seen specifically with Wisconsin’s additions of standout safeties Matthew Traynor (Richmond, Football Championship Subdivision) and Matt Jung (Bethel, D-III).

But when added to the big-picture, the class’ current standing backs up the fact that Luke Fickell and his staff have done well in retooling the roster since the portal window opened. A revamped defensive front seven leads that strong effort.

Wisconsin still has some transfer moves to make. The team has a significant need at cornerback after most of the room transferred out after the 2024 season. The program awaits an official announcement from star Ricardo Hallman, who could either return to school or enter the NFL draft. Either way, it should add both starting talent and depth at the position.

For more on the Badgers’ remaining transfer targets and their full class to date, check out our transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker.

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Wisconsin 2025 transfer portal class currently ranked among best in the nation

Where Wisconsin’s transfer class currently ranks

It’s often unfair to take an early snapshot of recruiting rankings and attempt to project it through to the end of the cycle. With Wisconsin, for example, an early top-10 slot is never maintained through signing day.

That reality somewhat differs in the transfer portal, where much of the major movement occurs early in the cycle. The rankings quickly take shape as the big names come off the board. Wisconsin’s transfer class of 16 players (15 scholarship) has a real chance of maintaining its top ranking.

Wisconsin’s class (15 scholarship commitments, three four-stars) is No. 6 nationally, trailing Texas Tech (17 commitments, seven four-stars), LSU (13 commitments, seven four-stars), Ole Miss (15 commitments, six four-stars), Auburn (14 commitments, six four-stars) and Kentucky (14 commitments, three four-stars).

Most notably, Wisconsin boasts the top-ranked transfer class in the Big Ten. It is clear of Oregon (No. 10 overall), Minnesota (No. 12), UCLA, (No. 16) and Nebraska (No. 17).

The Badgers’ class is highlighted by four-star transfer recruits wide receiver Mark Hamper (Idaho), edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry (Kentucky) and tight end Tanner Koziol (Ball State). It also includes two quarterbacks, five defensive tackles, several experienced edge rushers and two safeties.

It’s challenging to predict exactly which transfers will have the greatest impact, or how past production will translate to the Big Ten. That is especially true with Football Championship Subdivision (safety Matthew Traynor) and Division III (safety Matt Jung) players. But 247Sports’ composite is the best measurement tool to attempt to project that impact.

If the rankings in any way reflect the class’ future on-field impact, Wisconsin’s coaching staff should be commended for a fantastic transfer portal cycle.

For more on who the Badgers are targeting, specifically at cornerback, bookmark our transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker.

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Former Texas WR Johntay Cook set for visit with Florida football

Former Texas WR Johntay Cook is expected to visit with the Gators this weekend after entering the transfer portal.

Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook is set to visit the University of Florida this upcoming weekend, from Saturday to Sunday, according to Mike Roach of 247Sports.

Cook, a highly-touted recruit from DeSoto, Texas, had announced that he’d be entering the NCAA transfer portal last month after playing in a reserve role for the Longhorns. He played in just six games and logged eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

Known for his explosive speed and route-running ability, Cook had a standout high school career that made him one of the top recruits in the nation.

Rivals and On3 labeled Cook as a five-star recruit while ESPN and 247Sports had him as a four-star. Also, 247Sports has Cook as the No. 13-ranked receiver in the transfer portal and No. 35 overall.

The Florida football program initially extended an offer to him during Dan Mullen’s tenure with the Gators, and this was reconfirmed when Billy Napier and his new staff took over. Napier and his staff are set to make a strong push for Cook and he’d be a perfect fit for their system, which relies heavily on speed and versatility on the outside.

The Gators have been on the lookout for game-changing talents as they aim to revamp their offense for the upcoming season, especially in the wide receiver room.

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