Tag: 247Sports

247Sports’ Bud Elliott previews Texas WR Isaiah Bond’s role in Austin

With Isaiah Bond, Texas could be reloading at wide receiver.

Isaiah Bond is set to star at Texas. The wide receiver transfer from Alabama isn’t Xavier Worthy, but he could be the next best thing.

247Sports’ Bud Elliott discussed Bond’s role in replacing college football’s fastest player, Xavier Worthy, who ran an NFL combine record 4.21 second 40-yard dash in March.

“How is Texas going to replace Xavier Worthy? Stud receiver, super speedster, now he’s in the NFL. Well, they went to Alabama. They got Isaiah Bond. You may remember Bond as the guy who caught the fourth-and-a-million heave from Jalen Milroe to beat Auburn in The Plains. Isaiah Bond didn’t put up crazy numbers in 2023. I think part of that was quarterback play. It was his first year starting. But the separation he got on routes ridiculous. Look, nobody’s really as fast as Worthy, … but Bond is probably the best approximation that you could go get.”

Elliott describes Bond as the next best option Texas could have hoped to play in the place of Worthy. He could be right. The staggering separation Bond created last season occurred against SEC secondaries. That he stood out against the conference Texas will face in 2024 perhaps makes him more of a proven commodity than the other receivers on the Longhorns’ roster.

There’s plenty of talent in the reloaded Texas receiver room. The room boasts portal additions in Bond, Matthew Golden (Houston) and Silas Bolden (Oregon State), returning talent primed to play in Johntay Cook and DeAndre Moore, a high upside speedster in Ryan Niblett and a five-star freshman in Ryan Wingo. Bond will look to become the top receiver next season.

Notre Dame’s Carey Booth enters transfer portal but could return

Hopefully, he comes back.

When a player enters the transfer portal, they generally don’t go back to where they came from. Not so fast in the case of Notre Dame forward [autotag]Carey Booth[/autotag]. In an Instagram story and in speaking to On3’s Joe Tipton, Booth announced his that he’s entering the transfer portal. However, he has not ruled out coming back to the Irish as indicated in the following statement:

“I’m beyond thankful for getting to wear the blue and gold this year. I’m especially thankful to Coach Shrewsberry and his staff for believing in me and bringing me to South Bend. With that being said, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal to keep all of my options open – including a return to Notre Dame.”

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Booth, the highest-rated player in Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class on 247Sports, played all 33 games for the Irish this past season, starting 19 of them. In his first collegiate season, he averaged 6.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.6 blocks a game.

At 6-foot-10, Booth was tied with [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] for the tallest player on the team, and it’s possible he felt he couldn’t compete with Njie for a starting spot going forward. Whatever the case, hopefully, he isn’t gone for good.

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5-star OT Michael Fasusi announces top seven schools, features Oklahoma

Michael Fasusi made a splace on Monday, sharing the top seven schools in his recruitment.

Much like the defensive line was the coveted position group of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag], the same could be said about the offensive line in 2025.

No position is more necessary for Oklahoma on the recruiting trail than the 2025 offensive line class, and the Sooners’ efforts have reflected that.

One of their top targets, Michael Fasusi, is narrowing down his recruitment, and announced his top seven that features the Sooners.

Oklahoma was featured alongside Oregon, Texas A&M, Missouri, USC, Georgia, and the Texas Longhorns.

Unsurprisingly, the two extensive SEC programs in Texas are in on Fasusi. UGA is one of the country’s best programs, and Oklahoma has some of the best offensive line development.

 

Fasusi has been in OU’s sights for a while, as they offered him on January 18, 2023. The Sooners have been in the race for a while and will likely remain in contention throughout his recruitment.

The Sooners’ most significant competition will come from Texas and Texas A&M. Tom Loy, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, has a crystal ball in for Fasusi to land with Texas. Texas recruiting insider Hank South also has one for Texas.

Oklahoma is set to host Fasusi for an official visit on June 14. he also has officials scheduled with Texas A&M and Texas.

This is a recruitment that will go up until he signs his national letter of intent. While the Sooners may be trailing at the moment, a lot can change over the course of a recruitment.

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247Sports: Michigan football LB among nation’s ‘most ferocious’

An incredible addition to this new-look team! #GoBlue

Michigan football fans got well acquainted with former Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann last year when he started laying licks on running backs. Though used in a reserve role, it was clear that he was the heir apparent to that being left behind by Junior Colson and Mike Barrett.

But there’s another linebacker that fans aren’t quite as familiar with who should fit in nicely next to Hausmann.

This offseason, the Wolverines managed to secure former Maryland linebacker Jaishawn Barham — who happens to be the last person to have intercepted a J.J. McCarthy pass in college. Though he hasn’t yet played a down for the maize and blue, he’s already getting accolades for his prowess in making the big hit.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford put together a list of the ’10 most ferocious linebackers’ entering 2024, and Barham came in ranked No. 4 in the country.

2023 numbers: 37 tackles (3 TFL)

The Barham file: The top-rated linebacker in the portal this cycle, Jaishawn Barham left Maryland for Michigan and 247Sports’ Clint Brewster called his arrival in Ann Arbor the “perfect fit” for both parties.

“Barham is an impressive looking specimen in the middle of the defense and he was freshman All-American in 2022,” Brewster told The Michigan Insider. “Production dipped a little bit this season but there’s a ton to like about his game. He’s a physical presence in the run game, but also does an excellent job on blitzes. He’s long, fast, and physical. The thing that really stands out for me is how well he moves laterally at that size and how he navigates through traffic. He’s got the arm length and strength to disengage and doesn’t get blocked easily. Michigan is a perfect spot for his talent and they will maximize his game. He’s a candidate to have a huge breakout year.”

The blitz part is big given that new Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is known to be a heavy blitzer. If utilized as expected, fans will get to know and love Barham in a hurry, especially considering how well he fits into the system.

In 2022, Barham was third on Maryland’s defense in tackles (58) while being first in tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (4). As noted, his production waned in 2023, but with new life in Ann Arbor, he’s poised for a rebound year. And if 247Sports is right, it could be one that garners him national attention — not just local.

Brad Crawford picks every SEC team’s defining game for 2024

247Sports analyst predicts which game is most impactful for every SEC team.

Statement wins can punctuate a successful season in college football. Texas’ win over Alabama did just that in changing the perception of the Longhorns’ football program.

The win over Alabama lifted Texas to a College Football Playoff berth. Had the Longhorns lost the game and beat Oklahoma instead, they likely miss the playoff in favor of an undefeated Alabama and one-loss Georgia.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford believes another game could have similar implications for Texas in 2024. He shared why the Georgia game could further prove that the Longhorns have staying power.

“A loss to the Bulldogs at home won’t keep the Longhorns out of the College Football Playoff if they’re unblemished elsewhere given the quality of the schedule, but there’s a chance it could keep Texas out of the SEC Championship depending on where the chips falls in Athens, Oxford, Baton Rouge, Knoxville and Tuscaloosa. This is one of several marquee games that Steve Sarkisian’s team will play in their first season in the expanded conference and will undoubtedly be a big deal for recruiting purposes, too. If Texas beats Georgia in Austin, could it be a passing of the torch moment within the league?”

The recruiting bump from a win over Georgia undoubtedly could take Texas from a consistent contender for a Top 5 class to a challenger for a No. 1 class. Still, the Longhorns would likely have to face Georgia again later in the season with bigger stakes should they win the first game.

Regardless of how the game is prioritized for head coach Steve Sarkisian and company, it could be the most hyped regular season game of 2024. Texas will look to leave the game with a defining statement win.

Where Wisconsin basketball’s upcoming recruiting classes rank nationally

Where Wisconsin basketball’s upcoming recruiting classes rank nationally

Wisconsin basketball enters the 2024 offseason needing a jolt.

The Badgers recently fell 72-61 to No. 12-seed James Madison in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The loss marked another disappointing early postseason exit for Greg Gard’s program and extended its Sweet Sixteen drought to seven years.

Related: If Wisconsin decides to move on from Greg Gard, who could it target as its next head coach?

The focus now turns to 2024-25. The Badgers should return almost all of their talent from this past season, plus are set to welcome in top 2024 point guard recruit Daniel Freitag. The program will also be active in the transfer portal this offseason.

While the loss to James Madison made the 2023-24 season a disappointment, the team will enter 2024-25 with a ton of potential and sky-high expectations.

Related: An early look at the Wisconsin basketball roster entering 2024-25

As the offseason continues and the class of 2024 arrives on campus, here’s a look at where Gard’s classes of 2024 and 2025 currently rank on 247Sports.com:

  • 2024: Two commits (top-ranked PG Freitag, three-star shooting guard Jack Robinson), No. 57 overall
  • 2025: One commit (three-star SG Zach Kinziger), No. 12 overall

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Oklahoma earns another projection for 4-star RB Tory Blaylock

Four-star running back Tory Blaylock crystal balled to Oklahoma for second time.

Oklahoma seems to be getting closer and closer to its first running back commitment for the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag]. Four-star running back [autotag]Tory Blaylock[/autotag] was predicted to land with the Sooners on Tuesday morning by 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Mike Roach.

The crystal ball is the second for the Sooners to land the consensus four-star running back from Humble, TX. The first came from Sooners Illustrated’s Collin Kennedy in January.

Blaylock is a talented runner who can be an every-down back in college. He can hit the home run and run with power and balance between the tackles. He has shown soft hands when catching the ball out of the backfield.

Notably, he won the honor of running back MVP this past weekend at the UA Next showcase in Houston. Blaylock has an official visit set for June 21-23.

This latest crystal ball is the third prediction overall for Blaylock to land with Oklahoma. While there’s no guarantee he will commit before then, the Sooners and fans should feel reasonably good about their chances.

Outside of the Sooners,  Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Oregon, and Tennessee make up his top schools.

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PREVIEW: Texas A&M men’s basketball team faces Florida in semifinals of SEC Tournament

The Aggies are attempting to become the first SEC team to reach three straight finals since Kentucky made five in a row from 2014 to 2018.

After losing in the SEC Championship game last season, Texas A&M has reached the tournament’s semifinals for the third year in a row.

The Aggies (20-13) qualified for the penultimate conference tourney game following an 80-71 win against Ole Miss on Thursday in the second round and a 97-87 victory versus Kentucky on Friday in the quarterfinals at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Texas A&M is attempting to become the first SEC team to reach three straight finals since the Wildcats made five in a row from 2014-18.

Back on Feb. 3, the Aggies narrowly beat Florida (24-10) by a final score of 67-66 at Reed Arena in College Station. The Gators advanced to the semifinals with a 102-88 win against Alabama on Friday night.

As pointed out by 247Sports Texas A&M beat writer Carter Karels on X, the Aggies seem to be in a win-win scenario on Saturday. If Texas A&M wins, it’ll add another Quad 1 win to its resume. However, if Florida prevails, the Aggies’ February victory is likely to be upgraded to a Quad 1 win.

Regardless of the SEC Tournament conclusion this weekend, Texas A&M appears to have earned its spot in the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Tip off on Saturday between the Aggies and Gators is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

247Sports ranks the Top 25 quarterbacks in college football

Brad Crawford shared who he views as college football’s top quarterbacks.

Texas’ Quinn Ewers is one of the top three quarterbacks in college football. That is, if one college football analyst is to be believed.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford shared his ranking of the top 25 quarterbacks in college football with Ewers ranking No. 3. He has the ability to become the best.

The Longhorns’ five-star talent is finally starting to live up to his five-star billing averaging 8.8 yards per attempt and completing 69% of his passes a season ago. Ewers could be even better next season. While he loses his best receiving targets from last year, Texas reloaded with rising talent and four new portal additions between receiver and tight end.

Only Carson Beck (Georgia) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) rank higher than Ewers in the ranking. Beck and Sanders put up better numbers than Ewers a season ago.

A handful of other SEC quarterbacks were ranked by Crawford. The list goes in the following order: Carson Beck (No. 1, Georgia), Shedeur Sanders (No. 2, Colorado), Quinn Ewers (No. 3, Texas), Jaxson Dart (No. 4, Ole Miss).

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 rises in national ranking after latest addition

Luke Fickell’s 2025 class continues to rise:

Wisconsin football received a commitment from class of 2025 defensive lineman Torin Pettaway Thursday afternoon.

The commitment is the program’s ninth in the class of 2025, a strong start to a cycle that is critical to the continued success of the Luke Fickell era.

The addition of Pettaway brings Wisconsin’s 2025 group up to No. 8 nationally on 247Sports, but still No. 3 in the new Big Ten. The Badgers are ranked behind only Notre Dame, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and Auburn.

Related: Wisconsin football class of 2025 commitment tracker

It’s early in the process, and Wisconsin is currently without a blue-chip recruit in the class. But the foundation is being built early for a group that Badgers fans hope will best the program’s No. 25-ranked class of 2024.

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