Tag: recruit

USC flips 4-star recruit from Colorado, turns tables on Deion Sanders

USC is making offseason waves with an early signing period splash, taking a player away from Deion Sanders and Colorado. Not bad at all.

In recent weeks, the USC Trojans have struggled in recruiting, losing some top commits. Whether due to the letdown of a season, finishing 6-6 overall and 4-5 in its first their first season in the Big Ten, or a lack of faith in head coach Lincoln Riley, the Trojan program has been losing recruits in flips. One of the top recruits lost was 5-star quarterback Julian Lewis, who decommitted from USC football and committed to Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders. However, on Wednesday, the tide began to turn.

Eric Henderson landed five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart. That got the train rolling. Then came another bright spot, and a recruit who has risen for the Trojans. The experts pointed to this before the start of the early signing period: Allen Trieu of 247Sports recently reported that 4-star cornerback/safety Alex Graham was all but certain to decommit from Colorado and commit to the Trojans.

That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday, as USC gained a player Deion Sanders couldn’t retain.

Graham is a 6-foot-1 Detroit product. He is the 4th-best player in Michigan and 34th-best cornerback in the class, per 247Sports.

The flip marks an early offseason win for defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and secondary coach Doug Belk, who are both entering their first full offseason in their respective positions.

The fact that this defensive staff is getting work done in its first full offseason is a great sign for the future of the USC defense.

BREAKING: Wisconsin cornerback, top 2023 recruit to enter transfer portal

BREAKING: Wisconsin cornerback, top 2023 recruit to enter transfer portal

Wisconsin redshirt freshman cornerback Amare Snowden announced on Sunday his intention to enter the transfer portal.

Snowden is the second Badger to signal a move to the portal when it opens on Dec. 9, joining veteran outside linebacker Leon Lowery.

Related: Everything Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said about Badgers’ program, its future after loss to Minnesota

“I would like to thank my coaches and teammates for the experiences and lessons throughout the past two years of my life,” Snowden wrote on X. “I will forever be grateful for the Wisconsin community. With that said, after deep consideration and talking with my family. … I have made the decision to enter the transfer portal with three years of eligibility left.”

Snowden joined the Badgers as a four-star recruit in the class of 2023, flipping his commitment from Cincinnati after Luke Fickell took the job in November 2022. He was the No. 446 player in the class, No. 45 cornerback and No. 9 player from his home state of Michigan.

Snowden rarely saw the field during his two years in Madison. He did not see any game action as a true freshman in 2023 and recorded just one tackle in limited action in 2024.

He departs a crowded cornerback room in Madison. Ricardo Hallman and Nyzier Fourqurean led the group in 2024. Top freshman Xavier Lucas and sophomore Jonas Duclona appear ready to rise into big roles in 2025.

Snowden is unlikely to be the last Badger to enter the transfer portal this offseason. It projects to be a busy offseason of player movement as Fickell and his staff work to redirect the program’s trajectory.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Steelers fans react to D.K. Metcalf trade rumors

Fans of the Black and Gold are in a trade rumor frenzy after Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson teased the recruitment of WR D.K Metcalf.

Speculation and trade rumors are beginning to reach an all-time high as the November 5th trade deadline, at 4:00 PM EST, is less than one day away. While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been rumored to pursue any and all available wide receivers, such as Carolina Panthers’ Adam Thielen and New York Jets’ Mike Williams, the most recent and perhaps most exciting rumor involves none other than Seattle Seahawks’ former All-Pro WR D.K. Metcalf.

Fans of the Steel City erupted on social media when Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson, who has been actively recruiting several receivers for the team in recent weeks, seemingly began to recruit Metcalf following Seattle’s Week 9 loss.

It was rumored that Seattle could consider moving on from their star WR with a Week 9 defeat, but could Steelers General Manager Omar Khan be the hero of Pittsburgh, and bring this elite talent to the Steel City? Only time will tell, but here are some of the best fan reactions to the speculation and rumors.

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Steelers RB hilariously asks fans who to recruit next

Cordarrelle Patterson’s recruitment of elite talent to Pittsburgh has resumed, and the Steelers’ RB asks fans who to recruit next.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson is becoming a fan favorite for the Pittsburgh faithful.  While the Steelers’ acquisition of Patterson was aimed at boosting the running game and special teams unit, the running back has provided something even more valuable—his efforts in recruiting Steelers’ trade targets.

From returning kickoffs and delivering a dominant Week 4 rushing performance, to offering comedic relief during tough times for the team, Patterson has done it all. The running back made his best attempts to recruit Pittsburgh trade targets Davante Adams and Mike Williams, and with the trade deadline around the corner, Patterson is now asking fans who he should recruit next.

One 31-year old All-Pro receiver has been linked to the ‘Steel City’ the past few days. Could Cooper Kupp be the next receiver to hear Patterson’s legendary sales pitch? Or does the running back have another receiver in mind? As the trade deadline approaches, when will Pittsburgh make their move?

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Cordarrelle Patterson recruits another WR to Pittsburgh

RB Cordarrelle Patterson is performing well as a recruiter for the Steelers as he attempts to sway Jets’ WR Mike Williams.

The ‘Pittsburgh-Davante Adams’ trade drama couldn’t be properly retold without mentioning the excellent recruitment done by Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson.  While Patterson’s accomplishments speak for themselves, the seven-time All-Pro kick returner and running back earned his way into Steelers fans’ hearts through his social media recruiting alone.

While fans were left disappointed by the news of Adams being traded to the New York Jets, this didn’t stop the running back from his search for the next Steelers wide receiver.  In his national talent search, he looked far and wide, but ultimately decided to trace the next recruit back to the New York Jets, where the new arrival of Adams displaced another Jet’s receiver, Mike Williams.

 

Williams had recently signed with the Jets in the 2024 offseason, but health concerns caused his debut to be delayed until Week 2 of the regular season.  The former Chargers’ receiver is having his great talent wasted in a crowded Jets’ WR room, and Patterson is looking to capitalize on the opportunity for his team.

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Luke Fickell finished the 2024 cycle with Wisconsin’s highest-rated recruiting class in history

Thoughts on Luke Fickell’s first full recruiting cycle as head coach?

Luke Fickell’s class of 2024, his first full recruiting class as head coach at Wisconsin, can be labeled a resounding success.

Time will ultimately tell how each signee in the group performs, and whether that occurs in Madison or elsewhere. But now that the 2024 cycle has officially concluded, we can officially give props to Fickell’s effort.

Wisconsin’s class finished ranked No. 25 in the nation with 22 total signees. It also slotted as the No. 7-ranked class in the new Big Ten, behind Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, USC and Nebraska in that order. Notably, it was the program’s first time ever boasting a blue chip ratio of 50%.

Related: Where Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke falls on Fanduel’s 2024 Heisman Trophy odds

It is headlined by four-star OT Kevin Haywood (No. 50 overall, 96 rating), four-star DL Ernest Willor Jr. (No. 120 overall, 94 rating), four-star RB Dilin Jones (No. 139 overall, 94 rating) and four-star DL Dillan Johnson (No. 161 overall, 93 rating).

An account on X recently compared Fickell’s class to what the Badgers have done in the past. The findings: the class boasts the highest average recruit ranking in program history.

I’m a big believer in average recruit ranking telling a better story than total composite score. 10 five-star recruits would be a better class than 40 three-stars, but that’s not what the numbers necessarily show.

Semantics aside, Fickell should be praised for his recruiting efforts this cycle as he works to install his program on both sides of the football.

The future of Wisconsin in the new Big Ten is very much unknown. What is known: the Badgers must recruit at this level and higher for the program to join the conference’s elites.

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

Alabama football expected to hire Wisconsin’s safeties coach Colin Hitschler

Alabama football hires Wisconsin’s safety and co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler

For recently hired Alabama head football coach [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag], the hardest part in replacing the legendary [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] has been putting a staff back together. Yes losing commitments and players to the portal is a harsh reality, but the coaching staff is the foundation of your program.

Despite all of the challenges he has faced, DeBoer has filled out an outstanding coaching staff that all Alabama fans have to be thrilled with. The staff will include two FBS coaches, one Big Ten coordinator, one Pac-12 coordinator and the position coach for the 2023 Joe Moore award-winning offensive line. There are a lot of really bright young minds in the room, but also guys who are hungry to get after it on the recruiting trail.

Thursday evening, DeBoer made another addition to the staff as he stole Wisconsin’s safeties coach and Co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Colin Hitschler[/autotag]. He only spent one season in Madison, but it is a massive blow to the Badgers staff as he is widely respected and was probably going to be their next DC. Hitschler was a massive piece in the Badgers recruiting success this past season and was a key piece of Cincinnati’s coaching staff in the 2021 College Football Playoffs.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Florida State flips four-star EDGE Javion Hilson from Alabama

No. 2 EDGE in 2025 recruiting cycle flips commitment from Alabama to Florida State

Nick Saban’s surprise retirement continues to take a toll on [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide on the recruiting trail. There was always going to be some fallout on the roster when Saban left, just a bummer to see some of it play out. However, National Signing Day is not until Feb. 7, so DeBoer and company will have plenty of time to get back out on the recruiting trail and do their work.

The unfortunate news in Tuscaloosa today comes as Florida State flipped four-star EDGE Javion Hilson from the Tide. Hilson is viewed as the No. 37 ranked player in the 2025 class and the No. 2 edge in his cycle. The Seminoles have been red hot in the transfer portal and landed former Alabama RB Roydell Williams earlier in the week.

On a more positive note, five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams was back in Tuscaloosa last night on a surprise visit. It also sounds like Safety Caleb Downs may be nearing a decision on where he will spend the last two years of his collegiate career, but there is a sense of optimism around Tuscaloosa for both Downs and Williams.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Wisconsin offers a 2025 defensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio

Wisconsin offers a 2025 defensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio

Wisconsin extended an offer to class of 2025 defensive lineman Gordy Sulfsted earlier today.

Sulfsted is a three-star recruit in 247Sports.com, ranked as the No. 38 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 16 recruit from his home state of Ohio.

The defensive lineman also holds offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Iowa, Miami, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford and Virginia.

The Badgers currently had four commits in the class of 2025, though none at defensive line. Sulfsted would be a commitment at a position of need, and from a location head coach Luke Fickell is expected to recruit well given his previous stops.

The program’s class of 2025 currently ranks No. 16 nationally at this early point in the process.

5 things Kalen DeBoer must do in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

The five most important acts Kalen DeBoer must complete in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

Replacing [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] was going to be an impossible task, but it feels like landing [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] is as good as it gets.

DeBoer is a proven winner with a 104-12 head coaching record. He is coming off a national title game appearance in just his second year with the Washington Huskies. He was reportedly athletic director Greg Byrne’s top target and the sides worked hard to get a deal done with almost no leaks.

DeBoer should be celebrated and enjoy the new promotion, but first thing in the morning we gotta get to work. Name, image and likeness licensing and the transfer portal have changed the game and allow you to essentially revamp your roster overnight, but DeBoer will have his work cut out for him. Many of the guys in the Alabama program came here because they wanted to play for Nick Saban, keeping them is going to require a sales pitch and a vision.

DeBoer has coordinator positions to fill, open roster spots and several other issues to attack. He has limited time to do so. Here are the five most important things DeBoer must do on his first day as head coach of the Crimson Tide: