Top 15 College Football Recruiting Battles Still Going in 2013
Ensuing Top 15 College Football Recruiting Battles in 2013
National Signing Day is so close I can smell it. Or taste it or see it, whatever sense you want to use the point is, it’s right around the corner (10 days in fact at the time this article was written). With the clock winding down, recruiting battles are white hot right now.
With recruits committing then decommitting this season, it’s anyone’s guess as to where these 15 players will eventually end up.
These 15 prospects are not only some of the top in the nation, schools fighting over them make them that much more intriguing. Most on this list have not made a verbal commitment, but there are some players who are verbally committed but still have left the door cracked open for other schools to put their foot in. Also you will see that some of these top players committed earlier in the year, but have since gone back and opened up their recruiting search.
It’s a very exciting time for prep and college football enthusiasts alike. A lot of these recruits are going through taking their official visits, hearing what coaches have to say and waiting until signing day to make their decision. It’s a very important decision and one that will shape the future for these young athletes.
Many programs would love to have any one of these top players. That is what makes these recruiting battles so intriguing. Schools and coaches are pulling out all the stops as signing day nears.
So let’s get this started and look at the top 15 college football recruiting battles ongoing for 2013.
15. Asiantii Woulard
We start off the list by looking at the number one dual-threat quarterback Asiantii Woulard of Winter Park, FL. Woulard is a "pass first" type of quarterback who has had an interesting recruiting road thus far. Woulard first committed to the South Florida Bulls in the summer of 2012 just to decommit this past December. With an official visit to the UCLA Bruins this weekend after taking an official to the Clemson Tigers (January 18) and Kentucky Wildcats (January 11), this battle can go anywhere. My guess is Woulard will wind up with the Tigers.
14. MarQuez North
The Mallard Creek High receiver Marquez North is one of the top wide outs in the nation who has not committed. With the North Carolina Tar Heels, Tennessee Volunteers, and Clemson Tigers fighting for the talented North, this looks to be a very good recruiting battle. It looks to be between the Tar Heels and Volunteers with the Tigers with an outside chance, as I believe it's the Volunteers who will win out.
13. Durham Smythe
If you have not heard of the talented tight end Durham Smythe, you will in the coming years. The recruiting battle for the high touted Smythe is between three very prominent football programs. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Stanford Cardinal and Michigan Wolverines are all in competition for Smythe. With taking officials to the Cardinal on January 11 and the Irish on the 25th, the last official remaining is the Wolverines on February 1. With that said I believe the luck of the Irish wins out and Smythe winds up in South Bend, IN.
12. Alvin Kamara
One of the best all purpose backs in the nation Alvin Kamara is being fought over by the two best SEC. Both the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide are in the middle of a very tight battle for Kamara. Both schools have received an official from Kamara (Tide on January 18 and the Bulldogs on the 25th) and there are some rumblings that the Florida State Seminoles could also be the last official before signing day. Either way I don't expect the Seminoles to win this race, but I do think Kamara stays in his home-state of Georgia and picks the Bulldogs.
11. Altee Tenpenny
This is the first of a few recruits who have made a verbal commitment, but the door is still open for other schools to choose. Tenpenny has made a verbal to the Alabama Crimson Tide, however it's the Arkansas Razorbacks who could very well flip the talented running back. With new head coach Bret Bielema coming in, it's a possibility. Bielema had very good success with running backs in his time with the Wisconsin Badgers which could play in Tenpenny's decision. However I believe when the dust settles it's the Tide who will wind up with Tenpenny.
10. Eddie Vanderdoes
Vanderdoes made headlines two days after Christmas when he decommitted from the USC Trojans, opening up his recruiting once again. Vanderdoes is taking an official visit to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish January 25th and will take one final one to the Alabama Crimson Tide February 1st. I believe all that is to test the waters as I think Vanderdoes will eventually choose the Trojans once again.
9. Tony Conner
I've had my eye on this recruit and where he will wind up for awhile now. Tony Conner is a highly touted cornerback from Mississippi and has been heavily recruited by the Ole Miss Rebels. But it's Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide who are looking to make a late push for Conner. One thing most college football fans know is to never count out Saban and the Tide. Other schools show interest but it looks to be down to those two programs. It's a tough decision to make, but I think the Rebels win this battle.
8. Mackensie Alexander
Many rumors have swirled around the past couple of days that four-star cornerback MacKensie Alexander is starting to lean towards the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Other teams fighting for Alexander are the Clemson Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies and Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Making this battle even more intriguing is that there was a fake Twitter account set in Alexander's name and it claimed he was committing to the Bulldogs. That was quickly de-bunked by Alexander who I think will choose Clemson on signing day.
7. Matthew Thomas
Some of the top programs in the nation are fighting over the five-star outside linebacker Matthew Thomas. The Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes look to be front-runners at this time, with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and USC Trojans close behind. It all comes down to who made the best impression while Thomas was visiting their school. Thomas took officials to the Tide, Trojans, Hurricanes and Seminoles in the month of January, with the Bulldogs being Thomas' last on February 1. This is a tough one to predict, but I think the Hurricanes end up edging out everyone else.
6. Reuben Foster
Highly touted recruit Reuben Foster has had a very interesting road thus far. First Foster committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide only to decommit in July when he committed to the Auburn Tigers. That verbal lasted until December when Foster decommitted from the Tigers to open up his recruiting search once more. Foster then set up three visits to the Tide (January 18), Tigers (February 1) and Georgia Bulldogs (January 25). Who knows where this one will go, but I think Auburn will land Foster.
5. Dontre Wilson
This is another recruit who has made a verbal already, but there is another program garnering high interest. In this instance it has to do with the program's head coach bolting for the NFL leaving recruits in limbo, and Dontre Wilson is no exception. Although Wilson is committed to the Oregon Ducks, it's the Ohio State Buckeyes who very well flip the talented running back. Wilson is making an official visit to Columbus, OH. That could be all that it takes for Urban Meyer and company to land Wilson. I could very well flip a coin and pick who will nab Wilson. I'm torn with this one but I think the Buckeyes do flip Wilson from his Oregon commitment.
4. Laremy Tunsil
This is another battle between the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide, with the Florida State Seminoles and Ole Miss Rebels close behind. This race for the five-star offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil looks to come down to the Bulldogs, Tide and Seminoles. In this one however I think it's the Tide who win out for Tunsil.
3. Montravius Adams
The Dooly County star defensive tackle Montravius Adams has the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers fighting for his services, with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers also involved. Adams takes his official visit to his home-state Bulldogs on January 25, which could make a major influence on his decision. However with that said I think it will be Clemson that winds up with Adams.
2. Vonn Bell
It's a three-horse race for the talented safety Vonn Bell, and I'm very intrigued how it turns out. Both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide are strong candidates with the Tennessee Volunteers as a wild card in this process. Don't count out the Volunteers as they have made a strong push and will try and sway Bell in his official visit on January 25. They are a real player in this race so don't be surprised if they do somehow land Bell. The Buckeyes however is the team that Bell will eventually choose in my opinion.
1. Carl Lawson
Carl Lawson lands at my top spot not only because he is another player who is verbally committed and exploring other options, but because some out there consider him the top player overall in the country. With Lawson being the top player and caught in a major recruiting battle makes this the number one on my list and also something everyone will be paying attention to in the days leading up to signing day. Lawson is currently committed to the Auburn Tigers, but the Tennessee Volunteers and Clemson Tigers are in hot pursuit. Lawson visited the Volunteers on January 18, Clemson back on January 11 and has one set up with Auburn on February 1. The North Carolina Tar Heels also received a visit from Lawson January 25. Lawson will be an asset on any team he chooses and I think he will go from one Tiger team to the next and flip to Clemson.
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