By Corey Long – @CoreyLong
Updated May 14, 2019.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Clemson Grade: A+
- Latest Recruit:
QB D.J. Uiagalelei (Bellflower, CA) commits to Clemson – May 5
Clemson’s weekend of blue-chip commitments was capped with Uiagalelei, the top quarterback prospect in the nation and someone who will be expected to step in for Trevor Lawrence after the 2020 season. Uiagalelei has elite arm talent, the type of arm talent that will easily translate to the next level and beyond. He’s a pocket passer, but he’s a modern pocket passer; he plays out of the gun and understands how important movement within the pocket is. Uiagalelei’s biggest strength is is size (6-6, 235) and confidence to stand in the pocket and deliver the pass regardless of what’s going on around him. He has an good sense of the rush and when it’s coming, but he doesn’t allow it to force him into mistakes. With his addition to Clemson’s class, the Tigers claim to No. 1 is clear cut.
Georgia Grade: A
- Latest Recruit:
OT Tate Ratledge (Rome, GA) commits to Georgia – May 13
Ratledge gives the Bulldogs their second blue-chip commitment in the past four days, and it starts what I expect to be a very fruitful summer recruitment period for the Bulldogs a few weeks early. Georgia could lose both starting tackles after the 2019 season, so adding Ratledge fills a likely need with a player who could contribute early. Ratledge looks like a left tackle (6-6, 315) and is built strongly from the bottom up with plus-level athletic skills. Ratledge’s father is a wrestling coach, and it’s easy to tell that Ratledge comes from a wrestling background with the way he can control his body while controlling the block. He doesn’t give up an inch and has good hands. Ratledge possesses a high ceiling with NFL potential.
Alabama Grade: A
- Latest Recruit:
ATH Drew Sanders (Denton, Texas) commits to Alabama – April 29
Alabama grabs one of the highest-profile defections of the 2020 class, as Sanders flipped to the Crimson Tide from Oklahoma, where he had been committed to since 2017. As a tight end prospect, Sanders draws high comparisons to players like Hunter Henry. However, he has decided to play defense and is being recruited as an outside linebacker to Alabama. Sanders is a great athlete, one of the top players in the class, and is clearly confident that he can make the switch.
LSU Grade: A
- Latest Recruit:
LB Antoine Sampah (Woodbridge, VA) commits to LSU – April 29
Sampah is a high-caliber blue-chip linebacker in this class, and his commitment keeps LSU rolling. As of now LSU, Alabama and Clemson have easily separated themselves from the pack in the race for the best recruiting class. Sampah chose LSU over Clemson, Alabama, Miami and Penn State. He’s a physical player who can lay on a big hit, but he’s also fundamentally sound. Sampah understands that the big hit is nice but making the tackle is most important, and he doesn’t let many ball-carriers escape his grip.
Penn State Grade: A-
- Latest Recruit:
OT Aaryn Parks (Fort Washington, MD) commits to Penn State – April 29
The Nittany Lions staff is building an impressive offensive line class, and Parks, a top-20 player at the tackle position, is another nice prospect with high upside to add to the haul. Parks has great size (6-5, 290) and is a very good athlete, leading to the potential of playing any positions up front. As it is, I expect he’ll play one of the tackle positions, and there, he is strong with his hands and is good on initial contact.
Notre Dame Grade: B+
- Latest Recruit:
LB Jordan Botelho (Honolulu, HI) commits to Notre Dame – April 18
Notre Dame’s hot run in recruiting continued Thursday by pulling the commitment of the top prospect in the state of Hawaii away from several Pac-12 suitors – Washington, Oregon, UCLA. Botelho is listed as an inside linebacker, but the film seems to tell the story of a young man who could develop into an edge rusher in college. As it is, he’s a very versatile athlete who could contribute at a couple of positions.
Miami Grade: B+
- Latest Recruit:
S Justin Hodges (Fort Lauderdale, FL) commits to Miami – May 7
Hodges is a long, albeit undersized defensive back prospect who can win a lot of battles with length until he grows into his frame. Hodges was gaining traction with his recruitment in the past couple of weeks as South Florida, Syracuse and Indiana had all offered. It was enough for Miami to take a second look at a player in its backyard and get him to commit.
Florida State Grade: B+
- Latest Recruit:
WR Malachi Wideman (Sarasota, FL) commits to Florida State – May 5
Wideman is a very good athlete who gives the Seminoles another nice commitment for the weekend after landing Jayion McCluster earlier. Florida State needs offensive skill in this class, and Wideman looks like a talented prospect and fierce competitor who can earn his way on the field over time. Wideman isn’t a finished product, but he has plenty of tools to become an effective, productive receiver.
Oklahoma Grade: B
- Latest Recruit:
OT Noah Nelson (Gilbert, AZ) commits to Oklahoma – May 13
Last week, Oklahoma got a commit from Texas prospect Nate Anderson, who I believe could end up being one of the best offensive linemen in this class. Nelson doesn’t have that immediate upside in my opinion, but at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds, he has the length and body that could end in there with the right development. Nelson has a lot of raw tools and areas he needs to work on. Oklahoma needs tackles for now and the future. Nelson is a future project, but one worth keeping an eye on.
Oregon Grade: B
- Latest Recruit:
QB Jay Butterfield (Brentwood, CA) commits to Oregon – May 11
After missing out on D.J. Uiagalelei, Oregon quickly jumped on Butterfield, a top-10 quarterback prospect in the nation. Butterfield’s skill might be a bit of departure from recent Oregon quarterbacks. He is a pocket passer and excels at making throws and decisions from the pocket. He’s sufficiently mobile to move around, but not the type of player who can makes big plays with his legs. That being said, Butterfield’s arm talent is high end and he’s going to turn heads with his ability to deliver the ball on time and on target.
