The final stretch before college football’s early signing period is always a whirlwind, but this year the recruiting roller coaster is taking some extra twists and turns. With 18 days remaining until recruits can put pen to paper, the rumor mill is swirling around some of the nation’s most coveted prospects. Will they stay true to their word or make a last-minute flip that sends shockwaves through the sport?
QB Drama Takes Center Stage
Nowhere is the intrigue greater than at the quarterback position, where a trio of five-star passers are keeping fans and coaches on the edge of their seats. Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit, appeared to pour cold water on rumblings of a flip from LSU to Michigan with a cryptic Instagram post Thursday night. The Tigers remain confident he’ll sign on the dotted line, but the Wolverines aren’t throwing in the towel on their pursuit of the generational talent.
Meanwhile, USC commit Julian Lewis is taking an unofficial visit to Georgia this weekend ahead of the Bulldogs’ pivotal matchup with Tennessee. The Peach State native, ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect, has been linked to Colorado and Indiana despite his pledge to the Trojans. Could a trip to Athens be the first step in a homecoming flip?
The quarterback carousel took another turn Thursday when Tramell Jones Jr. backed off his Florida State commitment. The No. 9 dual-threat passer is now squarely in the sights of Florida, where he’ll take in the Gators’ tussle with LSU on Saturday. Billy Napier and Co. are brimming with confidence they’ll land Jones to cap a strong finish on the trail.
Heavyweight Visits on Deck
Beyond the signal callers, several other top prospects are set to take game-changing visits this weekend:
- Five-star DE Jahkeem Stewart (No. 11): The springy edge rusher out of Pennsylvania heads to USC for an official visit fresh off trips to Oregon, Ohio State, and LSU. Can the Trojans close the deal?
- Five-star CB Na’eem Offord (No. 4): The Ohio State verbal will be in the Swamp as part of a star-studded visitor list for Florida. While Offord maintains he’s locked in with the Buckeyes, the Gators aren’t conceding the battle for the lockdown corner.
- Four-star DE Isaiah Campbell (No. 38): Once a Clemson commit, Campbell’s decision is down to Tennessee and North Carolina. After raving about his Rocky Top visit last month, can the Heels sway him on their turf this weekend?
Fallout from November Moves
The home stretch hasn’t been kind to Florida State after losing a trio of assistants to firings last weekend, including OC/OL coach Alex Atkins. The staff shakeup has some Seminole commits assessing their options, with No. 13 recruit Solomon Thomas set to scope out Florida while three-star S Gregory Thomas and others reaffirmed their FSU pledges amid the turmoil.
Conversely, Florida is riding high after AD Scott Stricklin gave a vote of confidence to embattled head coach Billy Napier. The Gators are rolling out the red carpet for a slew of blue-chippers this Saturday and expect to reel in Jones at QB along with several other priority targets down the stretch.
“The announcement was a breath of fresh air.”
– Vernell Brown III, 4-star Florida WR commit
Flip Watch Heating Up
As the clock ticks down, the jockeying to poach pledges from other schools is intensifying. Some names to watch as potential flips:
- CB Ivan Taylor (Michigan to Alabama)
- DE London Merritt (Ohio State to Colorado)
- WR Naeshaun Montgomery (Florida to Alabama)
- OT Damola Ajidahun (GT to South Carolina)
- RB Jace Clarizio (MSU to Alabama)
All told, buckle up for a wild ride to the finish line of the 2025 recruiting cycle. With some of the biggest dominoes still to fall, the next 18 days promise more than their fair share of fireworks. Who will close strong and who will be left scrambling to pick up the pieces? We’ll find out soon enough, but one thing is for certain – it’s going to be a fascinating sprint to signing day.
