Published Apr 7, 2025
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Big changes after key visits
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Adam Gorney  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Director
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@adamgorney

Another loaded weekend of official and unofficial visits means today’s Recruiting Rumor Mill is filled with news. Here’s the latest Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is hearing.

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A new offer from Michigan is definitely a big deal to the high three-star quarterback from Ashland, Ohio, and it could be good news for the Wolverines since the word is Bernhard wants to make a decision sooner rather than later.

But 10 minutes after Michigan offered, Ohio State was texting with the in-state quarterback and he’s visiting Columbus today, so he’ll see if that leads anywhere before making a decision.

A new offer from Georgia is a “dream come true” for the 2027 safety from Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview since he’s an in-state kid and he watched the Bulldogs growing up.

Caldwell spent a lot of time with assistant coach Andrew Thacker during a recent visit to Georgia as it’s clearly one of the top teams – if not the No. 1 team – on his early list.

During a recent visit to North Carolina, the 2028 quarterback from Mooresville (N.C.) Lake Norman felt how different things were in Chapel Hill and how it’s like an NFL program there. That definitely stood out to Craft along with being “starstruck” meeting with coach Bill Belichick.

The Tar Heels have definitely jumped out early for Craft, who also has Duke, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Penn State and South Carolina high up.

USC could have the edge in Davis’ early recruitment as the 2027 cornerback from Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge loved a recent visit there especially since the coaches were upfront about everything in his recruitment.

The Trojans are right at the top but Arizona State, Ole Miss and Oregon are right there as well.

Ole Miss has been pegged as Duckworth’s new front-runner and the Rebels could definitely land the four-star quarterback from Jackson, Ala., but the word is South Carolina is not giving up yet.

Duckworth had been committed to the Gamecocks early on but backed off that pledge last summer. South Carolina is re-engaging, though, especially with the success of LaNorris Sellers last season and could be holding off other QBs until Duckworth makes his choice.

The three-star defensive tackle from Prosper, Texas, has a longstanding relationship with USC position coach Eric Henderson ever since he visited with Johnson at his school and then reunited during a visit in Los Angeles recently.

Johnson loved his visit and the plan Henderson has in store for him if he comes to USC as the Trojans, SMU, North Carolina and Wisconsin are the standouts.

USC is a program to watch and Lewis had an excellent visit to Texas recently but Texas A&M is definitely another to watch especially after a recent visit to College Station. The Charlotte (N.C.) Ballantyne Ridge defensive end had an “incredible experience” at Texas A&M and loves the development and vision of the coaching staff there.

After seeing what was talked about in meetings translated onto the field, Lewis felt like maybe College Station would be his college stop.

A trip to Georgia definitely left a big impression and seeing the scrimmage was a big deal for the 2027 four-star linebacker from Mobile (Ala.) Williamson but the Bulldogs have some ground to make up in his recruitment.

LSU is still one of the top programs and has been for a long while with Oregon, Notre Dame and SMU standing out as well.

Wisconsin, Arizona State, Stanford, USC and Auburn will get official visits from the high three-star offensive tackle from Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge and a recent visit to meet with the Trojans definitely stood out a lot.

The mix of the academics and athletics definitely made an impression and Miller loved that USC reminded him in many ways of Desert Edge so there’s a comfort factor there as well.

The 2027 cornerback from Fort Worth (Texas) Brewer had a great time at Texas A&M and hit it off with position coach Jordan Peterson but the Aggies haven’t offered yet.

Others have an edge led by Notre Dame, SMU, TCU and others. Big visits are coming up with Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia as Outhouse works through his early front-runners.

There has been a ton of chatter around Rankin ending up at Illinois and it would make sense for the four-star receiver from Chicago (Ill.) Morgan Park, but he didn’t mention the Big Ten program recently when listing top programs.

Oregon, Tennessee, USC, Duke and Nebraska were on the list and the Trojans impressed him a lot during a recent visit especially after meeting Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The 2027 defensive tackle from Corinth (Texas) Lake Dallas is seeing his recruitment take off but Texas and Texas A&M are standing out most early on.

The Aggies definitely impressed him during a recent visit as he loved how everything each position group worked on translated together on the field. An in-state battle is brewing.

Miami, Alabama, Ole Miss, Nebraska, UCLA and others are all heavily involved with the four-star tight end from Anaheim (Calif.) Servite but a new offer from USC “definitely changes some things around.”

The Trojans’ No. 1 recruiting class – plus the program itself – is definitely capturing Sorensen’s attention now.

Watching Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola in practice was definitely a big deal to the high three-star offensive lineman from Meridian (Idaho) Rocky Mountain but others are probably higher in his recruitment now. There has been a lot of chatter in Tanner’s interest with Oregon but BYU, Utah, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin have also stood out a lot.

The message to Wilder during a recent visit to USC was that he didn’t need to go far from home to compete for a national championship. That resonated with the four-star defensive end from Gardena (Calif.) Serra, which has been a feeding ground to the Trojans over the last decade or more.

USC is considered the leader for Wilder while UCLA, Notre Dame and others remain involved.

The four-star receiver from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco committed to Texas A&M three days after Christmas but on Saturday, Williams and his parents visited USC for spring practice. That comes just days after Bosco coach Jason Negro was at USC to watch a workout.

While the word is Williams remains locked in with the Aggies, the Trojans are definitely working on flipping him.

A new offer from Georgia definitely “shakes things up” in Wilson’s recruitment as the Bulldogs now “have a seat at the table” among his leaders. The coaching staff told the four-star defensive end from Picayune, Miss., that he could be their next Mykel Williams and that definitely resonated with Wilson, who has Alabama as the front-runner in his recruitment. It could be tough to beat the Crimson Tide but Georgia now has its hat in the ring.

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