The SEC is the most dominant conference in recruiting, and that won't be changing with the 2018 class as the conference currently holds several of the country's top classes. As all 14 schools put the press on with summer approaching, here's the latest news and rumors you need to know:
5-star PSU commit may flip to SEC school
Penn State received a commitment from five-star quarterback Justin Fields (Kennesaw, GA) in December, but several teams - particularly a pair of SEC powers - have him as one of their top targets and are doing everything they can to flip him.
According to Luke Stampini of 247sports, Florida, Auburn and Florida State have emerged as serious threats to Penn State:
There are plenty that do not see his current pledge to the Nittany Lions sticking. Perhaps a clue to Fields still being open was the number of programs that visited his school during the spring evaluation period.
Florida was considered the team in the best position to flip Fields not long ago, and several sources indicated the Gators were Fields’ No. 2 team. UF has made Fields its top priority while letting other quarterbacks they likely could have committed go elsewhere.
Childhood favorite, Auburn, has been making a serious push for Fields of late as new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has made the Peach State product a priority. The latest rumblings also point to Florida State as a school to not count out either. The Seminoles have apparently been working their way up Fields’ list as well.
The publicly known visit for Fields is to FSU when his 7on7 team played in Tallahassee. However, there is some buzz that Fields might have made secret visits to other campuses this offseason. One that leaked out was a trip to UF around the time Fields competed at the Orlando Elite 11 Regional in mid-February. There is a good chance there were other trips that flew under the radar as well.
Fields is expected to make several visits in over the course of the next month, but he has not said which schools he will go to.
The 6-foot-3, 221-pounder is ranked as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 6 overall prospect in 247sports' Composite Rankings.
4-star WR to visit Alabama, LSU
Four-star wide receiver Justin Watkins (Clermont, FL) is currently committed to Texas, but he plans to visit five other schools this summer in Alabama, Louisville, LSU, Ohio State and Penn State.
Watkins had previously committed to LSU in April 2015, but decommitted in February 2016. He then committed to Florida State, but flipped to Texas this past February.
The 5-foot-11, 172-pounder is ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver and No. 46 overall prospect in 247sports' Composite Rankings.
Alabama, Georgia, Florida made final group for top uncommitted prospect
Five-star defensive end Micah Parsons (Harrisburg, PA) is the top uncommitted prospect in the country, and three SEC schools - Alabama, Georgia and Florida are in his final group.
These are the school I will be looking more closely into. @Hayesfawcett3 #blessed #top7 pic.twitter.com/dU1uFxnzi4
— BLESSEDMVP (@Micah_parsons23) May 27, 2017
Ohio State is currently though to be the leader for Parsons, though Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Penn State are the biggest challengers. He had committed to the Nittany Lions in February 2016, but decommitted last month.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is ranked as the No. 1 weak-side defensive end and No. 3 overall prospect in the country by 247sports' Composite Rankings.
More News:
Nick Saban frustrated by new recruiting rules? You be the judge (Gridiron Now)
LSU RB target Keontay Ingram commits to Texas (The Times-Picayune)
Vandy's Derek Mason says the SEC doesn't cheat (Columbus Ledger Enquirer)
Fann picks up a ‘dream offer’ from UGA (Columbus Ledger Enquirer)
Tennessee football recruiting: 2019 four-star wide receiver decommits from Vols (FanSided)
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