College football recruiting: Major prospects visiting Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State and more
Here are seven top schools expected to receive important official visitors this weekend. All recruiting lists are fluid and prospects frequently fail to show up, or change their plans and go elsewhere. I will try to update this if I hear of any late additions or flips.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Spor
The Tide welcome one of the top players nationally in Da’Shawn Hand, a five-star defensive end out of Virginia. Hand is also strongly considering Michigan and Florida, and is an excellent player.
Speaking of strong defensive linemen, Elisha Shaw, a four-star defensive tackle from Georgia, also plans to attend. Shaw is also considering Georgia, Auburn and others.
And yet another defensive lineman, Charles Mosley, of Brighton (TN) will be taking a visit to see the Tide and the Volunteers. Mosley is very high on both schools, and both have a need for the 6’4, 340-pound run stuffer.
Week 9's big games
No. 21 South Carolina vs. No. 5 MissouriNC State at No. 2 Florida State
Dalvin Cook, a five-star running back recruit out of Miami (Fla.) Central will be taking his official visit. Cook is committed to Florida, but is keeping his options open, and is also interested in the Miami Hurricanes. Florida State does not have an elite back in the class and will be selling early playing time. Cook's former teammate, Devonta Freeman, is FSU's leading rusher.
Jordan Prestwood, a four-star JUCO offensive tackle, is taking his official visit. SB Nation spoke with Prestwood earlier this week.
Speaking of offensive tackles, FSU is welcoming in Brock Ruble on his official visit. Ruble is a three-star from DeMatha Catholic School in Maryland. He is considering a number of schools including Maryland and Tennessee.
The fourth official visit will come from D.J. Pettway. Pettway was booted from Alabama for his part in a robbery, and is now a JUCO star. Pettway received youthful offender status, as he was 19 at the time, and his part in the robbery was that of the driver. Pettway is an excellent defensive end/outside linebacker.
Florida State QB commit J.J. Cosentino, of Pittsburgh, and linebacker commit Jacob Pugh, of Tallahassee, will also be visiting, as will Trinity Catholic’s Jordan Woods, a very talented 2016 edge rusher.
UCLA at No. 3 Oregon
Oregon will have ESPN’s College GameDay on hand to see one of the prime Pac-12 games of the season, and several top visitors will be in town.
It starts with John “JuJu” Smith, a five-star safety out of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly. Smith is an excellent player and is also considering Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State and others.
He’ll be joined on his official visit by Montae Nicholson, a four-star athlete from Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway. Nicholson can play receiver or safety, and he loves shoes. He’ll be impressed by all of the Oregon gear on hand. But distance is an issue for Nicholson, and he’s also considering Penn State and Florida State, among others.
Penn State at No. 4 Ohio State
The excellent Ohio State website Land-Grant Holy Land has you covered. There are more than 50 recruits visiting the Buckeyes, including Raekwon McMillian and Tony Brown.
South Carolina at No. 5 Missouri
Missouri’s pass rushers this year have been excellent, and they’ll welcome a former LSU commit at defensive end.
Instead of going to #Oregon for my official visit this weekend. I will be going to #Mizzou. I will be with my beautiful mother.
— Sharieff Rhaheed1⃣5⃣ (@reef_15) October 21, 2013
Duke at No. 14 Virginia Tech
The Hokies have really turned their season around after a rough start. And this weekend they’ll be welcoming in Brandon Lee, a four-star linebacker from Indianapolis, for a visit. He’ll be joined by three-star Jacksonville (Fla.) receiver Isaiah Ford, who is currently committed to Louisville. Ford could be quite the battle down the stretch. He lacks speed but is an excellent leaper.
Vanderbilt at No. 16 Texas A&M
Despite the loss to Auburn last weekend, Texas A&M remains a hot team in recruiting. And it will be important to make an impression on JUCO offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, a four-star Arkansas commitment. I am not sure of the Aggies’ chances at flipping Eluemunor, but the folks in Arkansas cannot feel good about him taking this visit.
More from SB Nation college football:
• Big games: Can ‘Cocks stop Mizzou? | Ducks to trample UCLA
