Midwest Rumor Mill: Latest news on the region’s top candidates
Recruiting news is flowing fast and furious as prospects return from important visits and Rivals national analysts gather. greg smith All the latest stories from the Midwest.
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The 2027 four-star from Ohio State was one of many blue-chip prospects that made headlines in Knoxville over the weekend. tennessee beat florida. The atmosphere and energy of the game really stood out to him. The intensity of SEC football was also eye-opening.
Coaches have made it clear that he is a priority for the program and that this trip went so well that they are already thinking about returning home.
Iowa State’s 2027 four-star tight end is returning to Iowa City. The noisy environment was particularly impressive to him, and it was fun to see how excited the crowd was for the match.
When thinking about the best program for tight ends; iowa It’s at or near the top of his high-profile list. That will definitely have a big impact on his final decision.
High three-star quarterback visits University of California Los Angeles This weekend, he will be one of two quarterbacks in the class. The Illinois native said he has enjoyed his time in Westwood and thinks the coaching staff is great, even though this is a rebuilding year.
Other programs aren’t giving up on the senior, who is among the state’s top scorers this season. He plans to visit illinois, colorado, cincinnati and florida This season.
of Alabama This commit will be one to keep an eye on all the way up to signing day in December. He remains committed to the Tide and that relationship remains strong. But the coach has great momentum. matt rule and nebraska. Rules and Linebackers Coach rob dvorak Both were at Merritt’s game Thursday night. The gesture meant a lot to Merritt, who heard Nebraska was the only program he would consider besides Alabama.
recent oklahoma The commit has been keeping things low-key since backing out of his commitment with the Sooners. But there are programs in the Big 12 that have emerged as potential candidates for his signature.
iowa has been in contact with him the most of any program and is scheduled to visit Ames this weekend. I heard he’s looking for the best overall program on and off the field.
The 2027 Elite Athletes made the trip to Tennessee, and the electric environment, fans, and coaching staff made the trip a great one. After this visit, the Vols will definitely be the frontrunners to sign him in the future.
Next he plans to check out the state Indiana Heading into a monster matchup against Nebraska State.
LSU The school has been on Taylor’s radar ever since it made him an offer. A recent visit to the bayou reinforced that feeling. Even though the group was strong overall, what caught Taylor’s attention was how skilled LSU’s wide receivers were.
Garrett Nussmeyer’s growth is an encouraging sign for the young signal caller.
Oklahoma, Michigan and Nebraska are also early standout states for him.
The 2026 four-star prospect came to Illinois to see what the state could offer. The coaching staff made him a top priority and even wanted him to come down early to spend more time with the coaches.
The history of developing staff and players entering the NFL is very interesting to him. Thomas and his family say they are getting used to Illinois over time.