Recruiting Rumor Mill: Frenzy of activity surrounding spring games

Spring games, visits and offers are happening at a rapid pace which means the Recruiting Rumor Mill has been kicked into high gear. Here’s the latest from around the country:

The 2025 four-star defensive tackle from Lake City, S.C., continues to build his relationship with South Carolina as the Gamecocks look like the front-runner in his recruitment especially after another great visit to Columbia.

Adams loves how hard South Carolina practices and that coach Shane Beamer makes it challenging and fun plus his relationship with Beamer and position coach Jimmy Lindsey standout a lot. Georgia, Florida State and others will be in the mix as well and Clemson could be too if it offers.

Auburn is now considered the front-runner for Barber especially since the Tigers are recruiting him the hardest and he had a great A-Day visit where he hit it off with numerous coaches on the staff.

The Tigers definitely look best for the four-star linebacker from Pinson (Ala.) Clay but Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, UCF and Texas A&M are pushing as well.

In the end, Georgia might be tough to beat for the 2025 tight end from Alpharetta, Ga., with Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and others but Auburn could be coming on strong. Barbour has not narrowed anything down yet but a recent visit for A-Day stood out mainly because of the coaching staff there, how they interacted with him and his dad and the plan to bring the Tigers back to national relevancy.

When the 2025 four-star is ready to narrow it down, Auburn should make the cut.

LSU and Ole Miss have had the edge in Collins’ recruitment with Arkansas and others very much in the picture for the four-star defensive end from Little Rock (Ark.) Mills but now Auburn should be considered among the favorites as well.

Collins loved his time on The Plains, loved how everyone from the players to the coaches loved being there, the excitement around the program and then he hit it off with coach Hugh Freeze and position coach Jeremy Garrett. If this level of interest could be sustained, Auburn could be a sneaky favorite here.

“There’s so much I can say about that visit,” Collins said. “It has been one of my best.”

The four-star linebacker from Mobile (Ala.) Mobile Christian committed to Alabama in December but then in late January he took a quick trip to Auburn and was back on The Plains in recent days as the Tigers look to flip him.

Dixon loved how the coaching staff treated him and the main message what that the 2024 class “will truly be something special,” but the word is Dixon is sticking with the Crimson Tide and his pledge remains firm.

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Although Dupree isn’t making a clear favorite, Notre Dame could be the team to watch in his recruitment. The four-star all-purpose back from Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel had an excellent visit to South Bend recently where he hit it off with coach Marcus Freeman but especially position coach Deland McCullough.

The Notre Dame running backs coach broke everything down for Dupree, who he’s coached before, how he’d fit in the offense and so much more. On Saturday, the four-star was at Wisconsin.

A new offer from Georgia is absolutely huge for the 2026 offensive lineman from Richmond (Va.) St. Christophers since it’s been one he’s dreamed about for a while so the Bulldogs should definitely be watched as his recruitment continues. But South Carolina has also left a big impression along with Tennessee early on.

Purdue landed a major commitment from Karner in March but the pledge only lasted a little more than a month as the Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception standout saw his recruitment explode in recent weeks.

A new offer from Alabama is definitely one to watch along with Michigan State, Texas A&M and Arkansas.

Louisville, Missouri, Oregon, Michigan and Florida State are the final five for Madison, who is originally from Kansas City and so the Tigers are of serious interest here, he loves Oregon coach Dan Lanning and has known him a long time and has a long connection with new Michigan five-star quarterback commit Jadyn Davis but Florida State should be the team to watch here.

Although official visits will come in June and then a decision should happen before his senior season, the four-star receiver from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas is super close with the FSU coaches and that gives the Seminoles a slight edge right now.

Georgia is the front-runner for the 2025 four-star quarterback from Findlay, Ohio as the word is Montgomery “loved it down there” in Athens.

This one could get especially interesting since Montgomery’s brother, Luke, signed with Ohio State last recruiting cycle and playing together could become more significant as the 2025 QB gets closer to a decision but the Bulldogs are now the team to watch.