Cover 3 College Football Podcast

Episode: Alabama & Ohio State Shift Recruiting To Hyper Drive, Top Transfer Portal QBs | Recruiting Show
Date: November 11, 2025
Hosts: Bud Elliott, Andrew Ivins (with mentions for Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Cover 3 College Football Podcast is a recruiting-centric deep dive, focused on late-season recruiting surges by powerhouses like Alabama and Ohio State, a meticulous look at top quarterback prospects and transfer portal possibilities, and an entertaining exploration of coaching beefs and recruiting trends. Bud Elliott and Andrew Ivins bring sharp analysis, behind-the-scenes insights, and some humor as they dissect the current and future landscape of college football recruiting.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Alabama’s Recruiting Surge (02:28–11:12)

• Alabama’s dominance in recruiting: The hosts celebrate how the Crimson Tide, under head coach Kalen DeBoer, are capitalizing late in the cycle and stacking talent "NFL guys up and down the list." (03:14)
• Notable commits and comparisons:
  • Xavier Griffin: Comped to Von Miller, "has the twitch and bend... hard to imagine him not being an early impact guy." – Andrew Ivins (06:36)
  • Jordan Edmonds: Compared to Will Johnson
  • Jaira Edwards: Parallels to Malachi Starks
  • Zion Gibson: One of Ivins’ favorite corners in the class.
• Quarterback pipeline:
  • Alabama is "all in on high school recruiting for QBs" with a loaded depth chart spanning 2026 and 2027, including Trent Seaborn and highly touted Elijah Haven.
  • Alabama won’t be active in the transfer portal for quarterbacks: "They already have a quarterback committed in the 2027 class and they got two in 2026...Alabama has it dialed right now." – Andrew Ivins (04:46)
• On Kalen DeBoer maintaining Saban’s standard:
  • "Six months ago, there was reason to be concerned...but kids are still buying into: I go to Alabama and I can make the NFL." – Ivins (05:54)

Notable Quote

"Some guys shoot out and then they can’t bend it, right? Some guys don’t have the twitch and they do bend—he’s kind of got both. It’s hard to imagine him not being an early impact guy for them."
— Andrew Ivins on Xavier Griffin (06:36)

2. QB Recruiting, Comps, and the ‘Weighted Coin Flip’ (09:28–18:43)

• Elijah Haven analysis:
  • Composed, mature, "talks like an adult," yet QB recruiting is never a sure bet: "It’s not a coin flip. It’s a weighted coin flip." – Ivins (09:28)
  • Comparable to Jacoby Brissett in tools and mentality — Brissett’s long NFL career highlighted as a positive, realistic comp (11:21)
• QB recruiting is nuanced:
  • "A fan base isn’t happy unless it’s Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Mahomes. Not all of them are going to be those individuals." – Bud Elliott (11:40)
  • Age and reclassification's impact on QB development—discussing statistical trends and the Florida '19-9' rule (17:59–20:13)
• The Jaden Wade Watch (12:13–16:29):
  • Rising sophomore QB, seen as the “real deal”; IMG staff has compared him to C.J. Stroud.
  • Wade potentially reclassifying, possibly shifting the entire 2027 QB market.

Notable Quote

"When you talk to him, you’re talking like an adult. Despite that he’s got another year left of high school—just a really impressive kid."
— Andrew Ivins on Elijah Haven (09:28)

3. Reclassification and Age in Modern Recruiting (16:29–20:13)

• Exploring QB reclassification trends and the nuances of age:
  • Data point: "Over the past 10 years, there hasn’t been a QB drafted that turned 19 before their senior year of high school." (18:50)
  • Hold-backs, pandemic effects, and developmental paths discussed.
  • The importance of live reps at the prep level; why some elite talents (e.g., Jaden Wade) may choose not to reclassify early.

4. Emerging Transfer Portal & QB Market Update (26:16–41:37)

• Potential Transfer Targets (26:16):
  • DJ Lagway (Florida) – debated whether he needs "a reset" and where he might go (27:49).
  • Julian Lewis (Colorado) – rough but promising debut, broader questions about Deion Sanders' program sustainability (32:10).
  • Tradeon Bessinger (Iowa/Utah) – “As good a senior season as anyone,” poised for early play time at Iowa (20:50).
  • Drew Mestemaker (North Texas) – Intriguing G5 QB prospect with a unique profile (first start as a bowl game, high ceiling) (36:32).
• Broader Transfer Portal landscape:
  • Many teams in the SEC and across CFB will be seeking QB upgrades or resets.
  • “It’s musical chairs, that’s what it’s going to be.” – Bud Elliott (39:58)
• Discussion of fit, developmental needs, and the premium on QBs with both talent and the right system match.

Notable Exchange

"The upside he has, somebody's gonna pay him to bet on the upside, right?" – Andrew Ivins on DJ Lagway (31:30)
"He could absolutely stay at Florida...I just want to know how the next few weeks go if the pressure just mounts on DJ Lagway and he does need a clean slate." – Bud Elliott (31:57)

5. The Miami vs. Syracuse Sideline Beef: Recruiting as the Catalyst (41:37–46:54)

• Fran Brown (Syracuse) vs. Mario Cristobal (Miami) animosity:
  • On-field shouting match traced back to fierce recruiting overlap in South Florida.
  • House-divided (Miami-Syracuse) shirt worn by blue-chip recruit Calvin Russell highlighted as a symbol.
  • Old-school negative recruiting still very much alive – each coach is "telling their side" of the story to prospects (41:37).
• Recruiting relationships vs. 'just buying kids':
  • "If your school has to be the highest bidder on every kid, that’s a wildly inefficient process... If you build a real relationship...you can get a discount." – Andrew Ivins (45:31)

Notable Quote

"This is just, like, all playing out over the past...six months. They do not get along and a lot of it stems from recruiting."
— Bud Elliott (44:46)

6. Ohio State’s Aggressive Close — Flips and Key Adds (48:57–54:31)

• Ohio State surging late:
  • Added Jay Timmons (CB) from Florida State — "love the football player here...reminds me of Trent McDuffie" – Bud Elliott (49:28, 50:20)
  • Emmanuel Ruffin (DL, flipped from Colorado) – "big, potential building block up front" who "moved like a cat" at combine drills (50:53)
  • Ohio State leveraging certainty/playoff visibility in this late cycle to flip top talent.
  • Praise for Ohio State’s ability to run complex schemes "clean" and the depth/athleticism of their roster (52:23).

Notable Quote

“They’re able to go around...after kids that are committed elsewhere and, more importantly, after kids that are playing excellent as seniors.”
— Bud Elliott (50:20)

7. Miami’s Defensive Recruiting — J.J. Dunnigan Flip (55:51–57:45)

• J.J. Dunnigan (KS DB) flips to Miami:
  • "Turbo charged chess piece," versatile, standout in both Kansas and at national camps (55:51)
  • Miami targeted for their fast, physical profile. "I really like what Miami’s doing on the defensive side of the ball." – Ivins (57:21)

8. Pennsylvania’s 2027 Golden Age & Matt Sieg’s Wild Recruitment (58:33–63:05)

• Matt Sieg (Pittsburgh safety):
  • Penn State commit, but being actively pitched by Indiana (Signetti), Notre Dame, and upstart West Virginia (with Rich Rodriguez).
  • Noted as a "hard-nosed football player" excelling at QB in high school, projects as a safety at the college level (58:36–59:43).
• Pennsylvania's rising recruiting profile:
  • Multiple blue-chip prospects in the 2027 class – potential for Penn State or another in-region program to contend for #1 class status based on state talent (60:57).
  • James Franklin’s potential impact if he lands at Virginia Tech or elsewhere — "If they're spending, Franklin can recruit and that's gonna be a pain in the ass for those schools in that region." – Ivins (62:09)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Alabama recruiting:
  "The scary part for the rest of the SEC is their 2027 class has a chance to be even better than this." – Andrew Ivins (05:15)
• On reclassification:
  "I've done a lot of research on this topic...there hasn't been a quarterback drafted that turned 19 before their senior year of high school." – Bud Elliott (18:50)
• On transfer movement:
  "It's musical chairs, that's what it's going to be." – Bud Elliott (39:58)
• On Miami-Syracuse recruiting rivalry:
  "These two do not get along and a lot of it stems from recruiting... throwback negative recruiting going on." – Bud Elliott (44:46)
• On Ohio State's closing power:
  "Ohio State is in an advantageous position because there is certainty, continuity, they're going to play for a playoff." – Bud Elliott (50:20)

Timeline of Key Segments

• Alabama’s recruiting momentum: 02:28–11:12
• QB recruiting, comps, reclassification: 09:28–20:13
• Transfer portal/quarterback market: 26:16–41:37
• Miami-Syracuse sideline/recruiting tension: 41:37–46:54
• Ohio State’s late recruiting flips and analysis: 48:57–54:31
• Miami flips and defensive vision: 55:51–57:45
• Pennsylvania recruiting boom & Matt Sieg’s recruitment: 58:33–63:05

Closing Notes

• The tone throughout is expert yet conversational, filled with genuine excitement, skepticism, and playful rivalry banter.
• For fans and insiders, this episode offers a treasure trove of stories, analysis, and predictive nuggets about where blue-chip talent and major programs are headed.

If You Missed the Episode:

This summary captures the evolving chess match of college recruiting, the brewing coaching feuds shaping pipelines, the emerging impact of age and reclassification, and a sneak peek at which teams are poised to dominate both the recruiting trail and transfer portal in the coming months.