Michigan’s BIG Recruiting Win | UGA 5-Star Intel

Summary

Inside Scoop On3 Football Recruiting Show

Michigan’s BIG Recruiting Win | UGA 5-Star Intel

Date: July 9, 2026
Host: On3 — Josh McDowell
Guests/Analysts: Josh Dobson, Rusty Mansell (Dogs HQ), Jeffrey Lee

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Overview

This episode dives into some of the biggest recent stories in college football recruiting, focusing on:

• Michigan’s headline-grabbing win over Ohio State for an elite in-state prospect
• Georgia’s top-tier running back class and ongoing cornerback recruiting challenges
• Auburn’s international efforts and their surprise successes and targets as the offseason winds down

Recruiting experts on the On3 network break down high-impact visits, commitments, key staffer performances, and the wild dynamics of flip season.

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Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Michigan: Closing Strong and Recruiting Wins

[08:23 – 14:24]

Big Win Over Ohio State: Monsanto Tolbert

• Recruitment Drama:
  Michigan landed cornerback Monsanto Tolbert, the #4 prospect in Ohio, beating out Ohio State—a major feat since the Buckeyes were favored after Tolbert’s official visit to Columbus on June 12.
• Victor’s Weekend Was Key:
  Tolbert’s visit to Ann Arbor flipped his recruitment. Michigan “wrapped things up” but he held to his July 1 announcement, allowing more OSU pressure, but stuck with Michigan.
• Completed the Secondary:
  Tolbert joins Darius Johnson and Blake Jenkins (both blue-chippers) and might play anywhere in the secondary.
• Josh Dobson:

  “It's tough to beat beating out Ohio State for an Ohio kid that the Buckeyes really, really wanted ... They really wanted to, you know, finish off a class that already has two blue chip prospects ... Torbert fills that role perfectly.” (09:03)

Staff Standouts: Gennaro Guilford

• Secondary’s Ace Recruiter:
  Guilford, previously at BYU, quickly adjusted to Power 5 expectations. Known for developing talent, he’s now proving to be a strong recruiter of blue-chip talent at Michigan.
• Josh Dobson:

  “He arrives at Michigan and you wonder, whenever you hire a coach from a smaller school, you're like, are they going to be content with taking the three star guys and developing them? ... He immediately got on the road ... landed two blue chip guys in Blake Jenkins and Darius Johnson. I cannot say enough ... recruiting the secondary.” (10:38 – 11:50)

2027 Cycle Needs

• What's Left?
  • One offensive lineman (Lincoln Maggio: Utah-Michigan battle)
  • 1-2 receivers
  • Defensive tackle
  • Old-school, “neck roll” middle linebacker
  • Looking to flip a top four-star safety
• Dobson anticipates news slowing down until fall “flip season.”

Flip Season: Targeting Dakota Grant

• Oregon Commit, But Still in Play:
  Grant was always expected to commit to Oregon, but Michigan is keeping the door open, watching for offensive improvement (possibly led by Bryce Underwood) to lure Grant back for a visit and flip attempt.

• Josh Dobson:

  “If they show strides offensively ... I think the Grant family and Dakota will continue to keep an eye on Michigan ... he is definitely going to be the main number one flip target going into the fall.” (13:43)

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2. Georgia: Assembling the #1 Running Back Class & Cornerback Challenges

[14:24 – 20:26]

Assembling a Top-Tier Class

• Running Back Dominance:

  • Rusty Mansell claims “conviction” that UGA has the best RB class in the nation.

  • Keon Spell headlines the group, with universal praise for his all-around skills.

  • Jackson Dollar (elite tight end) is another centerpiece on offense.

  • O-Line Win: Kennedy Jackson, 6’6’’ OT, flipped from Florida.

  • Kelsey Adams: Weathered commitment storm, still solid on Georgia.

  • Rusty Mansell:

    “Georgia's got the number one running back class in America ... Keon Spell. I love this guy. He does everything. Everybody I talked to about it raves about him.” (14:58) “That was a big win.” (15:56, re: Kennedy Jackson flip)

Needs & Remaining Targets

• Defensive line focus:

  • Carlos May (DL, Alabama) — Genuinely contested recruitment (Georgia vs. Ohio State)
  • Adrian Cole (DB, Atlanta) and Tayshawn Pool (DB, Macon) — Defensive back priorities
  • Kaden Fife (DT, Tennessee decommit, GA native)

• Cornerback Concerns:
  UGA lost multiple corners (Dante Wright, Chase Gilbert, Jerry Outhouse), may look to transfer portal for help.

  • Rusty Mansell:

    "At corner, man, they have really got to find some answers ... I think Georgia's still in a pretty good spot and I think they're going to make some portal moves too as well. But they got to find some answers at corner..." (16:43 – 17:54)

Class Ranking & Outlook

• Currently 16th Overall (8th in SEC):
  Can finish in the 10–12 range with a big “flip” or two.

  • Kirby Smart has a history of late “big boy flips.”

  • Unlikely to be a top-four class in 2027 due to misses on key in-state targets but considered “damn good.”

  • Rusty Mansell:

    “If they end up with ... the guys they’ve got right now and add some key pieces, it’s going to be fine.” (18:12)

2028 Cycle Taking Shape

• Jaden Wade:
  Nation’s #1 2028 QB already committed, UGA “locked in as hard as they can be.”

  • Coaches about to reset boards and flood new offers in August.

  • Georgia will build on a June loaded with camp evaluations.

  • Rusty Mansell:

    “Quarterbacks are flying off the board, and Georgia’s got a damn special one right now, man.” (19:25)

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3. Auburn: Surprise Successes, International Moves, and Recruiting Staff Standouts

[20:26 – 29:25]

Key Additions: “Monster Deal” for M. Johnson Cook

• Top of the Board:
  Mason Johnson Cook, elite RB, flipped from long-time Miami lean to Auburn at the last minute.

  • Leighton Von Brandt (RB) also highlighted, but Cook’s commitment was “an absolute monster deal.”

  • Jeffrey Lee:

    “For them to go and get him, pull him away from Miami ... I think it was an absolute monster deal.” (21:02)

International Recruiting: Nico Compass (London, NFL Academy)

• Auburn’s European Expansion:
  OL coach Tyler Hoodenick personally flew to London, building rapport with Compass and family.

  • Connections via current German-born Auburn player Wilson Zier.

  • Compass projected to announce in next 2–3 weeks (post-official visits).

  • Jeffrey Lee:

    “Tyler Hoodenick ... flew to London, met with Nico and his father, and kind of came away from that going, man, I think we've got a shot here.” (21:58)

Remaining Class Needs (Defense-Focused)

• Defensive Side:
  • Defensive lineman (Carlos May likely the top priority, announcement July 18)
  • Cornerback and safety
• Jeffrey Lee:

  "I think Auburn would like to add another defensive lineman. I think they would like to add another cornerback and another safety." (24:02)

Recruitment Roller Coaster: Carlos May

• Top Uncommitted DL—targeted by Auburn, Georgia, and OSU; known for “overly honest, roller-coaster” recruitment

  • Decision expected July 18

  • Jeffrey Lee:

    “His recruitment’s just been like a roller coaster ... He knows the game, too ... using it as leverage. And he’s very smart, very smart kid and absolutely a character and a very good player.” (24:33 – 25:41)

Main Flip Targets

• Tay Walton Jr. (WR, Oregon commit):
  Auburn was in a great position, but Oregon's late visit sealed it; Auburn will keep pushing.
• Junior Tuopo (Safety, Texas commit):
  Close to campus, Auburn expected to keep recruiting.
  • Parental preference for SEC could influence future flip efforts.

Coaching Staff Accolades

• Offensive Staff:
  • Tyler Hoodenick (OL coach), key recruiter in Europe and domestically for OL prospects.
  • “OG” Larry Porter, legendary RB recruiter with three top RBs committed this cycle.
• Defensive Staff:

  • DJ Durkin (DC/Linebackers): “If there’s a linebacker that he wants, 80% of the time he’s going to get him.”

  • Vontrell Williams (DL), DeMarcus Van Dyke (CB), Tim Banks (Safeties) — strong recruiters across position groups.

  • Jeffrey Lee:

    “Every one of them have loaded up already ... But on the offensive side ... I think it starts with Tyler Hoodenick ... On defense, I think it starts at the top with DJ Durkin ... Vontrell Williams ... DeMarcus Van Dyke ... Tim Banks ... they’ve got a lot of good recruiters.” (27:47 – 29:10)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Josh Dobson on Michigan’s win:

  “It sounded like they had pretty much wrapped things up during that visit, but he stuck to his July 1 decision timeline and that gave Ohio State to make a few late swings. But Michigan held on, secured his commitment, and that was a massive win...” (09:03)

• Rusty Mansell on UGA RB class:

  “Save this, cut it up ... When you go back and look at this, in four years, Georgia is about to get the number one running back class in this country ... Keon Spell. I love this guy.” (14:58)

• Jeffrey Lee on Auburn’s international efforts:

  “As the great Michael Scott said, you miss 100% of the shots you do not take ... Tyler Hoodenick has done a fantastic job ... He flew to London, met with Nico and his father ... that effort from Hoodenick got Auburn in.” (21:58 – 22:30)

• On Carlos May (Auburn/Georgia/OSU DL recruit):

  “His recruitment’s just been like a roller coaster for … fans of Auburn, for fans of Georgia, for fans of Ohio State ... But Carlos May is definitely one top available target still left on the board. He knows for sure.” (24:33 – 25:41)

• Rusty Mansell on UGA’s 2028 QB commit:

  “Quarterbacks are flying off the board, man, and Georgia’s got, they got a damn special one right now, man.” (19:25)

• Jeffrey Lee on Auburn’s recruiting staff:

  “If there’s a linebacker that [DJ Durkin] wants, 80% of the time he’s going to get him...” (27:47)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:01 – Episode theme introduction and 2027 commitment rundown (Josh McDowell)
• 08:23 – Michigan’s summer surge and Monsanto Tolbert commitment discussed
• 09:03 – Michigan beats Ohio State for Tolbert (Dobson analysis)
• 10:38 – Michigan corners coach Gennaro Guilford’s impact
• 12:43 – What’s left for Michigan’s 2027 class
• 13:27 – Dakota Grant flip watch
• 14:24 – Transition to Georgia recruiting updates, 2027 running back and O-line class highlights
• 17:54 – Discussion of Georgia’s defensive back recruiting challenges
• 18:12 – Georgia’s 2027 class ranking and projections
• 19:25 – How recruiting activity shifts to the 2028 cycle in August
• 21:02 – Auburn’s top recruit, Mason Johnson Cook’s flip from Miami
• 21:58 – Details on Auburn’s pursuit of London-based OL Nico Compass
• 24:33 – Carlos May as an unpredictable defensive line target
• 26:24 – Discussion of Auburn’s main flip targets
• 27:47 – Highlights and accolades for Auburn’s offensive and defensive recruiting staff

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Closing Thoughts

This episode reveals the high-stakes, rapidly evolving world of top college football recruiting:

• Michigan’s victory for Monsanto Tolbert was as much about crossing enemy lines (Ohio) as adding talent.
• Georgia is consolidating a powerhouse running back room but needs solutions in the secondary, turning to the transfer portal.
• Auburn’s blend of international reach and relentless staff effort is reshaping expectations, with both staff and recruits keeping things lively and unpredictable.

Listeners and fans are encouraged to weigh in on their team’s biggest win and most important flip targets in the comments.

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For comprehensive recruiting news and commitment updates, follow the Inside Scoop On3 Recruiting Show and join the ongoing conversation on the On3 Youtube channel.

Transcript

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[Josh McDowell]

Today on the Inside Scoop, we're talking Michigan's big recruiting wins, Georgia starting to crank it up in 2028 and Auburn surprise run. We're going to break it all down. There is a lot to talk about on today's show and as always, make sure you are subscribed to the Rivals YouTube channel. This is the best recruiting channel on all of YouTube. Can you believe it? We've had 77 live commitments from top recruits in the 2027 cycle. It has been a crazy spring and summer for 2027 recruiting. Every year we kind of feel like the recruiting calendar is sped up. But this year Especially, there's only two players in the top 50 that remain uncommitted at this point. Monsieur Sales and David Gabriel George. I think there's six uncommitted in the top 150. So many commitments this off season. Here's all 77 of them have gone down right here on this channel.

[Jeffrey Lee]

North Carolina State University,

[Josh Dobson]

Notre dame,

[Jeffrey Lee]

The

[Rusty Mansell]

University of California, Berkeley. That being said, for the next three to four years I will be committing to the University of Oregon.

[Josh McDowell]

Is it Warren

[Jeffrey Lee]

to the University of

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Florida,

[Josh McDowell]

Oklahoma, sooner,

[Jeffrey Lee]

university of florida go gators.

[Rusty Mansell]

Virginia tech.

[Jeffrey Lee]

University of Kentucky.

[Josh McDowell]

Let's do it.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Sights and set. Welcome. University of Michigan.

[Rusty Mansell]

Irish. Is the university of michigan go blue.

[Jeffrey Lee]

I've been taking my talents to Michigan, The University of Clemson,

[Josh McDowell]

Indiana,

[Josh Dobson]

The florida state university,

[Rusty Mansell]

Syracuse.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Sustain

[Rusty Mansell]

university of kansas. York.

[Josh Dobson]

Oh yeah,

[Jeffrey Lee]

The University of Clemson.

[Josh McDowell]

All the Aggies stay hot. There it is University of Indiana.

[Josh Dobson]

Wow.

[Josh McDowell]

University of Harv.

[Rusty Mansell]

The University of Alabama.

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University.

[Josh Dobson]

At the Louisiana State.

[Rusty Mansell]

The university of houston.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Michigan university.

[Rusty Mansell]

To the University of Nebraska.

[Josh Dobson]

University of Florida. Kansas state.

[Rusty Mansell]

There it is.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Hey, Sean, where home at man?

[Rusty Mansell]

Where are you going?

[Jeffrey Lee]

I will be committed to University of Oklahoma. The University of Alabama.

[Josh McDowell]

Roll Tide.

[Josh Dobson]

Clemson University.

[Rusty Mansell]

University of California.

[Josh Dobson]

Berkeley.

[Rusty Mansell]

University of texas.

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Yay.

[Josh McDowell]

Long word. Stay hot.

[Rusty Mansell]

I'll be meeting to the university of texas. The ohio state university.

[Josh McDowell]

Anthony, welcome home.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Go Duck.

[Rusty Mansell]

University of Texas

[Dr. Horton Advertiser]

University.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Auburn University.

[Josh McDowell]

Let go.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Scope buzz on high. Let's do it.

[Josh McDowell]

Mississippi State, Washington.

[Rusty Mansell]

University of Washington.

[Josh McDowell]

Dick.

[Josh Dobson]

University of Oregon.

[Josh McDowell]

Let's go.

[Josh Dobson]

The University of Oregon.

[Josh McDowell]

Okay, okay.

[Jeffrey Lee]

I'll be committing to dinner. University of South Carolina here at working University.

[Josh McDowell]

The ducks stay hot.

[Rusty Mansell]

To the boot.

[Jeffrey Lee]

We're going to the boot.

[Josh McDowell]

Oh, baby. It's lsu for jaden anding. The Gators get a good one. They go into Illinois. We're talking Michigan recruiting as the Wolverines closing in on a top 10 class after a busy, busy summer and a big finish to visit season landing the number four ranked player in the state of Ohio, cornerback Monsanta Torbert. So, Ethan, Ethan McDowell here with the Wolverine. A lot of big wins this off season, but what would you say was the biggest recruiting win of the off

[Josh Dobson]

season so far, Josh? I mean, it's tough to beat beating out Ohio State for an Ohio kid that the Buckeyes really, really wanted, right? And that's, you know, what it was with Monsanto Tolbert. His recruitment went down to the wire, man, it was looking like all OSU at first when he went on his official Visit to Columbus June 12, comes back, we're wondering if he's going to make it to Michigan, gonna make it to Ann harbor for Victor's weekend. But he does. And that's when Michigan completely flipped the script. I mean, it sounded like they had pretty much wrapped things up during that visit, but he stuck to his July 1 decision timeline and that gave Ohio State to make a few late swings. But Michigan held on, secured his commitment, and that was a massive win somewhere. Like Michigan's been trying to land an elite cornerback for months. They really wanted to, you know, finish off a class that already has two blue chip prospects with Darius Johnson and Blake Jenkins and wanted to add a top 100 type of talent to that. And Torbert fills that role perfectly. He's someone that can play anywhere in the secondary. He's a game changing level athlete. I think Rivals is right on with his ranking right now, like, you know, top 75 in the country, they're ahead of the curve there. So I think he's a huge addition. And you know, you add in the context of being out Ohio State for his commitment and it's tough to, it's tough to beat that, right? Yeah.

[Josh McDowell]

And like you said, going into the state of Ohio is no easy task. And Kyle Whittingham and his staff really hit the ground running and have had a great off season. So who has emerged as an ace recruiter on this staff that maybe you weren't so familiar about, you know, four or five months ago?

[Josh Dobson]

You know, talking about Torbert Gennaro Guilford, the corners coach at Michigan, has done a really, really good job. He's someone that when he arrived at Michigan from byu, he had the history of production like that was not in question. His corners, you know, regardless of who was on the field, they were hauling in interceptions non stop. Really impressive. Especially when I went back and looked at all the recruiting rankings for the guys that he brought in and he was doing that with essentially no blue chip talent. Josh, there were very few blue chip prospects in the building at that point. So he arrives at Michigan and you wonder, whenever you hire a coach from a smaller school, you're like, are they going to be content with taking, you know, the three star guys and developing them like they've had such a good history with in the past?

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[Josh Dobson]

He immediately got on the road. We've talked a lot about Josh Dobson before he got them in the mix. Josh Dobson got them into second place going into his commitment to South Carolina. Won the battle with Fermont. Santa Tobir landed two blue chip guys in Blake Jenkins and Darius Johnson. I cannot say enough about the job he's done, you know, recruiting in the secondary in Michigan in a position that was a position of need going into this recruiting cycle. So Guilford I think is definitely, I don't think we've even seen the best of work he can do once, you know, Michigan, you know, is that full strength has a full cycle to kind of build relationships. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do moving forward.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, so we've kind of been turning the page a little bit to 2028, but not ready to do that just yet in this Michigan update. So let's stick with 2027. What is, is there anything left on the board? What is still needed in terms of left to fill here?

[Josh Dobson]

So they want to add one more offensive lineman and we've got our eyes on Lincoln Maggio for that. He's announcing this weekend that's a Utah Michigan battle, but we really like the Wolverines there. And then after that they need one to two more wide receivers. They need another defensive tackle. They want like an old school middle linebacker. They want someone that looks like he'd be wearing a neck roll to come in there.

[Josh McDowell]

Love that.

[Josh Dobson]

Kind of filled out the linebacker class. And then they want to flip a four star safety. They're going to be looking at guys there to add some more talent to the safety class. That already includes Tavares Harrington and Charles Woodson Jr. But yeah, Josh, I mean we were talking about it right before we started recording. Things are slowing down this summer and I don't think we'll see a ton of news until, until the fall once flip season arrives.

[Josh McDowell]

Right. And speaking of flip season, if Monsanto Torber is the big win, is Dakota Grant the in state wide receiver kind of the one that got away and is he one that you do think Michigan will continue to pursue into the fall?

[Josh Dobson]

You know, I don't even know if Michigan views him as someone that got away because it was never a surprise that he was going to commit to Oregon this summer. Like the Ducks were always the heavy favorite and it was always the perception around Michigan that his recruitment is going to go till signing day. They're going to keep recruiting them. And I think if Michigan, I've said it on the show, it feels like 10 times at this point, if they show strides offensively or the passing game shows improvement, Bryce Underwood puts together a good season. I think the Grant family in Dakota will continue to keep an eye on Michigan and they're right down the road. So who knows if they could pop up for a visit at some point. And, and I think Michigan will stay in the mix and he is definitely going to be the main number one flip target going into the fall.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, Michigan fans, talk to us. What was your biggest win and who is your biggest flip target headed into the fall? Put it in the comments section below. Let's talk a little Georgia recruiting. Why? Because Rusty, the people in the comment Section have been asking for more Georgia recruiting updates. So I had to bring in the big dog himself. And and we're going to get into it with Rusty Mansell of Dogs HQ. Now, Rusty, number 16 ranked class, only 17 commitments right now. Little light compared to some classes. But what do you like about the class UGA is building so far?

[Rusty Mansell]

Well, and I'll say this with conviction, Georgia's got the number one running back class in America, committed. I think Kemon spells that guy and he's not the only elite running back. Okay, so I won't get into that conversation, but I'm telling you right now, you can save this, you can cut it up and you can clip and do whatever you want. It is January, it's July 8, 2026. When you go back and look at this, in four years, Georgia is about to get the number one running back class in this country. In this class, in my opinion. Keon spell. I love this guy. He does everything. Everybody I talked to about it raves about him. Great ball skills. I love Jackson Dollar as well. A very athletic 6 foot 4 tight end out of North Carolina. Georgia had recruited a lot of guys basically when he verbally committed, that was a wrap. They didn't go anywhere else. I think the the positive right now, you look at Georgia, two things to come out of June. They didn't want a ton of battles, but right now I can tell you two guys, they are extremely happy. On his commitment list right now are Kennedy, Jackson, 6 foot 6 offensive tackle at laith on your high school. They flip back from Florida.

[Josh McDowell]

Big win.

[Rusty Mansell]

Yeah, that was a big win. And I'll tell you man, Kelsey Adams

[Josh McDowell]

is a kid that I kept telling

[Rusty Mansell]

people he's taking visits. Does Georgia want him to take all those visits? Probably not, but he was up front. I'm going to take these visits. I'm going to go everywhere. It looks like to me, Josh, as of right now, Georgia has weathered a storm on that. Our Jeremy Johnson this morning was at one of the Patty camps. He said he talked to him. We're going to have that message a little bit later on on Dogs hq, you know, and I think right now that's the positives. But I will say it with conviction that Georgia signed, they're signing the number one running back class in the country in this class.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, so what's left on the board or at this point is, is Georgia just like the hunter? Are they looking for a potential late flip or two in the fall or is there anything else that they're pursuing that you think they could land this summer?

[Rusty Mansell]

Well, yeah, they got some guys, Carlos Mesa guy there in on defensive lineman in Alabama. You know, it seems like it very much could be a Georgia, Ohio State battle. You know, they got Adrian Cole. It's the young man is going to commit pretty soon. Defensive back out of Atlanta, Tayshawn Pool is a kid out of Macon, Georgia. He's gonna, he's gonna make his decision a couple weeks and I kind of thought that was Florida State for a while. Was, you know, was in the driver's seat there. I think, I think there's some opening there for George with that. Kaden Fife who is a Tennessee verbal decommit defensive tackle who's played in Georgia his whole life, just transferred over across the line to an Alabama school. So it's really a Georgia kid just transferring over for his senior year. There's still some meat on the bone. I think Georgia fans, I think what Georgia fans would agree on and I'm going to be honest with you, at corner man, they are, they, they have really got to find some answers. I mean they lose Dante Wright, who I don't think that surprised anybody when he decommitted wind up at Miami, you lose at the in state commit. And Chase Gilbert, he goes to Auburn out of East Coweta High School. He had a kid out of Houston, Texas, Jerry Outhouse who verbally decommits, you know, really, really truthfully, you know, I think Georgia's still in a pretty good spot and I think they're going to make some portal moves too as well. But they got to find some answers at corner and I don't know what direction they're going to go right now.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Yeah.

[Josh McDowell]

And as it sits now, 16th overall, 8th ranked class in the SEC right now. So you might have hit on it. Is some of this due to holding back some for the transfer reporter or do you see this class finishing in the top 10? When it's all said and done, it's

[Rusty Mansell]

gonna be real close. Kirby is always good for one flip. He just, that's just what he's done. Now what kind of flip is it going to be? You know, you flip KJ Bold and what's a late guy? You flip CJ Wiley, which is a late, you know, flip and those type in previous classes he's been pretty good at that. Can they win enough of these battles, Josh, in the next two or three weeks there's still some decisions left. Can they get in that 10, 11, 12 range? Because if you were to get one of those flips What I call a quote unquote big boy flip that gets you to nine or eight, you know, around there you could end up in the top 10. I don't think this is going to be a top four class. They've missed on some guys in state. I'm not going to beat around the bush. I do think this is a damn good class. And if they end up with, with holding on to, to, to the guys they've got right now and added some, some key pieces, it's going to be fine.

[Josh McDowell]

Yeah, yeah. And the top of that class, you know, there's four or five guys in there that are instant impact type players as well.

[Rusty Mansell]

So. Yeah.

[Josh McDowell]

Is UGA starting to crank it up for 2028? We already know they're off to an incredible start. The number one quarterback in America, Jane Wade, he made his commitment to Georgia right here on this channel. So it seems though, like 2028 is starting to come into focus a little bit here.

[Rusty Mansell]

I think it will for everybody. And what happens is right now these coaches are. In fact, I talked to a coach this morning at a Big Ten school. He's like, I'm gonna finish up my next three or four days. My family, Rusty and I come back, it's ding, ding until the season's over. So everybody's kind of away. You'll start seeing these coaches trickle in the off in the office next week nationwide. What are they going to do? Because they know what's going on with their team, they will turn their focus of 2028 and they will turn their focus to those August offers for that next class. You'll start seeing a lot of new offers in August for these guys, so they'll really dig in also too. Josh, you know this covering recruiting. They've had all these kids in June on camp. They will come in and reset their board and go, we need to offer this kid, you know, this kid. So they're really will. Will kind of jump start 2028. Quarterbacks are flying off the board, man, and Georgia's got, they got a damn special one right now, man. I mean, I know Georgia fans know it's a long way to go. They've been burned a couple of times at the end by five star quarterbacks, but this is a big, big piece and I think the Georgia's locked in as hard as they can be with Jaden Wade.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, we love talking Georgia recruiting. Make sure you guys are subscribed. Also, 17 commitments right now. Talk to me and Rusty, who is your favorite commitment in the class? Put the name in the comments section below. We got to talk a little Auburn recruiting as the Tigers are going international. We got Jeffrey Lee here. Jeffrey, we've had a lot of commitments for Auburn on this channel. Let me, let me see if I got them all here, man. Mason Johnson Cook, Isaac McNeil, MJ Evans, Cedric Simmons, Leighton Von Brandt. Which of these do you think was the biggest, in your opinion so far this off season?

[Jeffrey Lee]

M. Johnson Cook, by far. I do. I think he was top of the board, overall board. I think Leighton Von Brandt not far behind him. But I think Auburn absolutely wanted a stud elite running back in this class. He was at the top. And for them to go and get him, pull him away from Miami, which was the presumed leader for so long, I think it was an absolute monster deal.

[Josh McDowell]

Yeah, yeah. Looking back, I was going to go with Leighton Von Brandt, but looking back that week of or the, maybe the eight days leading up to the mice and Johnson Cook, he was absolutely pegged to go to Miami and that thing turned around in the last 48 hours. That was a pretty exciting recruitment. All right, let's get back to it. Going international. Yes. The Auburn Tigers are looking at Nico Compass out of London. NFL Academy offensive lineman 6, 7 2, 75. Before we get into where they stand, how did Auburn get involved in this recruitment?

[Jeffrey Lee]

Well, you know, as, as the great Michael Scott said, you miss 100% of the shots you do not take. But you know, Tyler Huddenick has done a fantastic job with Auburn in this, in this recruitment. He, he flew to London, visited with. I know that's, you know, such a downfall of this job, but he flew to London, met with, with Nico and his father there was and kind of came away from that going, man, I think we've got a shot here. And they also have an in there. You know, although Nico goes to school in London at the NFL Academy, he's originally from Germany and Auburn has German Wilson Zier, younger brother of Killian's year on the team. And so when Nico came on his official visit, he had that familiarity there with Wilson, who later transferred to North Georgia and went to high school there. And that's where he was signed out of. But originally from German Germany. And if you talk to him, you can tell he's still got that accent. So there was some, some, some connections there. But you know, Auburn, Tyler Hood, Nick going over there, getting Auburn in this recruitment, getting Nico on campus, you know, has them as a finalist. I don't know if they're the presumed leader, but definitely that, that effort from hooding it. Got, Got. Got Auburn in.

[Josh McDowell]

When do you think he's going to announce? I mean, is this going to be a summer deal, or could he be one of the few to take it all the way?

[Jeffrey Lee]

No, I think. I think in the next two weeks, I think his plan was to take all his official visits. I'm not. I'm not saying he hasn't made a private commitment already. He just doesn't want to or hasn't announced publicly. I think his plan, he told me, was to take his official visits, his last one being to Tennessee that last weekend, June 19, make a decision the following week privately with his family, and then announce it publicly in the next three to four weeks. So we should be coming up on an Eco Compass commitment at some point. All right, well, that looks like next week or two.

[Josh McDowell]

Right. And that could be the last remaining need to fill on the offensive side of the ball. But what remains on the defensive side of the ball right now for Auburn?

[Jeffrey Lee]

Yeah, I think Auburn would like to add another defensive lineman. I think they would like to add another cornerback and another safety. I think they're. I don't. I don't think, you know, they're going to be pressing or getting desperate to fill those needs, but I do think ideally Auburn would like to add a D lineman, a cornerback and a safety on the defensive side of the ball and another offensive lineman.

[Josh McDowell]

All right. And Carlos May, I mean, Carlos May is going to be announcing right here on July 18th. So I'm assuming that's probably the top target right now available on the D line.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Yeah, absolutely. He's. He's at the top of the board right now. Has been for a while, as far as, you know, uncommitted guys go. He's just been so erratic, you know, I don't know if he's been overly honest. I mean, like, not like he's been. Almost been too honest, but because his recruitment's just been like a roller coaster for, you know, fans of Auburn, for fans of Georgia, for fans of Ohio State. You know, it was Georgia was number one. Then the next week it was Auburn and Georgia are tied at the top. Then the next week it was Ohio State leads. And that's kind of where we stand at this point, right? 10 days away from his. His announcement. So. And I've told Auburn fans and our listeners and our members, I was like, you know, expect a roller coaster here. You know, good or bad, the kid has been overly honest, presumably honest. And. And sometimes that's not a good thing for fans at least.

[Josh McDowell]

Yeah. But if you've dealt with them, you understand he is a bit of a character in a good way. And he's not, you know, he's very honest, like you said. So he, he gets asked questions and he'll answer them. And fans, you know, might feel like their head's spinning, but Carlos May is definitely one top available targets still left on the board.

[Jeffrey Lee]

He knows the game, too. He knows for sure. He knows what's going on. He reads the stories. He's very in tune to the recruiting process and how guys like us doing our job can impact not only fans but also the nil and using it as leverage. And he's very smart, very smart, very smart kid and absolutely a character and a very good player.

[Josh McDowell]

Yeah.

[Jeffrey Lee]

So it'll be interesting the next 10 days.

[Josh McDowell]

Fans will get to see that on July 8th, 18th right here on the channel. Make sure you guys are subscribed. All right? So that being said, a lot of big wins, but you're not going to win every recruitment. Is there anybody that you see that got away that Auburn is just not going to give up on into the fall?

[Jeffrey Lee]

Yeah, no doubt about it. Tay walden, Tay Walton Jr. Who just committed to Oregon, I believe last week,

[Josh McDowell]

July 1st, right here on this channel.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Yeah, committed to Oregon. I feel like Auburn was in a very good spot with, with him from his May 29 official visit and even making it through the Ole Miss and all the other visits that he took. But when he got, when he got to the organ, that last visit, I think that really moved the needle for him. I think his parents, just from talking to some of those close to that family, some of those close to that recruitment, I think his parents would prefer him. He's from Mississippi. They would prefer him to stay closer at home. Georgia and Auburn both being popular choices amongst the parents. But you know, when it comes down to it, it's where the kid wants to go and they, they honored that. So I think knowing that and knowing that how high he was on Georgia and Auburn, both Georgia and Auburn before committing to Oregon. I think both of those schools are going to continue with him, especially Auburn. And then another one, Josh is Junior Tuopo, the four star safety from up the road and near Birmingham, who's committed to Texas. I'm going to be keeping an eye on those two cats moving forward.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, now, we've talked a lot about Auburn's recruiting success this offseason. Obviously, Alex goes brings the juice. He is the engine behind this recruiting machine. But who on his staff has Also emerged as an ace recruiter.

[Jeffrey Lee]

Man, you know, it's tough to nail down just a couple because every one of them have loaded up already 25 commitments. Like I said, there's only three or four spots really left to be field. But on the offensive side of the ball, I think it starts with Tyler Hooden, the offensive line coach. The young guy who's been able to get the, the, the Leighton Von Brandt's, the Reed Ramseyers, the Jalen Morris. I think he's been fantastic for Auburn and in that high school class and even going back to the transfer portal class, I think he has really emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the offensive side of the ball for Auburn. On defense, I think it starts at the top with DJ Durkin. You know, I've been amazed at what he's been able to do throughout his tenure at Auburn. If there's a linebacker that he wants 80% of the time, he's going to get him like that. Isaac McNeil, Kareem Palmer, I think he's done a fantastic job at getting the guys that he wants. He's not batting a thousand either. You know, Jabias Smith is walking, joking. Gouda is Georgia, so, you know, he's, you know, he's not batting a thousand. But if there's guys that he wants at the linebacker position, he gets it. Vontrell Williams, defensive line coach, is another guy that deserves a mention. DeMarcus Van Dyke at cornerback, so Tim Banks at safety. There's, there's, they've got a lot of good recruiters on the defensive side of the ball. And then if you go back to the offense, I hate to leave out the OG Larry Porter, you know, he's the one who's got mice and Johnson Cook had Kingston Miles committed and then, you know, pivoted to Moni Williams. So he's had three guys, three of their top running backs committed just in the first, you know, six, seven months of this cycle.

[Josh McDowell]

All right, Auburn fans, talk to us. Who do you feel was the biggest recruiting win of the offseason? And also, what do you think of goal she's recruiting now that the kind of the dust is settled on OV season? Talk to me and Jeff in the comment section below.