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ESPN Staff Writer- National recruiting analyst
- More than a decade covering recruiting, nationally and in Texas
Top-10 teams in the ESPN.com Power Rankings are benefiting this week from big wins and coaching changes.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide: The Crimson Tide lost offensive line commit Jarrett Bell over the weekend, but the good news is there some elite options for Nick Saban and staff. With ESPN 300 guard/center Emil Ekiyor flipping from Michigan and ESPN 300 tackle Tommy Brown in the fold, Alabama has two very solid commits to go along with tackle targets Penei Sewell and Nicholas Petit-Frere. Alabama will be in a battle with USC for Sewell, where he will visit next weekend, while the Crimson Tide are hoping to take advantage of the questions surrounding the Florida Gators program and beat out the perceived favorites for the Tampa-area star.
2. Miami Hurricanes: The Hurricanes are now 10-0 after a sound beating of Notre Dame Saturday night in front of many of Miami's top recruiting targets in the classes of 2018 and 2019. One of those on hand for an official visit was ESPN 300 quarterback Jarren Williams, who quickly decommitted from Kentucky Sunday morning. Miami is now considered the leader for Williams, but the Peach State signal-caller has visits to Ohio State and Auburn the next two weekends, which includes the Tigers' rivalry game against Alabama in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere with a trip to the SEC championship game on the line. Should Williams eventually select Miami, he would be in competition with true freshman N'Kosi Perry to be the starter in Coral Gables after Malik Rosier graduates after the 2018 season.
3. Clemson Tigers: The Tigers currently sit at No. 11 in the class rankings, but remain on track to sign a fourth-straight top-10 class despite having a class that isn't expected to exceed 16 or 17 signees. One of the key positions of need remaining that Dabo Swinney and staff have to hit on is offensive line. Next weekend, ESPN 300 tackle Cade Mays is scheduled to make an official visit to Clemson fresh off of his decommitment from Tennessee, with the Tigers and Georgia considered the two favorites if the Vols can't reclaim the top-ranked prospect from the state. In early December, five-star tackle Jackson Carman will make his official visit to Clemson with the Tigers battling home-state Ohio State and USC. With No. 2-ranked guard Jamaree Salyer considered a lean to Georgia over Clemson, there is added pressure for Swinney and staff to win one of the two recruitments for the No. 1 and No. 3 tackles in the class.
4. Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners continue to be a strong bet to flip four-star, Texas A&M linebacker commit DaShaun White with Kevin Sumlin's future in College Station looking bleak, and OU could do the same with ESPN 300 inside linebacker and Texas verbal Ayodele Adeoye. In fact, White will likely end up an Oklahoma vs. Texas battle, with White having officially visited Austin over the weekend. That means Lincoln Riley and Tom Herman will go head-to-head for the two top linebacker targets remaining on the board for both programs.
5. Wisconsin Badgers: The Badgers are essentially done with the 2018 class and have already gotten a start on 2019. Quarterback Graham Mertz is one of those 2019 prospects already committed to Wisconsin, and Mertz has been playing lights-out in high school. His team is currently in the playoffs, and in his last game, Mertz put up five touchdown passes in a 45-10 win. He has seen quite a bit of success, and while he won't sign to Wisconsin any time soon, he will be a big addition for the staff.
6. Auburn Tigers: One of the many top targets on hand at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday to watch Auburn dismantle Georgia was the nation's No. 1-ranked offensive guard Deontrey Hill. While LSU and Clemson are still lurking, the Peach State's budding star is expected to pick between Auburn and Georgia on Dec. 20, and the Tigers have quietly been considered a favorite during the season. With Hill likely to make another trip to town for the Iron Bowl in two weeks, it's safe to say Auburn is trending after beating the Bulldogs with Hill in the stands when that's combined with the ability to come in and make an instant impact on the interior of the Tigers line.
7. Georgia Bulldogs: If there is a program that could be in the best position to take advantage of Butch Jones being fired at Tennessee, it's the Bulldogs. Kirby Smart and staff are in position to reel in two of The Volunteer State's best in ESPN 300 offensive tackle Cade Mays and receiver Alontae Taylor. While Mays is considered a Georgia vs. Clemson battle should the Volunteers not be able to get him back after a new head coach is hired, Taylor is more open, with Notre Dame, Alabama, Louisville, Wake Forest and the Bulldogs battling.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Irish received some good news this past week with four-star wide receiver Joseph Wilkins, who committed at the beginning of the week. The Florida prospect is listed as a receiver, but will likely play defense for Notre Dame. That gives the staff four defensive back commitments in this class, which will be needed to help add depth.
9. UCF Knights: One of the top targets on the board was in Orlando over the weekend for UCF's win over Connecticut -- linebacker Keshon Artis. The commonwealth of Virginia standout will choose this month between Virginia Tech, NC State and UCF, with Scott Frost and staff having a legitimate opportunity to beat two Power 5 programs closer to home for the talented mid-Atlantic defender.
10. Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes hosted Michigan State in what ended up being a lopsided game in a 48-3 win. The staff had some big visitors in attendance for the game, but likely none bigger than five-star, in-state offensive lineman Jackson Carman. Ohio State is still after the uncommitted prospect, battling with Clemson and USC. Getting Carman back on campus was a big deal and could help push things along in his recruitment.