Flip Watch: More than a dozen high-profile prospects that could flip
The intention was to have a story on the 10 most-likely candidates to flip but the list has expanded with only hours until National Signing Day. Here is a look at many of the top prospects who could flip on the busiest recruiting day of the year.
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There is a good likelihood that Austin does not sign on Wednesday as he’s been committed to LSU since since May but there are some Pac-12 heavyweights making a run at the Long Beach (Calif.) Poly standout.
Oregon would be the one to watch right now as he’s visited with the Ducks and they’re making a big play for him. Then there’s USC as Austin was rumored to be on campus recently, plus he’s related to former Trojans LB Willie McGinest.
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The five-star safety has been committed to Notre Dame since New Year’s Day but there have been flip rumors for months around his recruitment. Oklahoma would be the main contender if Bowen flips but Oregon is not out of it yet, either. The guess is a flip to the Sooners happens but that’s been the guess for a long time.
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Faulk showed up at Florida State on Saturday, easing some tensions that he was going to take a weekend trip to Auburn and that the flip rumors would continue. The four-star has been committed to the Seminoles since July and he was in Tallahassee on Sunday.
But then the Highland Home, Ala., standout decided to visit Auburn on Sunday as he keeps this one interesting to the final moment. My bet is that FSU still wins out and he wanted to give Auburn one final shot. But what coach Mike Norvell has done there and the vision moving forward intrigues Faulk too much.
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The four-star defensive tackle from Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral has been committed to Purdue since August but this is a different Boilermakers team with Jeff Brohm off to Louisville and a new staff in there. New coach Ryan Walters is incredibly capable but coaching changes always bring on flips and Gilbert has said “multiple schools” are trying to get him to change his pledge. It’s something to definitely watch.
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Things seem to be shored up between Hicks and Texas A&M especially after a recent visit but he makes the list here because Oklahoma and Oregon are not giving up. The five-star defensive lineman from Katy (Texas) Paetow picked the Aggies over the Sooners and others in late September in a slightly surprising move since Oklahoma was considered the favorite.
Texas A&M’s struggles this season plus the full-court press from others made it interesting but a flip would be surprising now.
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The biggest threat to Georgia over the last few months has been Auburn for the four-star offensive lineman from Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes but a weekend visit to Colorado definitely makes things even more interesting. The feeling remains that Hughley is intrigued by the Buffaloes and he had a great time in Boulder according to a source but that Georgia still keeps him in the class.
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The four-star cornerback from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas notoriously doesn’t say much about his recruitment as he remains committed to Penn State. He’s been pledged to the Nittany Lions since April but Florida State has especially continued to come after him and Miami seems to be poking around a lot as well.
The Seminoles probably have the best chance to flip him if it happens.
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After a brief commitment to Miami early in the year, Jean backed off that pledge and months later committed to Florida. But now the other in-state Power Five team, Florida State, is trying to make a late run and flip him to the Seminoles.
The Miami (Fla.) Northwestern receiver seems open to the overtures and has now taken two visits to Tallahassee. Florida is trying to hang on and the Gators certainly could but FSU is in prime position here.
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The four-star cornerback from Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove clearly said “no” when asked if there was anything to rumors about him flipping from Ohio State to Auburn but the Tigers aren’t giving up. Could coach Hugh Freeze have something in the works? Lee was once committed to Georgia so it’s not out of the question that Auburn could pull a late surprise.
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A Notre Dame commit since May, there has been significant movement in Oregon’s favor recently and it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see the four-star running back flip to the Ducks. The Lake Stevens, Wash., standout who put up big yards this season has become a big-time target of the Oregon staff, he could stay local and he’s now taken multiple visits to Eugene in recent weeks.
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A few weeks ago, Love seemed to put any flip rumors to bed by saying he was sticking with Auburn (as South Carolina was the main contender to flip him) so things died down. But they perked up again over the weekend as the four-star defensive back from Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes took a visit to Georgia Tech and had a great time. The message from the new Yellow Jackets staff was to do what’s best for him and his family and now there needs to be some thinking to do.
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There still seems to be a lot of uncertainty as to what Mitchell will end up doing. Sticking with his Alabama commitment that he made in June is absolutely a possibility and after taking multiple visits this fall to Auburn especially, Mitchell has stuck with the Crimson Tide. The real one to watch could be Texas A&M as the four-star visited over the weekend and has always had a unique interest in the Aggies. Staying with Alabama wouldn’t be a shock at all but neither would a flip to another SEC program.
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It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Moore sticks with Louisville since he has some high school teammates going there but it’s more likely that the four-star receiver flips to either Texas or Georgia.
Moore has always had interest in the Longhorns and he was there over the weekend, playing with Arch Manning could be compelling and that’s the one to watch. His former high school coach is a recruiting staffer at Georgia and he could be a marquee name early there. A lot of moving pieces are still going on in his recruitment.
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It has been a year since Platt committed to Stanford but that was when David Shaw coached there and there could be a change coming since the Haslet (Texas) Eaton four-star tight end recently visited Florida and Texas A&M. New coach Troy Taylor is probably selling the idea that the Cardinal will throw the ball much more but both SEC schools remain clearly in the running to flip him.
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The new Washington staff has made a tremendous impression on the four-star cornerback from Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach and a recent visit there has moved the Huskies squarely into flip watch. Presley has been committed to Oregon since July and he also loves the staff there from Dan Lanning to Demetrice Martin but the Huskies have given him a whole lot to consider in the final days and a flip to the hometown team wouldn’t be shocking.
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The Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk five-star offensive tackle has been committed to Iowa since late June and there have been rumors he’s told the Hawkeyes staff he’s coming but that was before a weekend trip to Alabama that supposedly went really well.
There is significant momentum with the Crimson Tide and I wouldn’t be shocked if he flips. Proctor has also visited Oregon but I’m not counting out the Hawkeyes fully yet.
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Can TCU pull the flip of the longtime Texas A&M commit? It’s certainly possible but the four-star cornerback from Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff was reportedly back in College Station this weekend to shore up any doubts.
The Horned Frogs are trying hard to flip him though – heading to the College Football Playoff and having a couple teammates committed there has not hurt – so it will be interesting to see down the stretch.
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Getting coach Jeff Brohm to Louisville was huge because it looked like Williams would’ve been out the door if the status quo happened. But teams are still making a run at him and Ohio State has shown some interest recently. Oregon and Michigan were two other schools mentioned so if he doesn’t sign Wednesday then a lot could still happen. Louisville is in much better shape recently to keep him with Brohm on board.