Rivals Five-Star: Recruiting intel from elite Florida prospects

INDIANAPOLIS — As the nation’s top prospects descended on Indianapolis ahead of the Rivals Five-Star on Tuesday, the state of Florida was of course well represented. Rivals checks in on the latest rumors and facts relative to the Sunshine State’s best in attendance.

Clemson discourages its committed recruits from taking trips elsewhere and this one isn’t interested in any other program at this time. Burroughs continues to receive calls from other programs but is not entertaining much communication at this time. He is all Clemson Tiger.

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A half-dozen programs have hosted the top-ranked running back recruit and now we know when a decision is expected to come in. Cooper will announce his college commitment on July 12 between Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Texas. The Buckeyes got the most recent official visit and impressed from Ryan Day on down. Alabama is playing dark horse, Georgia remains in the thick of the race and Miami continues to angle staying home so this race could have a twist or two remaining.

The IMG Academy standout showed up in a Florida State jacket and many think the Seminoles are the team to beat. We hear Florida is right there and a pair of UMs, Michigan and Miami, won’t go quietly in this recruitment either. Forkpa was considering a June decision but he will now hold off and evaluate further into the summer months and possibly the season if a program like Ohio State or Clemson pushes further.

It’s still early for the Tampa native who has racked up nearly 50 scholarship offers. The in-state programs continue to push for Henderson, who most recently visited Miami, but the visit trail has taken him well beyond of late. A trio of programs he elected to single out included defending national champion Ohio State and SEC programs Tennessee and Texas A&M. A list of top programs could soon emerge for the nation’s second-ranked linebacker recruit.

One of the most coveted pass-rushers in the country wrapped up a busy summer on the visit trail with a weekend stop at Oklahoma, the program that has perhaps courted him longest nationally. The detail from the program has the Sooners remaining in the thick of it as Florida, Texas and Ole Miss also look to contend. Visits to each went down in June, with the Rebels hosting him for the first time and surging up the list. Kreul is in no rush to make a final decision, so the college football season and additional visits seem likely.

The last two visits may signal two of the long-term contenders for the 2028 star. McFarland was at Ohio State and Miami most recently and each program is amid an early push for the top talent. Even the head coaches, Ryan Day and Mario Cristobal, are personally attached to pushing for the IMG Academy athlete. LSU was labeled the dream school and recently offered, too.

One of the youngest competitors set to work out in Indianapolis, Monds is also very early in his recruitment despite considerable national offers to his name. The passer was on the road recently, however, taking in both Ohio State and Notre Dame camps. The time with the national title game participants

The top underclassman passer has been busy on the camp circuit of late, hitting Texas, Oregon and Georgia before his stop at the Rivals Five-Star. Each trip impressed and those national programs figure to remain in the mix for the California native by way of IMG Academy. Wade is shifting his focus to the 2025 season but admits a top group of programs could emerge soon after. The trio he just saw feel like a relatively safe bet at this stage.