March has become a very busy month during the offseason in terms of recruiting news, and Rivals national analyst Greg Smith has all the latest buzz from the Midwest.
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The elite 2027 cornerback prospect was at Indiana over the weekend to check out what the Hoosiers have to offer.
Alston got the opportunity to meet with defensive backs coach Rod Ojong and liked his coaching style. The four-star prospect liked that Ojong was very active with the players and focused a lot on discipline in their technique.
Blade is one of the most sought-after defenders in the Midwest this cycle. He took in a practice at Wisconsin over the weekend and loved how straightforward and genuine the people are in Madison. The coaching staff is also standing out to him right now.
The Badgers are chasing Michigan and Notre Dame for him but they increased their chances of getting an official visit. Blade has no other spring visits planned for now.
The emerging 2027 wideout from Illinois really enjoyed his time at Louisville over the weekend. Meeting new receivers coach Deion Branch was a big highlight for him. The relationship with Branch is just getting started but Burrell looks forward to continuing it.
The Cardinals’ offense is appealing to Burrell and the receiver is quickly becoming a national name after a strong winter.
Things have been slower than expected for Finch. He hasn’t been on many visits because he’s been so focused on graduating early in December. However he was at Alabama over the weekend.
Finch loved the way the coaches and staff mesh, the atmosphere around campus and the way he fits into Tide's scheme as a player. The Indiana native came away from the visit feeling like a priority in Tuscaloosa. From here he will figure out which visits he’d like to prioritize but the Tide will play a prominent role in his recruitment.
The 2027 Mt. Carmel standout could be on the verge of seeing his recruitment truly take off. He recently visited Missouri and the program's facilities and coaching staff blew him away. The Tigers' coaches were very welcoming to him and his family, and the staff has made it clear that he’s a priority.
He’ll definitely be back for a game day visit.
Parks will have a very busy spring as he visits nearly a dozen programs for practice. Up first was a trip to Purdue to get around the new staff and the energy of the practice really stood out to the defensive lineman. The players were loud and excited for the first day in pads.
New coach Barry Odom did a great job connecting with Parks at this early stage in his recruitment. Parks is exactly the type of prospect in the region that the Boilermakers will need in order to get the program off the ground.
Alabama, Illinois, Ole Miss and Penn State will all get official visits from the four-star tight end from Illinois. But he was at North Carolina for an unofficial visit recently. The Tar Heels are a dark horse in this recruitment because Sutter believes the coaching staff is top notch and he will get developed there without a doubt.
Nothing is set in stone yet but he may try to get back down to Chapel Hill for another visit this summer.
The elite 2027 quarterback is trying to make the rounds to his top five of Illinois, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas A&M before his scheduled June 6 commitment date. He was back in Baton Rouge to check out spring practice. The attention to detail and tempo of practice stood out to Taylor on the field.
Off the field he was able to get a better feel for campus and the types of connections that going to LSU gets you after football. The Tigers are toward the top of his list currently as he navigates the home stretch of his recruitment.
The Illinois native was at Iowa for the Hawkeyes' big Junior Day event. It really stood out how the coaches connected with him on a personal level. The Iowa staff is recruiting him hard and Wagner likes the program. The offensive line tradition in Iowa City will keep the Hawkeyes in the thick of this recruitment until the end.
There is a long way to go with the 2027 prospect but Iowa is one of the early favorites.
