The muse for recruiting success throughout the December signing window usually is laid within the spring and summer time, when on-campus visits are taken, shortlists created and verbal commitments made.
The Hotline is delighted to offer Pac-12 followers with a dive into the method by means of the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based nationwide recruiting analyst for 247Sports.
Huffman will relay information and perception into the newest developments and solid an eye fixed forward to imminent occasions that can form the 2022-23 recruiting cycle.
The next data, in his phrases, was supplied to the Hotline on Aug. 8 …
It was a comparatively quiet week for the Pac-12 by way of main recruiting commitments. Nonetheless, there have been nonetheless a handful of developments.
*** On Monday, Arizona State bought some wanted excellent news on the dedication entrance within the type of a prospect within the Pac-12 footprint. The final one from the area was RL Miller, a three-star linebacker from San Francisco who pledged to the Solar Devils in late June.
Up to now, three of their 5 commitments had been from Texas, and there was one every from Southern and Northern California.
Now, the Solar Devils have added a sixth to the combination: three-star linebacker Xe’ree Alexander from Kennedy Catholic outdoors of Seattle, the college that produced present Washington quarterback Sam Huard.
Curiously sufficient, there’s a tie between Alexander and the Solar Devils. His older brother, Junior, signed with ASU as a receiver within the 2021 class. He performed his freshman season in Tempe, then transferred to his hometown faculty, Washington, the place he was reunited with Huard.
However that didn’t cease Xe’ree Alexander from ASU, and one of many large causes he picked the Solar Devils was linebackers coach Chris Claiborne, the previous USC star.
Alexander is a top-20 participant within the state of Washington and was the linebacker MVP on the ESPN 300 Underclassmen Elite Camp in Oakland this spring.
He has been overshadowed at a highschool identified for its offense however is a pleasant pickup to pair with Miller, one other lengthy, athletic linebacker.
*** Our second Pac-12 dedication to report is an enormous one, actually: jumbo-athlete Ryan McCulloch out of Arcadia, California.
McCulloch is 235 kilos and might play tight finish, fullback, tailback, even protection — he has carried out somewhat of all the pieces at Rio Hondo Prep.
He visited Washington State in early June, and the Cougars seemed like they'd be in a extremely good place to land him. His high 4 included Washington State and had Colorado and Cal, in addition to Boise State.
McCulloch finally selected Cal and is a top quality addition for the Bears, who had been within the remaining group for quite a few California children, solely to see them head out of state.
They may use McCullough offensively or defensively, He’s simply the type of jumbo, versatile athlete you wish to get on campus.
*** USC continues to recruit nationally, as coach Lincoln Riley went into Texas to seize four-star edge rusher Braylan Shelby.
He’s a top-30 participant within the Lone Star State and a top-20 participant nationally at his place. He additionally runs observe — he’s a triple-jumper — however will deal with soccer at USC.
Shelby visited USC in mid-June and Texas on the finish of June. Trojans assistant Roy Manning, who had recruited Shelby since he was the surface linebackers coach at Oklahoma, was in a position to safe the dedication over the in-state faculty. So Riley beats Steve Sarkisian.
*** Lastly, the large dedication coming on the finish of this week is linebacker Jerry Mixon from Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco. He’s teammates with RL Miller, the ASU commit, and a cousin of Cincinnati Bengals working again Joe Mixon.
Mixon’s remaining 5 are Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, ASU and Missouri, however this has seemed like an Oregon-UCLA battle for a very long time.
The 247Sports crystal ball is pointed to Oregon.
Mixon took an unofficial go to to Eugene in late July, and the Geese appear to be they’re in place to land the rising three-star linebacker.
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