Ten elite prospects SEC will recruit hard before Signing Day

There are three official visit weekends (including the one we are in the midst of) before National Signing Day on Feb. 3.

Between now and then, here’s a look at 10 high-profile prospects that various Southeastern Conference football programs will be going hard after during that time period, which is a contact period until a one-day quiet period on Jan. 31 and a dead period Feb. 1-4.

Rashan Gary, DT, Paramus (N.J.) Paramus Catholic

The nation’s top overall prospect in the 2016 recruiting cycle, most think that Gary is a safe bet to head to Michigan, but the elite trenchman also has high interest in several SEC programs, including Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss. The Tide, Rebels and others will attempt to pull an upset in the Garden State, but the issue is this- Gary’s scheduled official visits this month are to Los Angeles to check out USC and to Ann Arbor. Will he really spurn the Maize and Blue with them getting a late official visit like that?

Derrick Brown, DT, Buford (Ga.) Lanier

Brown, another five-star defensive tackle, has been thought to be Georgia-bound for most of the recruiting cycle, but Auburn has made a move and Tennessee still is in line to get a visit. He’s clearly the most coveted prospect at the ever-critical defensive tackle position in the Southeast.

Mecole Hardman Jr., ATH, Elberton (Ga.) Elbert County

The five-star rated Hardman is an electric, versatile athlete who has seen his stock rise significantly in recent weeks. Of course, northeast Georgia (where Elbert County is located) is a stronghold for UGA, but Alabama has been making moves here. This could be one of the early Tide-Bulldogs battles post-Kirby Smart’s move to Athens to take the head coaching job. Tennessee also is a factor.

Ben Davis, LB, Gordo (Ala.)

Davis is the nation’s top-ranked inside linebacker prospect and is an Alabama legacy, so most believe the Tide will be awfully tough to beat. With that, Georgia is the other school in the mix and Davis has a good relationship with Smart, but Davis visited UGA officially under the previous staff. Auburn gets an official Jan. 22 then the Tide gets the last one. It was anticipated that most UGA-Alabama recruiting battles this cycle would be within the state of Georgia, but this one will be on the Tide’s home turf.

Lyndell Mack Wilson, LB, Montgomery (Ala.) Carver

Wilson is the top-ranked outside linebacker prospect this cycle and it’s safe to say Alabama is the “team to beat,” but don’t rule out Georgia or Florida. He was scheduled to be in Athens this weekend, then follows up with consecutive visits to Tuscaloosa and Gainesville. Can the Gators pull the upset by getting the final visit? This could end up getting very interesting at the end of the day.

Demetris Robertson, ATH, Savannah (Ga.) Christian

Robertson, who projects best as a wide receiver, is a Georgia-Alabama battle provided he remains in the SEC, but Stanford and Notre Dame are very real and legitimate options for the coastal Georgia standout. This particular recruitment will be one of the most heavily-followed and covered simply because of the teams involved (both SEC and non-SEC) and the fact that it could realistically go four different ways.

Kristian Fulton, CB, Metairie (La.) Archbishop Rummel

LSU is typically very tough to beat in these types of situations (elite defensive back, just down the highway from campus whom the Tigers want), but Florida, Alabama and others are making late pushes and Fulton seems somewhat open to other suitors at this point. Because of his elite coverage ability and the fact that he’s one of a handful of great cornerbacks that remain un-committed, expect every team in the mix to make a hard run at him and attempt to pry him out of the Pelican State.

Trayvon Mullen, CB, Pompano Beach (Fla.) Coconut Creek

Mullen is another elite cornerback that remains un-committed and only one SEC program, LSU, appears to have a better-than-average shot as Florida State and Clemson are the two other primary suitors. No matter the players here, this one is going to be interesting until the end.

Nate Craig-Myers, WR, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic

Craig-Myers was committed to Auburn for a good portion of the cycle and the Tigers stand the best chance to get him back in the fold. That said, he remains a bit open and other programs are doing their best to sway him. Wide receivers with his size (6-2, 205) and ability aren’t a dime a dozen and as long as the door is open, there will be programs that want to land him.

Jeffery Simmons, DE, Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County

Simmons is one of the few elite prospects in the state of Mississippi during the past few cycles that actually may leave the state of Mississippi as Alabama is squarely in the mix for his services, along with Ole Miss and Mississippi State with the Rebels and Tide currently considered the frontrunners. Will he stay or will he go? Expect this one to be a significant three-way battle (don’t count out the Bulldogs just yet completely) and to be one of the most heavily-followed recruitments down the stretch of the cycle.

JC Shurburtt

Recruiting writer for Saturday Down South