On3 top-30 prospect Jordan Hall down to five schools

The clock is beginning to tick down for Jacksonville (Fla.) four-star defensive lineman Jordan Hall.

With the Early Signing Period a little more than a month away, the No. 30 overall prospect in the 2023 On300 rankings has narrowed down to just five programs as he moves closer to a decision: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Ohio State.

Hall cut his previous list of 10 schools in half and is now ready to focus on these programs.

“It was a tough decision,” he told On3. “With LSU, they’re one of the schools that caught my eye the most. It was them and FSU for that last spot, and I felt like I fit in with LSU more than I fit with FSU. … I just feel like these are the five because I can be developed the best there. They all have the majors that I’m looking for, and every school has something different about them that makes it feel like home to me.”

Hall has already used one official visit to Alabama on Oct. 21, and he plans to use the other four between now and signing day. Ohio State will host him on Nov. 26, and LSU will have him in Baton Rouge on Nov. 19. He plans to take officials to Florida and Georgia in December before narrowing down to three finalists he will ultimately choose from. He expects to announce his commitment and sign during the Early Signing Period that begins on December 21.

Jordan Hall gives the latest with each of his top schools

Hall broke down what each school in his top five brings to the table:

Alabama: “The need for them at my position. I feel like Coach Saban, Coach Roach and Coach Cox, they made that known on my visit. I felt the love there. The players are dedicated to the hard work mentality there, and I’m built off of hard work. There isn’t anything I’ve gotten in my recruitment or life that’s been easy. I feel like that’s one thing I picked up on early: how hard they work and how hard I’ll have to work just to prove myself on that team. I have no issue or no problem with that. If you want to be developed the best, you go to Alabama. Everybody knows it’s a factory, a machine, and you go there to go to the league.”

LSU: “It was different than what I thought it was going to be up there. As soon as I went there, even on the drive there to LSU, it felt like I was back home in Jacksonville. It felt like I was driving through the east side and then all the sudden, this big stadium, beautiful apartments dorms and stuff just pop out of nowhere. It gave me a home feeling. The culture and the environment there is just different than any other school I’ve been around recently. I feel like I’d be developed there, too. I like Coach Kelly a lot and what he’s doing. They’re building a class over there, and I want to be part of that.”

Ohio State: “If you’re looking at schools that are going to help you be the best player, other than Coach Odell (Haggins) and Coach Scott at Georgia, Coach Larry Johnson is probably the best at what he does as a position coach. They’ve got all types of great offense and offensive line for me to compete against, and they have a great set of DBs. As long I can get to the ball, make plays and get my sacks, the DBs are going to get picks from it. I just like the way they operate. That’s just the competitor’s spirit in me, and I want to go against the best. I feel like I fit in there, and Coach Johnson, he’s one of a kind. I like him a lot. Coach Day seems like a cool guy as well, and I just want to get up there and see what they have to offer and what it’s like.”

Georgia: “Coach Scott, that’s my guy. … He’s a very big-known name, and I love it up there. It’s deeper than football with them. Coach Kirby, he’s always asking how my family is doing. They want to get to know me more than just ‘Big Baby;’ he wants to get to know Jordan Hall. So I feel like that’s the biggest plus for me with Georgia. It’s not always about ball. Sometimes it can be about what I ate this morning or how I’m feeling. … I feel like I fit in there and can be myself the most out of all the schools. I feel like I can be Jordan, play football, have fun, get my grades and that’s the most important thing.”

Florida: “For one, they’re building a class and two, it’s close to home. Not saying that’s a big factor in my recruitment, but it’s easy access for my family to continue talking to me, check on me to see how I’m doing. I feel like I have family there. Every time I go there, Miss Katie, Miss Bri, Coach Napier, they make me feel like I’m welcome with open arms. Coach Spence, he’s an NFL guy that’s coached at every level. He knows what he’s talking about, and he develops D-lineman. I feel like there’s a big want for me there. When the new coaching staff got hired, they jumped on me. Florida’s always been a top dog in my recruitment.”