Weekend Visit Preview: Blue-chippers headed to Ohio State; OU and Texas welcome top targets

Two epic college football recruiting visit weekends and down and two to go. After hundreds of top prospects have taken official visits the past two weeks, the Weekend Visit Preview is back again to look ahead at another major college football recruiting weekend in the month of June. While official visits technically started May 1, most prospects have held off until June to head to college campuses. And they will be out in force over the next few days.

Miami, Georgia, Ohio State and Florida were the major hubs last weekend, but it will be Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Alabama and South Carolina hosting the majority of this country’s elite recruits this weekend.

Let’s begin:

Ohio State

The Buckeyes started off this cycle by building out their offensive line room, along with adding five-star receivers Mylan Graham and Jeremiah Smith, as well quarterback Air Noland and running backs James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon, among others. But this weekend will be by far their most important visit group to date.

Five-stars KJ Bolden, Dylan Stewart, Kobe Black and Eddrick Houston will all be in Columbus as the they look to make up some ground on the former three and lock down the latter. Houston has been trending Ohio State’s way in the past couple weeks, and pulling him out of Georgia would be a huge coup for Larry Johnson and Ryan Day. Coveted offensive tackle Guerby Lambert will also be in as Ohio State looks to beat out Notre Dame, Boston College, Penn State and a host of others. Four-star defensive backs Corian Gipson, Peyton Woodyard, Jordon Johnson-Rubell are expected in as well, though the Buckeyes will have some work to do with each one to catch the likes of Texas and Georgia.

Follow along with LettermenRow for all your Ohio State recruiting coverage.

Texas

Recently minted On3 Industry five-star offensive tackle Brandon Baker headlines the crop in Austin this weekend, along with elite wide receiver Ryan Wingo. Oregon is thought to be the favorite with Baker, but Texas’ recruitment and production of elite linemen under Kyle Flood has his attention. A little closer to home, the ‘Horns will look to make up ground with in-state four-stars Blake Ivy and Aeryn Hampton, who appear to be trending to Texas A&M and Alabama, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). Four-star safety Myles Davis was thought to be a near-lock to USC at this time a month ago, but in-state programs like the Longhorns and Aggies have made a real push in recent weeks.

Texas’ big visit weekend will come a week from now, but don’t sell short how important this one is.

For more, check out InsideTexas.

Oklahoma

It doesn’t get any bigger for Oklahoma recruiting than the ChampU BBQ weekend. The annual visit extravaganza, started by Lincoln Riley, brings nearly all of the Sooners’ top targets to Norman this weekend. None is bigger than five-star defensive lineman David Stone, who has been considered a heavy OU lean the past few months. He could take his decision until Signing Day, but the Sooners have a chance to put their name alone atop his list this weekend. Five-stars Terry Bussey and Dominick McKinley will also be in town, as OU battles Texas, Texas A&M and a few others for Bussey and a similar list for McKinley, the top player in Louisiana.

On3 Industry No. 1 running back Taylor Tatum will take his long awaited official visit, but the Sooners are looking up at USC (and potentially even Michigan) at the top of his recruitment right now. Running backs coach DeMarco Murray has a strong connection to Tatum, and OU still remains in the race. Top in-state defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and coveted Lone Star State lineman Nigel Smith II will both make their way to Norman, with a lot of buzz around Georgia for Jonah-Ajonye coming into the trip.

Four-star running back Caden Durham out of Duncanville (Texas) is one the Sooners are in a very good spot with as they battle LSU.

For full coverage of the weekend, visit SoonerScoop.

Tennessee

After a hot start to this cycle, things have cooled off a bit for Tennessee. But this weekend ought to get the momentum going back in the Vols’ direction. Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri is the biggest name coming to Knoxville, but the Vols look to be in a very good spot with elite defensive lineman Kamarion Franklin as well. Four-star running back Jerrick Gibson remains a strong Texas lean, but Tennessee will get its chance this weekend. Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater cornerback Cai Bates and four-star offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun are two more that Josh Heupel and Co. would love to have, and Tennessee remains strongly in contention with both.

If there’s one prospect that Tennessee is considered the favorite for in this group, it’s like four-star in-state linebacker Edwin Spillman. He’ll be back on campus this weekend, and the Vols would love to lock him down before he heads to Georgia next week.

To get the latest on Tennessee recruiting, subscribe to Volquest.

Alabama

The Crimson Tide have been on the outside looking in with Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons but will get their chance to climb up the ladder this weekend. Texas, Texas A&M and LSU look to be setting the pace with him, so Alabama has some work to do. Coming off his official visit to Auburn a few weeks ago, five-star commit Jaylen Mbakwe will be back in Tuscaloosa, and it will be hard to flip him from the Crimson Tide.

Speaking of flips, Alabama has some serious momentum right now with elite Georgia linebacker commit Demarcus Riddick, and this visit could go a long way to determining whether he stays in the Bulldogs’ class. The Tide has some work of its own to do in the regard with four-star linebacker commit Sterling Dixon, who has been heavily pursued by LSU ever since he committed to Alabama last year.

To get everything Alabama, check out BamaOnLine.

Other notable college football recruiting visits around the country

• Miami’s big recruiting bash was last weekend, but arguably their No. 1 priority in 2024 will be on campus this weekend for his OV: five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott. After a couple of spring visits to Coral Gables, Scott has the Hurricanes, Notre Dame and Georgia at the top of his list heading into the weekend. Mario Cristobal and Co. have a major opportunity.
  
• Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Micah Hudson is largely expected to decide between Texas and Texas Tech when commitment time comes. The Red Raiders are a serious threat under Joey McGuire, and Texas even brought him to town on Thursday for an unofficial visit before he heads out to Lubbock.
  
• Elite cornerback Charles Lester III was originally planning to take his official visit to Florida State this fall, but he moved it up to this weekend. Colorado and Deion Sanders made a strong push a week ago, but Mike Norvell has invested a ton of time here. The Seminoles remain as the trending favorite.
  
• Like Miami, Georgia had its big blowout weekend this time last week, but don’t sleep on this visitors list. On3 five-star offensive tackle Jonathan Daniels will be in town, as the Bulldogs battle LSU, Florida State and a few others for him. Florida safety commit Xavier Filsaime is also taking his official visit to Athens as the Bulldogs look to build out an elite secondary class. And keep an eye on elite defensive linemen Aydin Breland out of California powerhouse Mater Dei. Oregon is looking to keep him close to home, but Georgia’s success at that position might be enough to overcome the distance.
  
• Auburn is working hard to flip four-star Alabama wide receiver commit Perry Thompson, and they’ll get a shot at the in-state star this weekend. The Crimson Tide will be tough to beat, though.
  
• Nearly every one of Michigan’s commitments from its top-five class will be in town this weekend, and all of them will be working on elite cornerback Aaron Scott Jr., who is largely down to the Wolverines, Oregon and Ohio State. A decision is expected in July, so this might be Michigan’s last chance at a major impression.