Weekend Visit Preview: Top recruits seeing Florida, Ohio State, Georgia

After a short hiatus, the Weekend Visit Preview has returned in full force with Week 1 of the college football season upon us. After nearly a monthlong break where prospects couldn’t make recruiting trips to college campuses, things are heating back up again with programs around the country welcoming prospects into town.

Some of the the biggest names in the 2023 class will be out and about this weekend, while others are waiting to use their remaining official visits until later in the weekend.

As always, these will be updated as more information becomes available.

Ohio State gets it chance with trio of 5-star EDGEs

The undisputed biggest matchup of the weekend will take place Saturday in Columbus when Ohio State and Notre Dame face off in the Horseshoe. Two top-five programs, both from the Midwest, which regularly battle for recruits: How could this storyline get better?

Answer: Five-star Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley EDGE Keon Keeley, once a longtime Notre Dame commit, will be on the sideline as a guest of the Buckeyes. Keeley hasn’t named any new favorites since his decommitment, but it’s thought to be a three-team race between Alabama, Ohio State and Florida for his services, with the Tide strongly ahead in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

OSU is bringing out all the stops — and commits — while Keeley is in town. The Buckeyes’ visitor list includes a number of current 2023 pledges, including five-star wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Noah Rogers, along with quarterback Brock Glenn, offensive linemen Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld, linebacker Arvell Reese and tight end Jelani Thurman.

Two more elite EDGE prospects will also be in Columbus: On3 five-star Damon Wilson and consensus five-star Matayo Uiagaleiei. The Buckeyes are considered to be trailing behind the likes of Alabama and Georgia for Wilson, but recently made it into his top five. Uiagalelei is a Clemson legacy, but the latest intel suggests he is highest on OSU.

The list of 2024 prospects expected in for the game dwarfs that by a huge margin. With 2024 five-star QB commit Dylan Raiola leading their recruiting efforts, Ohio State will host a number of the best juniors in the country.

Among them are:

• Five-star WR Jeremiah Smith
• Five-star WR Joshisa Trader
• Five-star DB KJ Bolden
• Four-star WR Ryan Wingo
• Four-star OL Ian Moore
• Four-star OL Donovan Harbour
• Four-star EDGE KingJoseph Edwards
• Four-star DE Nigel Smith
• Four-star DE Brian Robinson
• Four-star LB Sammy Brown
• Four-star LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
• Four-star DB Bryce West
• Four-star DB Peyton Woodyard
• Four-star ATH Aneyas Williams

For even more, go over to Lettermen Row.

Statement weekend on tap at Florida

Billy Napier and Florida get their first chance to prove it on the field this weekend when No. 7 Utah rolls into Gainesville for a major showdown. What the Gators do on the field will be paramount, but the recruiting experience will be equally key.

Coming into town is a massive list of visitors, none bigger than Five-Star Plus+ cornerback Cormani McClain, who will be making his seventh trip to campus as a recruit. The Gators are very squarely in his top two along with Alabama, and a matchup with a top-10 program is a chance to show they’re on track to be a serious national contender in a hurry.

Joining the country’s No. 1 cornerback in the 2023 class was expected to be the No. 1 cornerback in the 2024 class, IMG Academy’s Desmond Ricks. However, IMG has a game Saturday night that will postpone Ricks’ trip. The Gators will still host a loaded list of 2024 visitors that includes No. 1 2024 LB TJ Capers, top-100 LB Adarius Hayes, top-100 CB Charles Lester III, four-star CB Tavoy Feagin, On300 RB Chauncey Bowens and a number of others.

A few other notables names on the visitor list include: top-100 2023 Gilbert (Ariz.) offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and four-star cornerback Dijon Johnson, who has been considered a strong Florida lean since his decommitment from Ohio State earlier this month.

For the complete visitor list and full coverage of the weekend, head to GatorsOnline.

Other notable visits around the country

• Alabama will host almost all of its official visitors later in the season, including what is shaping up be a huge list on October 8. Four-star Longview (Texas) wide receiver Jalen Hale is set to announce his commitment on Sept. 21 though, so the Tide will get him on campus this weekend with a handful of their 2023 commits. The On3 RPM favors Texas, but the Crimson Tide are hopeful that a great visit this weekend — combined with a win over the Longhorns next weekend when Hale is on campus in Austin — can push them over the top.
  
• The 2023 visitors will have to wait for South Carolina. The Gamecocks will host almost exclusively committed prospects in that class over the weekend. They will, however, bring in a handful of key 2024 targets. Tops on that list are Greenville (S.C.) four-star WR Mazeo Bennett and Lawrenceville (Ga.) Mountain View four-star EDGE Justin Greene. Joining them will be local three-stars Blake Franks, Malachi Toliver, and Kelvin Hunter.
  
• Georgia won’t be playing inside Sanford Stadium this weekend when it hosts Oregon, but the Bulldogs will host one of their top remaining 2023 targets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School four-star cornerback Chris Peal will take in the game, his third time visiting the Bulldogs since June. The On3 RPM heavily favors Georgia here. Expected to join him is high school teammate and 2024 four-star quarterback Jadyn Davis, according to On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons.
  
• Ole Miss welcomes Troy into Oxford on Saturday for its season opener, and the Rebels will have a handful on campus as well. Three-star defensive lineman Jamarrion Harkless will make his official visit and fast-rising 2023 linebacker Skielar Mann will be in as well.
  
• Few coaches have more riding on their game this weekend than Florida State’s Mike Norvell. An upset over LSU would not only be huge on the field, but it could give the Seminoles some major momentum on the recruiting trail. Although the game is in New Orleans, FSU will have five-star wide receiver Hykeem Williams in attendance as a guest of theirs. Texas A&M is considered the favorite at this point, but the Seminoles got Williams on campus last month and very much have his attention.