National Recruiting Director Rivals Adam Gorney looked Deion Sander‘ name is gaining momentum for a Power Five job, be it Jeremiah Smith could be the #1 receiver regardless of class and UCLAlow attendance and how it could affect recruitment:
DEION SHOULD GET A POWER FIVE JOB
Arizona State and Nebraska are already open jobs and others – Auburn, Georgia Technology are programs to watch – could also become available and Deion Sander should not only be considered for these positions, he should be a top candidate.
Sanders isn’t the kind of buttoned-up coach who stares into the scoresheet. Good. Winning in sport is a matter of recruiting because almost everyone applies the same attacking and defensive patterns and those who do it “best” are those who have the most disciplined players but also the fastest, strongest and taller.
Deion can have these guys. He’s already proven he can land the nation’s No.1 player and it was compelling Hunter Travis go to Jackson State. Four star receiver Kevin Coleman refuse Oregon, state of florida and others to play too. Former five star Mark Pope (and that leaderboard was off, to be fair) is playing it now. Jackson State is 3-0 and cruising.
Herm Edwards turned out to be a mess at Arizona State. A literal coup was attempted against Bryan Harsin at Auburn last year who failed, but can he feel love there? Scott Frost was an absolute disaster in Nebraska where the Huskers had four straight losing seasons for the first time since the late 1950s and early 1960s. Georgia Tech’s Geoff Collins is asked if his team has given up.
There are plenty of reasons to bring Deion in. With resources, facilities and zero money to back him up, Sanders might be able to recruit like few others. Hunter said one of the reasons he chose Jackson State was to be coached by one of the best at it.
Mississippi State’s 2024 Most Valuable Player, Four-Star Defensive End Kamarion Franklin, is visiting Jackson State this weekend. Just like the four star athlete of 2025 Jarcoby Hopson as Lake Cormorant, Miss., teammates will go together.
Sanders has proven he can run a program, recruit, win and be taken seriously. It’s time for Power Five-level athletic directors to get smart.
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JEREMIAH SMITH – NO. 1 WR REGARDLESS OF CLASS?
There was a little big brother/little brother feel to the South Florida Express team last offseason as a five-star Carnell Tate, Brandon Innis and Hykeem Williams shone a lot then 2024 five stars Jeremiah Smith and Joshisa Trader learned the tricks of the trade. But there might be a few students teaching the teacher some new tricks about to happen.
In particular, Smith could be the best receiver in the country, regardless of class. Hollywood (Florida) star Chaminade Madonna who plays on the same team as Trader and three stars Edwin Josephwho could easily be in contention for a four-star rating, is nearly unstoppable on the pitch this season.
He points the ball better than anyone. He can go over cornerbacks or run past them. He is aggressive and asserts himself every time he is on the pitch. Inniss is pushing for that No. 1 spot in the 2023 Receiver Rankings, but when it comes to elite talent, Smith, while just a junior in high school, could end up as the best of them all. band.
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UCLA HAS SUPPORT PROBLEMS
Few people go UCLA games this season and that could potentially be a big recruiting problem.
To be fair, the Bruins have had a boring home schedule so far with games against Bowling Green, Alabama A&M and South Alabama (although that last game turned out to be a thriller). Yet in three games, the Bruins have tied 90,214. Not per game – total.
In comparison, Michigan played cupcake UConn last weekend and drew 109,639. UCLA is committed Roderick Robinsona four-star running back stud from San Diego (California) Lincoln, visited Texas A&M for his match against Miami last weekend in front of 107,245 screaming and noisy fans at Kyle Field. He described the environment as incomparable. He visits Georgia in October for an SEC matchup should also be a full house.
The Bruins have only seven commitments so far and it’s not just because the Rose Bowl is more than half empty on non-conference Saturdays. UCLA recruits in a different way and so on, but when the team brings in the best recruits in a stadium that looks like a library, it can’t help.
I understand. I live here. There’s plenty to do in LA on the weekends. Fighting traffic across town to see Alabama A&M doesn’t excite anyone. But people cross the state of Pennsylvania and beyond to get to Penn State Saturdays. Alabama, in the same way. It’s their life, their fall weekends, what they do.
And UCLA needs a little more of that. The beach will be there – in the winter when it’s still 72 and sunny.