Recruiting Rumor Mill: Final July recruiting weekend on deck

Heading into a busy final recruiting weekend in July, a second Recruiting Rumor Mill was needed this week going into events across the country. Here’s what Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is hearing.

RELATED: The 10 biggest recruiting visits on tap this weekend

Brown is volunteering at a youth camp this week and then he will bounce up to Penn State for the Lasch Bash this weekend as the Nittany Lions remain in strong shape with the 2026 four-star offensive tackle from Harrisburg, Pa.

But this one is far from a done deal as Georgia, Alabama, Auburn and other SEC programs among others intrigue him as well.

Michigan and Rutgers are the two programs mainly battling it out for the 2026 four-star receiver from Akron (Ohio) Hoban.

Not only are those the two main names in Cook’s recruitment but he will see both the Wolverines and the Scarlet Knights before the month shuts down.

Michigan, Alabama, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Penn State have been pushing the most this summer and the Irish are definitely one to watch since Davis will be in South Bend this weekend.

Other programs have been mentioned for the 2026 four-star linebacker from Matthews (N.C.) Weddington but Notre Dame has been a regular throughout his recruitment as others push as well.

Notre Dame was catching Dunham’s attention in the spring and the Irish remain one of the top teams now through the summer.

Duke, Tennessee, Florida State, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia are also on the list as the 2026 four-star defensive end from Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park will be at Duke and Tennessee this weekend.

Missouri and Texas have been the two programs standing out most for the 2026 four-star cornerback from Miami (Fla.) Northwestern.

Tennessee is also becoming a major player here in Flowers’ recruitment but the Tigers and the Longhorns could have the edge right now in what’s shaping up to be an SEC battle.

Ohio State has always been pegged as the program to beat for Greer and that could still be the case for the 2026 four-star offensive lineman from Akron (Ohio) Hoban but others are involved as well.

Missouri is definitely a major one to watch for Greer as Florida, Tennessee and USC are also high on the list. The four-star will be in Knoxville this weekend and could head somewhere else as well.

Once Alabama offered, the Crimson Tide became a major contender in the spring for the 2026 four-star athlete from Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry and he will be in Tuscaloosa this weekend.

Edmonds is also planning to see Georgia and Florida over the weekend as those three programs among others have come into focus.

While Ford is trying to visit LSU and Miami over the next few days, the 2026 four-star defensive end from Duncanville, Texas has a few top schools that he’s kept a close eye on through the summer.

Miami, Texas A&M, Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, USC, Arizona State and Penn State are the standouts at this point.

It remains a pretty wide-open race for the 2026 four-star linebacker from Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ohio State, UCLA and Michigan stand out most.

Tennessee has also stepped it up this summer so the Volunteers have entered that top group too.

Ohio State and USC have been the mainstays in Harris’ recruitment for a long time and both of those programs remain among the favorites for the 2026 four-star defensive.

The Matthews (N.C.) Weddington standout has Miami, UCF and LSU in his top group as well.

It remains a major SEC battle for the 2026 four-star running back from Pike Road, Ala., as this could come down to the in-state schools with Auburn and Alabama in the lead. But Georgia and Ole Miss are also very high for Jones and rounds out an early top four.

The 2026 four-star offensive tackle from Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha School wished he could visit more schools but he and his father fly standby so they’ve been limited this summer.

Three programs did get visits though and could have an edge for Lee now as Michigan, Georgia and Tennessee had him on campus recently.

Miami, Michigan and Notre Dame are the three front-runners for the 2026 four-star running back from Boca Raton (Fla.) West Boca Raton and Mallory will be back with the Hurricanes again this weekend.

That might be the leader but a top three stands for now as Louisville, Florida State, Penn State, UCF, USC, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Wisconsin also have his attention.

Penn State is not going to let the 2026 four-star offensive lineman from Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley out easily and “pretty much everyone” has been reaching out this summer as he will take two important visits this weekend.

Merrill plans to see Notre Dame and Michigan as his recruitment continues to stay busy.

Originally from West Virginia, Parks is now playing at Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney and programs from both regions are major players in his recruitment.

The 2026 four-star offensive tackle has Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, West Virginia and Penn State the most involved heading into the late summer.

Michigan remains a top team for the 2026 four-star safety from Winter Park, Fla., as the Wolverines have intrigued him for a long time and then Florida State, UCF, Syracuse, Georgia, Oregon, Miami, Tennessee, Missouri and Penn State remain high as well.

The Seminoles could be a team to watch as this continues and if he wants to stay in-state. Pouncey, who will be at Syracuse this weekend, is also hearing a lot from Notre Dame and Clemson but neither has offered yet.

Robinson is on summer vacation so he’s not planning to visit anywhere this weekend but a whole group of programs – many of whom run fast offenses – are showing tons of interest in the 2026 four-star receiver.

The 5-foot-9, 160-pound standout from Red Oak, Texas has Texas at the top of his list of programs that have been active with him along with Oregon, Missouri, SMU, Baylor, Notre Dame, Kansas and Penn State.

The 2026 four-star offensive tackle from Leesburg (Va.) Loudoun County is on vacation so no visit this weekend is in the plans but a whole group of programs have intrigued him this summer.

Clemson and Virginia Tech are definitely two of those teams along with Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma are standing out most.

Georgia, Ole Miss and Missouri will get visits from the 2026 four-star tight end from Dunlap, Ill., in the coming days and more big news should be coming.

Sutter is looking at releasing a top 8-10 in the next week or two and then the four-star is planning game-day visits to those programs as he narrows down his focus.

A big visit to Oregon is coming up this weekend for the massive 2026 four-star offensive lineman from San Francisco (Calif.) Riordan as the Ducks are one of the top few programs early in his recruitment.

Tofi is also very serious about Tennessee and USC at this point but more schools could get involved soon.

After a bunch of conversations and visits over the last few months, the 2026 four-star safety has narrowed his focus to Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Kansas, Michigan, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Boston College, Northwestern and Pittsburgh.

The Detroit (Mich.) Divine Child standout is not eliminating Indiana, Penn State, Michigan State and West Virginia but those schools trail the others.

Last month, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, LSU and Missouri were the programs catching Williams’ eye the most as his recruitment wrapped up quickly and now three major visits are expected this weekend.

The Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln Way East will see LSU, USC and Oregon as 2026 quarterbacks are coming off the board regularly.

Oregon, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Notre Dame have been the most involved with Young early in his recruitment but a big visit is coming up this weekend which could add another team to his list.

The 2026 four-star athlete from Knoxville (Tenn.) Webb School will be visiting Miami as the Hurricanes are having a loaded list on campus.