Forecasting May's biggest upcoming commitments

Top prospects are popping up left and right with their respective college commitments, and expect that trend to continue into the month of May as college coaches have been pouring the majority of their time into zoom meetings and virtual visits with recruits with no spring football to pull them in other directions.

As we turn the calendar page to May on Friday, we see a handful of highly-recruited players have already locked in a decision date and there will certainly be more Top247 added to the list as we continue too.

THE MONTH WILL START WITH FIREWORKS

We’ll be off and running right away with Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard Top247 defensive tackle Marcus Bradley and Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff’s Jaydon Williams set to come off the board on May 1.

The four-star Bradley is high on the likes of Maryland, Ohio State, LSU and Tennessee but all the momentum at this point appears to be with the Terps. Mike Locksley’s program is sitting on the nation’s No. 16 recruiting class at this point including Bradley’s teammate, defensive end Demeioun Robinson. With that Maryland is tracking for one of the top defensive line classes in the Big Ten and Bradley would be a huge part in that.

It seemed like Texas would secure a pledge from Williams but Arizona State is picking up steam on the 247Sports Crystal Ball for this rangy second-level defender. The Sun Devils were one of the first major programs to show interest in Williams and we’ll see if that pays off for Herm Edwards and company when he announces his plans. Texas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, SMU and Kansas are other programs the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Williams is strongly considering.

VOLS CAN KEEP THE MOMENTUM ROLLING

No program is hotter than Tennessee right now. The Volunteers landed the 247Sports Composite’s No. 1 outside linebacker Terrence Lewis on Thursday to end a strong month of April that’s seen the Vols rise to No. 4 in the team rankings after Lewis’ announcement. He's the fifth commit in the last week for Jeremy Pruitt and his staff.

Full speed ahead in May, Mother’s Day weekend is looking like a promising one for Tennessee as well. Top247 quarterback Kaidon Salter will announce his plans May 10 and the 247Sports Crystal Ball is trending heavy for the checkered orange. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 247Sports Crystal Ball soon do the same for Top247 linebacker Aaron Willis if Pruitt and company are pushing there.

Tennessee signed a Top 10 class in the 2020 cycle and now the Vols staff is putting themselves in position to do it twice in a row.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS TO TRACK

Looking at some other announcements locked in, we stay with Mother’s Day as Top247 receiver Dekel Crowdus headlines several more in planning to do something. Kentucky is the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite to keep him in-state. Virginia has the nation’s No. 20 class (prior to receiver Michael Green’s announcement Thursday) and they look like the one to beat for cornerback Aidan Ryan as well. Will Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel safety Benjamin Perry keep the momentum going for Minnesota and their No. 6 class or will he roll with Louisville and try and get things cracking for Scott Satterfield and his staff.

Others looking to go in May include receiver Deion Burks who is predicted to land at Purdue and receiver Skylar Bell who has Iowa as his favorite but says it’s close with several others behind the Hawkeyes. And speaking of Iowa they have the No. 7 class in the land.


SOURCE: Wiltfong, Steve. "Forecasting May's biggest upcoming commitments." 247Sports.com, 30 April 2020, https://247sports.com/Article/College-football-recruiting-scheduled-commitments-May-146665750/