With sports still on hold, recruiting updates are as big of news as we get, and when a five-star running back ends a wild recruitment with a surprise announcement, the headlines don’t get much bigger on that front. So here are today’s recruiting updates:
5-Star RB Zach Evans commits to TCU
Class of 2020 running back Zach Evans, a former Georgia commit, finally made his announcement, and it was a huge surprise, as Evans is opting to stay in state and play for the TCU Horned Frogs. After his initial top-four list included Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Texas A&M, Evans was thought to be a lock to be competing in the SEC. Evans signed a letter of intent with Georgia, but he was released from that letter in January, after deciding not to enroll early. Although the up-and-down, wild recruitment process had hardly revealed a favorite, Evans’ announcement that he had chosen TCU on Monday was shocking, as the Horned Frogs had rarely been associated with Evans. A huge announcement that may help TCU rebound from their massive draft losses, as they look to climb back into the Big 12 conversation.
4-Star ATH Julien Simon commits to USC
USC thrives on dynamic playmakers to thrive within both their offensive and defensive systems, and by securing Simon, the Trojans bring in an extremely athletic option; they’ve recruited Simon as an inside linebacker, which makes sense given they failed to bring anyone in at the position in their Class of 2020. The Tacoma, Washington product chose Clay Helton’s squad over an in-state offer from Washington, as well as Oregon, Cal, Stanford, Texas, and Michigan.
Tennessee lands a pair of 4-star recruits
Tennessee’s window to win is fast approaching. They’ve been irrelevant in the SEC for a long time, but the Vols are reeling in top-level recruits at a ridiculous clip. Dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter announced he was headed for Tennessee, turning down a bevy of other offers – Salter had visited Baylor, and as a Dallas, Texas product, the in-state program seemed like a likely destination. However, a March visit to Tennessee clearly convinced Salter.
Tennessee also improved their recruiting class on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in linebacker Aaron Willis, a top-5 linebacker on many lists. Earning his commitment over national powerhouses Alabama and Clemson is a major win for the Volunteers, who will continue to try and build towards challenging Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Auburn for SEC supremacy.
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