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64 of the top recruits in the country are competing at Disney this weekend. SB Nation is on the scene, providing live updates on the competition and breaking recruiting news from Orlando.
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Virginia Tech adds an elite cornerback recruit.
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Marcell Harris, a top safety recruit from Orlando Dr. Phillips High School, will announce his top five schools Sunday from ESPN's Gridiron Kings tournament at Disney's Wide World Of Sports.
Harris' top five is likely to be anticlimactic. The big (215 pounds) safety had long had a top three of Florida, Texas and Florida State. Few believe that schools four and five, whoever they are, will be serious contenders for his services. The announcement seems like more of something to fill downtime during the broadcast than a new development in Harris' recruitment, as the championship game of Gridiron Kings is airing on the ESPN family of networks,
Harris is taking the process in stride and plans to visit all of the schools on his list. His father played for Florida's 1996 national championship team. Harris has played well during the Gridiron Kings event, making plays that a player of his size normally doesn't make.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Round one of pool play is complete from Gridiron Kings.
Team Southeast defeated Team South 6-0 in overtime. Defensive backs Vernon Hargreaves and Leon McQuay both recorded interceptions for Team Southeast. Alvin Kamara caught the winning touchdown pass in overtime.
Team West defeated Team Midwest 27-21. West led 14-7 at the half.
O.J. Howard, the nation's top tight end recruit out of Prattville (Ala.) Autauga Academy, discusses his participation in the Gridiron Kings event, the status of his commitment to Alabama, and whether Auburn will receive an official visit.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- If you attended a camp, combine or tournament this summer in Florida, you likely saw Bell Glade (Fla.) Central High's Will Likely. The 5'7 cornerback is towered over by taller receivers, but keeps battling and doing the best he can. At the Gridiron Kings event this weekend, Likely opened up a bit about his recruitment.
Likely was very hesitant to name any schools that stood out and made sure to note that he didn't want to call them "favorites" when he listed a few.
"I'd say LSU, Stanford, Georgia, Wake Forest," he said. "I don't want to call them [favorites], though."
Likely recently attended a camp at LSU. He talked a lot with defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, and worked with him quite a bit. He also had a chance to speak with Les Miles a bit.
"I just came from the LSU camp, it was great. I was just going out there and showing my competitiveness and the coaches liked it," he said.
It's not certain that Likely's claimed offer to LSU is commitment-worthy.
Story by SB Nation Contributor Scott Crumbly
In this video, Shaq Wiggins says that he is still committed to Georgia, but is still taking visits. He is impressed with Georgia's class. And despite taking visits, Wiggins is solid enough in his commitment to recruit Norcross (Ga.) High running back Alvin Kamara with him to Athens.
Asked if there was a recruit committed to Georgia flying under the radar, Wiggins named Orlando linebacker Ryne Rankin.
For more on UGA football, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Leon McQuay III of Seffner (Fla.) Armwood High School is rated as one of the better defensive backs in the country. He is a consensus four-star recruit and holds more than 20 offers. After working out in anticipation of pool play during the Gridiron Kings event, McQuay spoke with SB Nation about where his recruitment stands.
The star safety recently changed up his top three schools, removing Michigan and adding Florida State to Vanderbilt and USC.
"Michigan wanted me to commit, and I wasn't ready," McQuay said. "They said that if I didn't commit by this weekend, they weren't sure they'd have a spot for me by the time I was ready," he added.
With so many recruits committing early, I asked McQuay if he feels pressured to commit.
"Not really. I know I can play and the teams and recruiters that really want me will hold a spot for me," McQuay said.
The new school in the picture is Florida State.
"It's close. It's the state school. I like their coaches, and their defensive coordinator, Mark Stoops," McQuay said.
Though McQuay and his father denied it, Vanderbilt is thought to be McQuay's leader by many who follow recruiting.
"Vanderbilt has a great coaching staff and great academics," McQuay said. He added that Nashville is not too far away from home for him or his parents.
USC still remains in the picture, though it is unknown if a spot remains in the Trojans' class, which has been reduced in size by NCAA sanctions.
Not surprisingly, McQuay cited the Trojans' coaching staff and academics. Those are the two most important factors in his recruitment.
McQuay does not want to be a recruit who commits first and takes visits second. He wants to make a single decision after visiting the schools on his list.
A visit to Vanderbilt happened earlier this spring, and McQuay is not sure if he'll make it back up to Nashville before he decides in late November.
He visited Florida State as a junior for a track meet, but wants to get back up to Tallahassee. A visit to Los Angeles to see Southern Cal is also in the works. McQuay said that would likely be an official visit.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. -- Laquon Treadwell is a top-seven wide receiver nationally and one of the best players in the country regardless of position. I caught up with Treadwell as part of SB Nation's recruiting coverage of Gridiron Kings. The Crete (Ill.) Monee High School recruit was trying to stay out of the Florida heat.
Not much had changed since I spoke with Treadwell earlier in July at The Opening.
One thing that is new, however, is an offer from LSU.
"I guess the LSU coach had sent me a message on Facebook, but it went to my other folder. I finally clicked on it and wrote him back and he asked me to call him," Treadwell said. "They liked me and LSU offered me," he added.
Treadwell has no prior connection to the school, but did say that he likes watching LSU play for the national championship "pretty much every year." Treadwell would like to visit the Tigers.
Treadwell also holds offers from other southern schools, including Alabama, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Michigan is still way out in front for Treadwell, but other schools, including an in-state rival of the Wolverines, are also in the running.
"I've really been looking at Michigan State. I haven't told anybody that, yet," Treadwell said. "They throw the ball around a lot in the Big Ten there. Ohio State, too, throwing the ball a lot in the Big Ten," he added. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State also remain in the mix.
Treadwell does not have a decision date in mind and won't commit "until it feels right."
Alex Anzalone discusses his decision to camp at Florida's Friday Night Lights event Friday before the start of ESPN's Gridiron Kings.
Anzalone is still extremely solid to Notre Dame. He has no plans to take official visits to schools other than Notre Dame.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. -- Kendall Fuller, a top cornerback recruit out of Olney (Md.) Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, was one of the top topics on day one of Gridiron Kings.
Fuller was happy to be at the event.
"Just coming out here and being around all these guys, it's great," Fuller said. This is the last time we'll be together before we start our seasons. It's a little less serious than the Opening. Just trying to come out here and have some fun," he added.
Some recruiting experts believe Fuller is the top corner nationally, while most say it is Vernon Hargreaves.
"All of us are going to think that we're the top corner in the country," Fuller said. "But me and Vernon don't worry about that. We're similar corners, too, [we] do a lot of the same things," he added.
Fuller announces his commitment between Virginia Tech and Clemson tomorrow afternoon. Fuller said he has known his destination for a few days.
Fuller's brothers play at Virginia Tech and I asked him about how that impacts his recruitment.
"It matters. I've had my brothers go through there, see how they developed, and what they say about it. I know they're honest with me about it and I know what I'm going to get at Virginia Tech," Fuller said.
One draw of both schools is NFL development.
"Definitely. You want a coach who will develop you, teach different techniques, and get you ready for the league.
One factor that doesn't mean as much to Fuller as it does some recruits is early playing time.
"Not really. I'll make my own playing time anywhere I go," Fuller said
A coaching change is what drew Fuller to Clemson.
"I wasn't being recruited by [former Clemson defensive coordinator] Kevin Steele," Fuller said. "But when Brent Venables came to Clemson, I got interested, because he had already been recruiting me and [Clemson commitment and fellow high school teammate] Dorian O'Daniel to Oklahoma," He added.
Fuller added that he feels comfortable at Clemson and that it is not too far away from his home.
SB Nation will have Fuller's commitment story tomorrow.
I spoke with USC cornerback commitment Chris Hawkins briefly this morning. Hawkins said that despite his recent thumb surgery, he will attempt to play today. Hawkins has his hand heavily bandaged.
64 of the top recruits in the country will be competing at Disney this weekend.
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